Fossil Fuels AP Environmental

Review from yesterday On the back of your copy of the PowerPoint 1.List the three types of oil (hint: one of them comes from Canada and another can be found in Wyoming) 2.Explain how fractional distillation converts crude oil to gasoline 3.Explain why carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emissions from burning petroleum products is an environmental issue. You have 5 minutes

Important Nonrenewable Energy Resources That Can Be Removed From the Earth’s Crust Coal Oil Natural gas Uranium – concentration increased to U-235 Some forms of geothermal energy

Oil and natural gas Floating oil drilling platform Oil storage Coal Contour strip mining Oil drilling platform on legs Geothermal energy Hot water storage Oil well Pipeline Geothermal power plant Gas well Valves Mined coal Pump Area strip mining Drilling tower Pipeline Impervious rock Underground coal mine Natural gas Water Oil Water is heated and brought up as dry steam or wet steam Water Coal seam Hot rock Water penetrates down through the rock Magma

Over the past 60,000 years, cultural changes and technological advances has increased energy use per person.

Within a few decades, 25% of the World’s population in developed countries may face an oil shortage However, half of the World’s people in developing countries already face a fuelwood shortage and cannot afford to use fossil fuels.

Petroleum, or crude oil, is a thick liquid consisting of combustible hydrocarbons along with small amounts of sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen impurities

Crude oil is produced from decomposition of dead organic matter from plants and animals

Primary Oil Recovery 1.Drill a well 2.Pump out lighter crude oil 3.Heavier crude oil left behind

Once oil is extracted it is transported to a refinery where it is heated and distilled

Some of the Products of Oil Distillation, Called Petrochemicals are Used as Raw Materials in: Industrial organic chemicals Pesticides Plastics Synthetic fibers Paints Medicines Other products

OIL Refining crude oil: –Based on boiling points, components are removed at various layers in a giant distillation column. –The most volatile components with the lowest boiling points are removed at the top.

World Reserves of Oil OPEC has 67% Most reserves found in Middle East Remaining 36% in –Latin America –Africa –Russia –Asia –United States –Europe

How Long Will the Oil Last? Saudi Arabia could supply the world with oil for about 10 years. The Alaska’s North Slope could meet the world oil demand for 6 months (U.S.: 3 years). Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would meet the world demand for 1-5 months (U.S.: 7-25 months).

Dependence on imported oil and the possibility of higher oil prices could drain the United States, Japan, and other major oil- importing nations of vast amounts of money - economists warn that this can lead to severe inflation and widespread economic recession, perhaps even a major depression

Oil shale – fine-grained sedimentary rock containing solid combustible organic material called kerogen - can be distilled from oil shale Tar Sand (oil sand) is a mixture of clay, sand, water, and combustible organic material called bitumen – is mined in Canada and refined

Alberta Oil Sands Oil sands mining is licensed to use twice the amount of fresh water that the entire city of Calgary uses in a year At least 90% of the fresh water used in the oil sands ends up in tailings ponds so toxic that propane cannons are used to keep ducks from landing

Alberta Oil Sands Processing the oil sands uses enough natural gas in a day to heat 3 million homes The toxic tailings ponds are considered one of the largest human-made structures in the world – span 50 square kilometers Producing a barrel of oil from the oil sands produces three times more greenhouse gas emissions than a barrel of conventional oil

What are the potential problems you see here? Mining oil sands in Canada

Alberta Oil Sands tailings Road

Mining tar sands in Canada

Trade-Offs Conventional Oil AdvantagesDisadvantages Ample supply for 42–93 years Need to find substitutes within 50 years Low cost (with huge subsidies) Artificially low price encourages waste and discourages search for alternatives High net energy yield Easily transported within and between countries Air pollution when burned Low land use Releases CO 2 when burned Technology is well developed Efficient distribution system Moderate water pollution

Trade-Offs Heavy Oils from Oil Shale and Oil Sand AdvantagesDisadvantages Moderate cost (oil sand) High cost (oil shale) Low net energy yield Large potential supplies, especially oil sands in Canada Large amount of water needed for processing Easily transported within and between countries Severe land disruption Severe water pollution Efficient distribution system in place Air pollution when burned CO 2 emissions when burned Technology is well developed

Why do you think coal is the fossil fuel which causes the most environmental damage? Discuss with your tablemates for three minutes – create a list of your thoughts

Coal (formed during the Carboniferous Period) – when large swamps covered large areas of low lying land

Increasing heat and carbon content Increasing moisture content Peat (not a coal) Lignite (brown coal) Bituminous (soft coal) Anthracite (hard coal) Heat Pressure Partially decayed plant matter in swamps and bogs; low heat content Low heat content; low sulfur content; limited supplies in most areas Extensively used as a fuel because of its high heat content and large supplies; normally has a high sulfur content Highly desirable fuel because of its high heat content and low sulfur content; supplies are limited in most areas

Coal has the highest environmental impact Land disturbance Air pollution Carbon dioxide emissions Water pollution

Coal burning power plant

Georgia Power Coal Burning Power Plant

Trade-Offs Coal AdvantagesDisadvantages Ample supplies (225–900 years) Severe land disturbance, air pollution, and water pollution High net energy yield High land use (including mining) Low cost (with huge subsidies) Severe threat to human health Well-developed mining and combustion technology High CO 2 emissions when burned Air pollution can be reduced with improved technology (but adds to cost) Releases radioactive particles and toxic mercury into air

Discuss with your Tablemates How can coal burning power plants decrease the amount of carbon dioxide released into the air? Why is coal ash toxic to humans? You have four minutes to discuss

The coal ash does not always stay where it is dumped

Check the back page of the handout packet you received this week – “Carbon Sequestration to reduce global climate change” You have 10 minutes to work with your tablemates

Natural Gas is a Mixture Of 50 – 90% by volume methane Ethane Propane Butane Hydrogen sulfide

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) – when natural gas field is trapped and propane and butane are liquefied

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) - highly flammable liquid that can be shipped to other countries Predominately methane - converted to liquid form for ease of storage or transport

Trade-Offs Conventional Natural Gas AdvantagesDisadvantages Ample supplies (125 years)Nonrenewable resource High net energy yield Releases CO 2 when burned Low cost (with huge subsidies) Methane (a greenhouse gas) can leak from pipelines Lower CO 2 emissions than other fossil fuels Difficult to transfer from one country to another Moderate environmental impact Shipped across ocean as highly explosive LNG Easily transported by pipeline Sometimes burned off and wasted at wells because of low price Low land use Good fuel for fuel cells and gas turbines Requires pipelines Less air pollution than other fossil fuels

Natural Gas

Synfuels (synthetic fuels) are gaseous, liquid, or solid fuels that do not occur naturally. Such fuels can be made from coal, tar sand, or oil shale.

Trade-Offs Synthetic Fuels AdvantagesDisadvantages Large potential supply Low to moderate net energy yield Higher cost than coal Vehicle fuel Requires mining 50% more coal High environmental impact Moderate cost (with large government subsidies) Increased surface mining of coal High water use Lower air pollution when burned than coal Higher CO 2 emissions than coal

Any questions?