How fossil fuels are formed

CARBON 101
How fossil fuels are formed …
Most of the Earth’s energy begins with the sun.
Plants capture and store the energy of the sun
through a process called photosynthesis, turning
light into sugars. Animals get energy by eating the
plants, or by eating other animals who do.
SUN
Plants and animals die and their decomposing
material is covered by water or soil. The material
is rich in chemicals such as hydrogen and
carbon, built with the energy of the sun.
The pockets of organic material are
covered in layer after layer of rock.
Time, pressure and heat transform
the buried organic matter into
hydrocarbons (fossil fuels).
… how we extract them …
… and how they contribute to warming
Coal
Coal beds can be
located under
layers of rock
fairly close to the
Earth’s surface or
deep under
ground. Coal is
often extracted
through strip
mining at the
surface or deep
tunneling.
The temperature of the Earth has risen 1°F during the past century. Many
scientists believe this change is a direct result of the increased burning of
fossil fuels for energy, creating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
Oil and natural gas
They are found much
deeper below the
surface. Imaging
technology is used to
examine geological
formations for likely
oil-bearing areas. At sea,
massive drills from ocean
platforms are used to
bore into the deposits.
On land, wells are drilled,
and pump jacks extract
the oil.
Natural gas reserves
often exist within oil
reservoirs.
Creating CO2
When
hydrocarbons are
burned, they
combine with
oxygen to produce
carbon dioxide
(CO2). Some
natural processes,
such as forest fires
and even
breathing, also
produce CO2.
Warming
The CO2 remains suspended in
the atmosphere. CO2 allows
sunlight to pass through the
atmosphere while not allowing
heat to escape. Scientists believe
that this mechanism is a major
contributor to global warming.
The concentration of CO2 in the
atmosphere continues to rise, and
the Earth’s natural ability to
absorb it is thrown out of balance.
Light passes
through the
atmosphere …
KEY CO2 SOURCES
TRANSPORTATION
POWER PLANTS
CEMENT PLANTS
SWAMP
OCEAN
DRILLING
PLATFORM
PUMP
JACKS
STORED ENERGY FROM THE SUN
Different types of fossil fuels were formed depending on the
combination of animal and plant debris that was present, how long the
material was buried, and what temperature and pressure existed when
they were decomposing.
Coal
Formed from the
remains of land and
swamp plants.
Oil
Created from organisms that
lived in the water and were
buried under the ocean or
river sediments.
ANDRE MALOK, THE STAR-LEDGER
Natural gas
In most areas, oil formed first, but in
deeper, hot regions under ground, the
pressure and heating process continued
until natural gas was formed.
SOURCES: Environmental Literacy Council; U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy; Physical Geography.net; Johnson Matthey Catalysts
… while
heat is
trapped
SUN