Fossil Fuels: Petroleum and Coal Formation

Coal and petroleum are fossil fuels formed as a result of the degradation of plant and animal remains over millions of years They are exhaustible natural resources and are used to generate electricity and power various industries In this article, we will be focusing on the subtopics of petroleum formation, coal energy production, coal mining, types of coal, and the formation of coal.

Petroleum formation:

• Petroleum is formed from the decomposition of plant and animal remains, which are then refined into usable substances such as petrol, kerosene, etc
• It is formed by the combination of hydrocarbons and other substances, mainly sulphur
• Petroleum is extracted from oil wells in its impure form, called crude oil, which is then refined through a process called fractional distillation

Coal energy production:

• Coal is used to generate electricity and is taken out from the earth by the process of underground mining
• It is a readily combustible rock containing more than 50% by weight of carbon
• Coal is used in various industries, such as power generation and as a fuel in light automobiles like motor cycles, scooters, and cars

Coal mining:

• Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the earth by underground mining
• It is of utmost importance to think about the conservation of coal and petroleum by switching to alternative or renewable sources of energy, such as hydel power, wind energy, geothermal energy, and tidal energy

Types of coal:

• Coal is formed in three types depending on the amount of oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen they contain: Lignite, Bituminous, and Anthracite
• Lignite is the least mature form of coal, containing the most oxygen and hydrogen, and is the least energy- dense
• Anthracite is the most superior form of coal or the most mature form of coal deposit, containing the least oxygen and hydrogen, and is the most energy- dense

Coal formation:

• Coal formation dates back to millions of years ago when the earth was covered with vast moist forests, having huge trees, shrubs, ferns, etc
• These plants underwent their life cycle and withered away, eventually falling back to the ground, most of which were swamps
• The earth bed started accumulating all these dead plants, and over time, the dead decomposed matter underwent heat and pressure, resulting in the formation of coal

Petroleum and coal are important fossil fuels that have been used for many years to generate electricity and power various industries. However, their combustion is detrimental to the environment, and it is important to think about their conservation by switching to alternative or renewable sources of energy