In class today, we discussed the natural resource of oil- where it is found, the conditions needed to create it, and the importance of it in our modern day society.
Basically, oil is a natural resource that takes thousands of years to form. Oil (petroleum) is made when sediments pile up against each other and bury themselves under the ground. As the pressure and heat increases, the substances, after many years, turn into oil.
Since oil is so hard to make, and even harder to get to, oil companies spend billions of dollars trying to locate and separate it from the ground. Geologists hired by these companies use state of the art technology to find appropriate locations where oil can be found. Oil can only be found if there is a source, a reservoir, and a lid.
More than most of the time, all of the oil cannot be retrieved from underground, so geologists must have an accurate sense of the environment and the budget they are working with. If anything, the petroleum business can get quite expensive! (Would that explain some of the rising gas prices? =])
Since the demand for oil is high, thousands and thousands of barrels of oil are being taken from the earth every day. Since oil takes so long to form, we might be facing a shortage in this natural resource. Bust as technology advances (hybrid cars, energy saving appliances), we can maybe start limiting our use of this resource.
For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum
Picture: wikipedia
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