THE 10 MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF OIL - ENVIRONMENT - 2025

The characteristics of petroleum, a liquid mineral found naturally in the subsoil, range from its composition or extraction to the industry that is generated around it.

Petroleum is also called a fossil fuel, because it is formed when large numbers of dead organisms remain under sedimentary rock for a long time, subjected to intense heat and pressure. Its name comes from the Greek: petra: "rock" + oleum: "oil", and its components are separated using a technique called fractional distillation.

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Top 10 major oil characteristics

1- Composition of oil

Oil is made up of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other organic compounds. In other words, the chemical composition of crude oil can vary.

However, the key components are carbon (93% - 97%), hydrogen (10% - 14%), nitrogen (0.1% - 2%), oxygen and sulfur (0.5% - 6%), with traces of metals, paraffins and naphthenes.

The difference in the distribution of these elements determines the real properties of the oil in each reservoir. That is the reason why in some fields the crude oil is dark brown or almost black in color, while in others it can be greenish or yellow.

2- Oil classification

The oil industry has different criteria for classifying oil:

1. Based on your place of origin: like West Texas Intermediate or Brendt.
2. According to its density or API gravity: it is a measure of density established by the American Petroleum Institute, and which results from comparing oil with water at equal temperatures with a hydrometer. In this sense, oil is classified as: light (31.1 ° API), medium (22.3 and 31.1 ° API), heavy (10 and 22.3 ° API) and extra heavy (less than 10 ° API).
3. According to its sulfur content: it is classified as sweet, when it has little sulfur; and acid, when its sulfur content is higher.

3- Drilling an oil well

In this process a communication channel or tunnel is constructed from the shell or liner to the reservoir formation.

The most common method uses piercing guns equipped with explosive charges. However, there are other methods: bullet piercing, abrasive blasting, or high pressure liquid jet.

Drilling is executed after structural geology studies, sedimentary basin analysis and reservoir characterization have been completed

4- Oil refining

Oil refining processes are chemical engineering processes used to transform crude oil into useful products for society.

These processes are carried out in complexes called refineries, whose specific characteristics and processes depend on their location and the product to be obtained.

5- Uses of oil

Oil is crude and heavy in nature, so it must be refined and separated in order to obtain everything from gasoline and kerosene to asphalt and chemical reagents.

In fact, oil and gas are used in the manufacture of fertilizers, fabrics, synthetic rubber and the plastics present in almost everything we use today: clothing, shoes, accessories, cars, etc.

The composition of oil also affects the type of product that will be obtained from it and its use.

A lighter and less dense composition of crude oil is more profitable as a fuel source. However, the reserves of this type of oil are scarce. Whereas if it is more dense, with a less flammable level of hydrocarbons and sulfur, it is more suitable for the manufacture of plastics.

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6- Oil reserves

A reservoir or oil field is the geographic space in which an accumulation of hydrocarbons occurs with the following characteristics: the source of the hydrocarbon (any carbon-bearing element), maturation (sufficient heat and pressure), migration (a sedimentary rock porous in which the liquid or gas hydrocarbon can be kept), the trap and the seal (prevents it from escaping).

According to estimates by the Organization of the Petroleum Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC), more than 80% of the world's crude oil reserves are located in the member countries of that organization, with reserves in the Middle East being the most important. These reserves represent 65% of the OPEC total, which to date stands at 1,213.43 million barrels.

The following figure (Figure 1) lists the countries with the largest oil reserves in the world, according to OPEC (2015):

7- Oil producing countries

Although this is a list that varies, the following countries typically appear on it:

• Kuwait
• Mexico
• Iran
• United Arab Emirates
• Iraq
• Canada
• China
• Russia
• Saudi Arabia
• U.S

8- Oil industry and security

From the oil industry, more and more security mechanisms have been developed that have stood out for being so avant-garde that they have even become an international standard and are applied in companies in other productive sectors.

This development has been fundamentally based on automation and comprehensive security training for all those involved.

Today, shore platforms have roughly the same injury rate as normal construction work, and offshore platforms have a lower injury rate than a master's.

9- Oil and economy

The impact of oil on the world economy could be calculated from these data:

1. Around 95 million barrels are consumed daily in the world.
2. Oil is directly responsible for around 2.5% of world GDP.
3. It is the main raw material for multibillion dollar industries such as fuel, textiles and footwear.
4. There are millions of kilometers of pipeline on the planet exclusively to distribute crude oil, refined products and natural gas.

In some countries like Venezuela, the economic impact is very significant.

10- Oil and environment

There are people who believe that the use of fossil fuels, such as oil, will have a negative impact on the Earth's biosphere, due to the amount of harmful chemicals that are released during oil extraction and refining processes. In fact, it is awarded a leading role in the current state of global warming.

However, renewable energies such as wind or solar are not developed enough to think that they can displace fossil fuels in a couple of generations.

References

1. Classification of reserves (2008). Recovered from lacomunidadpetrolera.com.
2. Oil and Gas industries. Overview. Recovered from: www.petroleumonline.com.
3. Petroleum (2013). Petroleum Composition. Recovered from petroleum.co.uk.
4. Schlumberger Oilfield Glossary. Perforation. Recovered from www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com.
5. The Little Black Book of Billionaire Secrets (2013). What Are The Top Five Facts Everyone.Should Know About Oil Exploration? Recovered from forbes.com.