Description
Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally
occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons,[1]
and is found in geological formations. The name petroleum covers
both naturally occurring unprocessed crude oil and petroleum
products that consist of refined crude oil. A fossil fuel,
petroleum is formed when large quantities of dead organisms, mostly
zooplankton and algae, are buried underneath sedimentary rock and
subjected to both prolonged heat and pressure. Petroleum is
primarily recovered by oil drilling. Drilling is carried out after
studies of structural geology, sedimentary basin analysis, and
reservoir characterization. Recent developments in technologies
have also led to the exploitation of other unconventional reserves
such as oil sands and oil shale. Once extracted, oil is refined and
separated, most easily by distillation, into innumerable products
for direct use or use in manufacturing. Products include fuels such
as gasoline petrol, diesel, kerosene and jet fuel; asphalt and
lubricants; chemical reagents used to make plastics; solvents,
textiles, refrigerants, paint, synthetic rubber, fertilizers,
pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and thousands of others. Petroleum is
used in manufacturing a vast variety of materials essential for
modern life, and it is estimated that the world consumes about **0
million barrels *6 million cubic metres each day. Petroleum
production can be extremely profitable and was critical to global
economic development in the *0th century, with some countries,
so-called "oil states", gaining significant economic and
international power because of their control of oil
production.
