Explain the process of formation of petroleum from earth?
Answers
Petroleum (also known as crude oil or simply oil) is a fossil fuel that was formed from the remains of ancient marine organisms.
Millions of years ago, algae and plants lived in shallow seas. After dying and sinking to the seafloor, the organic material mixed with other sediments and was buried. Over millions of years under high pressure and high temperature, the remains of these organisms transformed into what we know today as fossil fuels. Coal, natural gas, and petroleum are all fossil fuels that formed under similar conditions.
Today, petroleum is found in vast underground reservoirs where ancient seas were located. Petroleum reservoirs can be found beneath land or the ocean floor. Their crude oil is extracted with giant drilling machines.
Crude oil is usually black or dark brown, but can also be yellowish, reddish, tan, or even greenish. Variations in color indicate the distinct chemical compositions of different supplies of crude oil. Petroleum that has few metals or sulfur, for instance, tends to be lighter
First of all petroleum is a fossil fuel. It is a dark colour viscous and foul smelling liquid.
Petroleum is found at moderate depths (500m-2000m) between two layers of impervious rocks. Petroleum deposits are usually found mixed with salt water. Petroleum, being lighter than salt water, floats over it. Natural gas is found above petroleum ;it is trapped between the rock cap and the petroleum layer..
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