THE PETROLEUM ZONE
WHY DO WE NEED PETROLEUM?
Petroleum is necessary for a great number of human needs. Today, petroleum is mostly used as a source of energy, being rich in combustible carbon in the production of electricity or running some sorts of heat engines.
When thinking of petroleum, the average American usually equates it with gasoline, since this is the one petroleum product that the average consumer has to purchase on a regular basis. It is relatively common and low-cost, often fluctuating in price due to economic, political, or supply level concerns. Therefore, gasoline gets the most attention, but petroleum is used to make several other products which in turn have several uses themselves.
Raw petroleum (also known as crude oil) is used in three major ways: Transportation, Electricity Generation, and Material Production.
Here are some of the products of petroleum refining and their uses:
Gasoline - used to power automobiles, planes, boats, and many other
forms of transportation
Diesel Fuel - used for powering automobiles
Kerosene - used in lighting and cooking
Heating Oil - used to provide houses with necessary warmth
Lubricating oil - keeps machinery cool
Grease - necessary in automobile repair, train tracks, machinery upkeep,
etc.
Tar - used in construction
The United States consumes a lot of petroleum, currently around 15 million barrels per day, half of which are imported from overseas countries like Saudi Arabia. Worldwide, there are about 800,000 producing wells, producing 75 million barrels of oil a day.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE RUN OUT OF PETROLEUM?
|
|
|
|
|