Definition Of Petroleum
Petroleum is a naturally occurring, yellow-to-black liquid found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface, which is commonly refined into various types of fuels
A fossil fuel from which petrol and diesel are obtained is called “petroleum”
More About Petroleum
- Petroleum was formed from organisms living in the sea
- As these organisms died, their bodies settled at the bottom of the sea
- The bodies got covered with layers of sand and clay
- Over long period of time, due to absence of air, high temperature and high pressure converted these bodies into petroleum
- It consists of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds
- The layer containing petroleum and natural gas is above that of water
- This is because petroleum and natural gas are lighter than water
- The name petroleum covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude oils and petroleum products that are made up of refined crude oil
- Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling
- It is refined and separated, most easily by boiling point, into a large number of consumer products, from gasoline (petrol) and kerosene to asphalt and chemical reagents used to make plastics and pharmaceuticals
- The world’s first oil well was drilled in Pennsylvania, USA
- Later oil was struck at Makum, Assam in India
- Petroleum is a dark oily liquid with an unpleasant odour
- Petroleum is a mixture of a very large number of different hydrocarbons; the most commonly found molecules are alkanes (Paraffins), cycloalkanes (naphthenes), aromatic hydrocarbons, or more complicated chemicals like asphaltenes
- The lower alkanes are used to prepare petrol, diesel fuel, and kerosene and jet fuel
- The higher alkanes are refined into fuel and lubricating oil
- It is a mixture of various constituents such as petroleum gas, petrol, diesel, lubricating oil, paraffin wax etc
- The process of separating various constituents of petroleum is called refining
- It is carried out in a petroleum refinery
- Many useful substances are obtained from petroleum and natural gas called “petrochemicals”
- These substances are used in the manufacture of detergents, fibres, polythene and other man made plastics
- Hydrogen gas obtained from petroleum gas is used to make fertilizers
- Due to its great commercial value, petroleum is termed as “black gold”
Uses of various fractions of petroleum:
- Petroleum gas in liquid form, that is LPG, is used as fuel for home and industry
- Petrol is used as motor fuel, aviation fuel, and solvent for dry cleaning
- Kerosene is used for stoves, lamps and jet aircrafts
- Diesel is used as fuel for heavy motor vehicles and electric generators
- Lubricating oil is used for lubrication
- Paraffin wax is used for ointments, candles and Vaseline
- Bitumen is used for paints and road surfacing
