From fossil fuels to plastics

Crude oil is one of the worlds biggest industries as it is produced in the mega gallons. Crude oil is one of the earths the most useful recources as it can be used for a wide variety of things. Some of its larger productions include petroleum, kerosine, diesel oil, parafin waxes and bitumen. All of the substances in the previous statement are all derived from crude oil. This separation is done via the method of fractional distillation. In this process crude oil is pumped into a chamber where it is heated to over 400 degrees and evaporates. During the evaporation the lighter molecules such as gas and gasoline float to the top of the refinery tower. This is shown in the example below.

Despite the many uses of crude oil I find its creation most ingenious. Millions of years ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth and their time was coming to an end the living organisms started to die. As these organisms died some were covered in sediment, this often happened at the bottom of the oven or really wet places where one the organism is not exposed to oxygen. After many millions of years the earths crust shifts and heat and pressure is applied, from here the crude oil is created. After time the crude oil or gas, being lighter than the area around it slowly makes its way to the surface but will become wedged in a cave like thing called reservoir rock.

 

Oil is mined as in the following image :

 

 

 

 

In Australia the following locations harbour gas and oil deposits. Australia is thought to have a total of 3.9 billion barrels worth of crude oil in our deposits.

Oil Map Below 

 

Below is the Gas Of Australia map

 

 

These maps may or may not be out of date.



References:

http://www.pgesafetyeducation.com/school/energy-science/its-a-gas/images/4-4ai.gif
Reservior Rock Image
Oil Rig Picture
Gas Map