What Is Crude Oil?

What is ‘Crude Oil’?

The unprocessed fossil fuel oil extracted from underground is referred to as crude oil, or sometimes named petroleum. The colour can range from clear to black, and the viscosity can range from close to the viscosity of water up to an almost solid consistency. This kind of fossil fuel is made up mostly from a mixture of hydrocarbons in all of the states in which it can be found (Wikipedia, Petroleum, 2008). The hydrocarbon molecule is made up from hydrogen and carbon. This type of molecule can be found with various structures and of various lengths, which explains why it can also be found in many different substances in addition to this type of fossil fuel. The origin came about when the bodies of a large number of small plants and animals were buried and then decayed under different layers of earth over a period measured in geological time (Opitma Energy Group 2007). Different plants and animals in different parts of the world can give different shades and colours to the crude oil. Consequently, the colour may indicate where it originally came from, i.e. it can have different appearance in colour as well as variation in their composition, depending on the geographical location. The reason for this is attributed to the original make up of the crude oil from plants and animals in that particular area or country, as well as the environment and conditions to which it was subjected to. Different types contains lighter hydrocarbons molecules, while other grades of contain much heavier types (Wikipedia, Petroleum, 2008).

When it comes to the market value, this value increases correspondingly according to the type of hydrocarbons it contains, i.e. the lighter the type of the hydrocarbon molecule the higher the price per barrel and visa versa (Energy Information Administration, Department of Energy, USA 2009). The chemical elements of a crude oil (e.g. North Sea Oil) can be summarised as in the following table: Carbon 78.5% Hydrogen 11.9% Nitrogen 0.25% Oxygen 8.85 % Sulphur 0.5% Metals <1000 ppm Crude oil reserve, at the present level production, can last approximately 63 years

if

produced

from

41

countries

believed

to

have

sufficient

commercial reserve. Most of these countries or crude oil reserves (68% of oil reserves in the world) can presently be found in the Middle East (World Coal Institute, 2008).

Najib Altawell

Reference Energy Information Administration, Official Energy Statistics from the US Government (2009) Petroleum Optima Energy Group (2007) About crude oil Wikipedia (2008) Petroleum World Coal Institute (2008) Coal facts 2007

© Altawell 2009