Oil and Natural Gas

Name: Oil and Natural Gas
Author: KnowledgeCity

Discover the properties and composition of oil and natural gases

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Course: On-Demand

Origin. To begin, we must know that there are several theories about oil formation. However, the most accepted is the organic theory that assumes that it originated from the decomposition of the remains of animals and microscopic algae accumulated at the bottom of the water bodies: rivers, lakes, lagoons, and others. This organic matter was gradually covered with increasingly thick layers of sediment sheltered from which under certain conditions of pressure, temperature, and time slowly transform into hydrocarbons, compounds formed of carbon and hydrogen with small amounts of sulfur oxygen, nitrogen, and traces of metal such as iron, chromium, nickel and vanadium whose mixture constitutes crude oil. These conclusions are based on the location of the oil mantels since they are all in sedimentary lands. In addition, the compounds that form the mentioned elements are characteristics of living organisms. Composition: petroleum can be described as a viscous liquid whose color varies between yellow and dark brown to black with green highlights. It also has a characteristic smell and floats on water. The number of carbon atoms and the way that they are placed inside the molecules of the different compounds give the oil different physical and chemical properties. Thus, we have those hydrocarbons composed of one to four carbon atoms that are gaseous containing 5 to 20 are liquid, and more than 20 are solid at ambient temperature. Crude oil varies greatly in its composition, which depends on the type of deposit it comes from. But on average, we can consider that it contains between 83 and 86% carbon, and between 11 and 13% hydrogen. The higher the carbon content in relation of hydrogen, the greater the number of heavy products that crude oil has. This depends on the age and some characteristics of the deposits. However, it has been proven that the older they are the more gaseous and solid hydrocarbons and less liquids enter their composition they have. Some crude contains compounds up to 30 to 40 carbon atoms. The composition of crude oil also includes sulfur derivatives as well as carbon and hydrogen. In addition, crude oils have small amounts of parts per million of compounds within nitrogen atoms or of metals such as iron, nickel, chromium, vanadium, and cobalt. In general, oil as it is extracted from wells does not work as energy because it requires high temperatures to burn. Since the oil itself is composed of hydrocarbons of more than five carbon atoms, therefore, to be able to take advantage of it as an energy source, it is necessary to separate it into different fractions that constitute the different fuels, such as gasoline, turbine, diesel, light diesel, and heavy diesel.

Essential Provider : KnowledgeCity 3 Lessons · 8m in Arabic, English

Course Description

In this course on Oil and Natural Gas, you will learn about the most accepted theory of the formation of oil. You will learn the composition of oil and discover how the number of carbon atoms determines whether the oil is a gas, liquid, or solid. You will also learn the composition of natural gas and the differences between rich gas and dry gas. Additionally, we will discuss the various types of hydrocarbons and the composition of each.

Among the topics we’ll cover are the characteristics and composition of crude oil and how the age of the crude oil impacts its composition. We will also discuss how to convert oil into an energy source. We will discuss where and how natural gas is found and its various compositions. Natural gas has many advantages that we will learn through this course, and we will examine the environmental impact of natural gas.

What You'll Learn

Understand the most accepted theory of the origin and formation of oil
Evaluate the composition of oil and how the number of carbon atoms determines whether it is a gas, liquid, or solid
Analyze the various types of hydrocarbons and the composition of each
Examine the composition of natural gas and the difference between rich gas and dry gas
Describe the characteristics and composition of crude oil and how its age impacts its composition
Explain how oil is converted into an energy source and the environmental impact of natural gas

Key Takeaways

The number of carbon atoms in oil determines whether it exists as a gas, liquid, or solid.
Natural gas can be classified by composition, including the differences between rich gas and dry gas.
The age of crude oil impacts its composition.
The course covers where and how natural gas is found, its advantages, and its environmental impact.
Oil can be converted into an energy source.

Frequently Asked Questions

What topics does this Oil and Natural Gas course cover?

The course covers the most accepted theory of how oil forms, the composition of oil and natural gas, the types of hydrocarbons, the characteristics and composition of crude oil, how oil is converted into an energy source, where and how natural gas is found, its advantages, and the environmental impact of natural gas.

What are the main lessons in this course?

The course is organized into three lessons: Petroleum and Crude Oil, Natural Gas, and Hydrocarbons.

What are the learning objectives of this course?

The objectives are understanding the origin of oil, evaluating the different compositions of oil, and analyzing the composition of hydrocarbons.

What skills does this course help develop?

It addresses skills in hydrocarbons, natural gas, oil and gas, petroleum engineering, petroleums, and petroleum geology.

What is the difference between rich gas and dry gas covered in this course?

The course teaches the composition of natural gas and discusses the differences between rich gas and dry gas as part of examining natural gas compositions.