Energy Producing Sources: Coal and Petroleum

Study Notes

Coal:
- Primary source of energy for electricity generation (40% globally)
- Used in industrial processes, such as steel production and cement manufacturing
- Can be converted into various energy products, including synthetic fuels and chemicals
Petroleum:
- Primary source of energy for transportation (95% globally)
- Used as feedstock for various petrochemicals, such as plastics and fertilizers
- Generates electricity and provides energy for industrial processes

Coal:
- Surface mining: extracting coal from shallow deposits
- Underground mining: extracting coal from deep deposits
- Mountaintop removal mining: extracting coal from mountain tops
Petroleum:
- Onshore drilling: extracting oil and natural gas from land-based wells
- Offshore drilling: extracting oil and natural gas from ocean-based wells
- Hydraulic fracturing (fracking): extracting oil and natural gas from shale formations

Coal:
- Air pollution: SO2, NOx, and particulate matter emissions
- Water pollution: acid mine drainage and heavy metal contamination
- Land degradation: strip mining and mountaintop removal mining
Petroleum:
- Oil spills: environmental damage and wildlife harm
- Air pollution: CO2, NOx, and particulate matter emissions
- Water pollution: oil and chemical contamination

Coal:
- Formed from ancient plant remains (peat, lignite, bituminous coal)
- Undergoes metamorphism due to heat and pressure
- Rank of coal increases with increasing carbon content
Petroleum:
- Formed from ancient marine organisms (plankton, algae)
- Undergoes sedimentation, diagenesis, and maturation
- Crude oil and natural gas are extracted from source rocks

Coal:
- Washing: removing impurities and increasing energy content
- Crushing and screening: preparing coal for use
- Briquetting: forming coal into compact, uniform shapes
Petroleum:
- Separation: separating crude oil into various fractions (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel)
- Cracking: breaking down complex hydrocarbons into simpler molecules
- Reforming: converting petroleum into high-octane fuels and petrochemicals

Coal is the primary source of energy for electricity generation, accounting for 40% globally, and is also used in industrial processes like steel production and cement manufacturing.
Petroleum is the primary source of energy for transportation, accounting for 95% globally, and is used as feedstock for various petrochemicals like plastics and fertilizers.

Surface mining is used to extract coal from shallow deposits, while underground mining is used for deep deposits, and mountaintop removal mining extracts coal from mountain tops.
Onshore drilling extracts oil and natural gas from land-based wells, offshore drilling extracts from ocean-based wells, and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) extracts from shale formations.

Coal mining and burning cause air pollution through SO2, NOx, and particulate matter emissions, water pollution through acid mine drainage and heavy metal contamination, and land degradation through strip mining and mountaintop removal mining.
Oil spills from petroleum extraction cause environmental damage and harm wildlife, while air pollution comes from CO2, NOx, and particulate matter emissions, and water pollution comes from oil and chemical contamination.

Coal forms from ancient plant remains (peat, lignite, bituminous coal) that undergo metamorphism due to heat and pressure, resulting in increasing carbon content and rank.
Petroleum forms from ancient marine organisms (plankton, algae) that undergo sedimentation, diagenesis, and maturation, resulting in crude oil and natural gas that can be extracted from source rocks.

Coal is refined through washing to remove impurities and increase energy content, crushing and screening to prepare it for use, and briquetting to form it into compact shapes.
Petroleum is refined through separation into various fractions (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel), cracking to break down complex hydrocarbons, and reforming to convert it into high-octane fuels and petrochemicals.