Fossil fuels how is coal formed

The oil moved upwards through the spaces in permeable rock. It became trapped if it reached impermeable rock. Oil companies can drill down through the impermeable rocks to get it out.

They are then able to turn it into products we can use, such as petrol and diesel. Formation of fossil fuels Crude oil, coal and gas are fossil fuels. They were formed over millions of years, from the remains of dead organisms: coal was formed from dead trees and other plant material crude oil and gas were formed from dead marine organisms. Today Ireland imports most of its coal from areas such as Poland. The use of coal for production of electricity is decreasing as shale gas becomes more available.

Natural gas is widely used in Ireland with supplies coming from both Irish sources and imports. There are a number of gas fields in operation off the coast of Ireland including Kinsale Head, Ballycotton and the Seven Heads fields all located off the coast of County Cork. In recent years a new gas field located at Corrib off the west coast has been exploited. Oil is one of the world's most valuable commodities. In Ireland oil is no longer used for the production of electricity but is heavily relied on for transport and home heating.

Ireland has no domestic oil production and depends entirely on imports. In Ireland Peat has two main uses, generating electricity and home heating. Ireland has many raised bogs across the midlands. To prevent the destruction of Ireland's peatlands and their ecosystems many raised bogs and blanket bogs have been given legal protection and restrictions to peat harvesting have been put in place.

First the energy source must be found, geologists are constantly studying areas and their rocks to determine if deposits or wells are likely to occur. Once a source is located it then needs to be removed from the Earth. Extraction processes can vary from mining for coal, mechanical harvesting of peat and drilling for oil and gas. Processing can take the form of crushing, grinding and milling. Coal is broken into smaller usable lumps for use in domestic settings and peat is often milled and compressed into briquettes for use in the home.

The oil that is pumped from the earth is extracted in the form of crude oil. This oil must be sent to a refinery where the different mixtures of fuels are separated by a processes called fractional distillation. The oil is separated into its different components such as petrol, diesel, kerosene, and residue. These components can be processed further to make plastics. Energy: Fracking or hydraulic fracturing. Geoenergy Programme: Carbon Capture and Storage.

Fossil fuels Fossil fuels. Page Content. How does each form? Coal Hundreds of millions of years ago, even before the dinosaurs, there were huge plants and ferns that lived in swamp forests. Energy Information Administration Oil and Gas The oil and gas we use today was formed by the decay of microscopic plants and animals that lived in the ocean millions of years ago. Energy Information Administration Peat Peat is a very young form of coal, if left for a long period of time peat will eventually form coal.

How do we use fossil fuels? Fossil fuels and Ireland Ireland has a history of coal mining in areas of Leinster including Kilkenny, Carlow and Laois.

Related processes There are several steps an energy source must go through before it becomes useful Exploration First the energy source must be found, geologists are constantly studying areas and their rocks to determine if deposits or wells are likely to occur.

Electricity demands vary throughout the year and provision must meet the peak load , which means the highest possible demand within a year. If demands significantly exceed a power plant's capacity to generate energy this may cause temporary blackouts.

Historically, fossil fuels were available in plentiful supply that was easy to obtain and transport. But now signals are given that the supply is running out and that it will take centuries to be replenished. Both sources and sinks of fossil fuels are limiting in their use. Sources are deep earth layers and sinks are for example air and water, which absorb fossil fuel waste products. Burning fossil fuels is responsible for environmental issues that are high on the political agenda these days.

Examples are greenhouse gas accumulation, acidification, air pollution, water pollution, damage to land surface and ground-level ozone. These environmental problems are caused by release of pollutants that are naturally present in fossil fuel structures, such as sulphur and nitrogen. Natural gas does not release as much carbon dioxide because of its methane structure. The largest emissions are cause by coal combustion. Coal may result in underground fires that are virtually impossible to extinguish.

Coal dust can even explode. This makes coal mining a very dangerous profession. Oil may end up in soil or water in raw form, for example during oil spills or wars. This has caused many natural disasters in the past.

Why than are we still using fossil fuels to such a large extend? The answer is simple; because this is cheaper than any type of reasonable alternative we now know. Some environmental scientists predict that fossil fuel prices will increase in the coming century because of scarcity. This may cause an eventual transfer to renewable energy sources. According to Bjorn Lomborg , this will eventually happen. The IPCC is not sure whether a fossil fuel future can be entirely ruled out.

McKinney, M. Miller, G. Climate change glossary. The greenhouse effect mechanism. Emissions and infrared absorption by greenhouse gases. Overview of emission reductions for each country according to Kyoto. Possible policy measures to achieve Kyoto targets. Trading emission permits to achieve Kyoto targets. Discussions of the greenhouse effect.