This article defines fossil energy, explains how it is generated, and emphasizes the importance of fossil fuels to human progress. At the same time, it raises the issue that fossil energy is a limited resource and causes environmental pollution, and emphasizes the need for a sustainable energy transition.
Definition and generalities of fossil energy
The English word energy refers to the ability to do work physically. In addition, energy sources are needed to create physical energy, and depending on the type of energy source, the word energy is combined with the word energy to refer to energy sources, such as nuclear energy, hydroelectric energy, etc. These energy sources are closely linked to the development of human civilization, and each plays an essential role in our lives in different ways.
Fossil energy is one of these energy sources and is usually used to refer to fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are one of the many forms of energy used by humans and are energy resources created from the remains of organisms that lived on Earth long ago. Types of fossil energy include coal, oil, natural gas, shale, tar sands, and oil sands. They are called fossil energy because they share the same generation principle as fossils as we know them.
The conversion of fossil fuels into physical energy began with the widespread use of the steam engine during the Industrial Revolution in England. This was a revolutionary turning point that fundamentally changed the way humans lived, not just the development of machinery and technology. Subsequent advances in science have led to the invention of technologies to find, mine, and drill for fossil fuels, as well as technologies to refine them from their natural state, transport them to where they are needed, and maximize the efficiency of converting them into energy. As a result of these technological advances, fossil fuels are now the largest source of human energy.
Because of their high efficiency and reliability as an energy source, fossil fuels are indispensable in many industries. They are used to generate electricity, fuel transportation, heat, and much more, and their economic importance is enormous. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that fossil fuels account for 86.4% of the world’s primary energy consumption, with oil accounting for 36.0%, coal 27.4%, and natural gas 23.0%. And as the population grows, fossil energy consumption is increasing every year. With fossil fuels accounting for such a large share of human energy production, the issue of fossil energy affects all aspects of human life. Among fossil fuels, oil has a significant impact on the economic activities of ordinary consumers, and fluctuations in the price of oil have become an important indicator of the economy.
How coal is created and its properties
Coal was buried in the ground by ancient plants, but there are two theories about how it was buried. There are two theories about the burial process: the non-depositional theory, which states that plants were transported to a certain place by floods or other causes and buried, and the proto-depositional theory, which states that plants were deposited and buried in the place where they were created. Both theories suggest that it took a long time to form a thick layer of coal over a large area and that it was formed in a sedimentary basin where the ground slowly subsided. Then, as the ground subsided at a rapid rate, it was covered with soil, and plants were reintroduced to the area, forming coal seams that were buried at great depths.
The plants that formed coal are thought to have been primarily terrestrial rather than aquatic, and about one-third of the world’s coal fields are Paleozoic in age (500 to 200 million years ago), with most of the coal in Europe, North America, and Asia. Coal has the advantage of being a relatively low-cost source of energy, but it is difficult to mine and transport and produces little heat when burned. In addition, the air pollutants produced during the combustion of coal can have a serious impact on the environment and human health.
How petroleum is created and its properties
There are two theories of petroleum’s origin: the abiogenic theory, which states that methane was formed by the reaction of iron carbides and water underground, and the biogenic theory, which states that it was formed through a thermal maturation process after the burial of living organisms along with sediments, but the biogenic theory is currently the prevailing theory. Therefore, the existence of oil depends on when and where a large amount of organisms were buried and the degree of thermal maturation.
According to the biogenesis theory, organic matter is buried underground and transformed into oil or coal, which is divided into oil and coal depending on the type of organic matter, and petroleum, which is further divided into oil and gas depending on the type of organic matter and the pressure and temperature of the subsurface. In general, in the sedimentary environment of the ocean continental shelf, oil is produced when phytoplankton and algae are aggregated in large quantities and matured at 60 to 130 degrees, which is lower than the metamorphic temperature of rocks, and gas is produced at higher temperatures. And in terrestrial sedimentary environments, coal is produced when a large amount of terrestrial plants are buried and matured.
When organic matter is buried with sediment, it creates source rocks, which are the source material for petroleum. The rocks in which the petroleum migrates and collects are called reservoir rocks, and the rocks on top that prevent the petroleum from migrating elsewhere are called cover rocks. For oil to exist, it must have a source rock, and 85% of the world’s source rock is black shale, which formed from the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous.
In 1970, Moody surveyed 500 million barrels or more of giant oil and gas fields and found that 48% of the giant fields were located in the Mesozoic Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and 39% in the Cenozoic Tertiary, with the most likely location being on the continental shelf, where they form a fissure structure. A reservoir is a geologic condition that traps oil or gas produced from source rocks underground. The advantages of oil are its liquid nature, which makes it simple and easy to transport and handle from development to use, its high calorific value, and the fact that it can be processed for a variety of uses in modern industry. On the other hand, its disadvantages include its high price due to its ubiquity in different countries and its small quantity compared to coal.
Natural gas generation process and properties
Natural gas is produced in a similar way to coal and is sometimes mixed in with oil when it is produced, but most often it is produced separately. The main component of natural gas is methane, which is highly valued as an energy source because it produces very few pollutants when burned. It’s also notable for its low price and the fact that it’s lighter than air, so it poses less of a risk in the event of a leak. Natural gas is used extensively, especially as a city gas and industrial fuel, and demand is growing as it is recognized as a cleaner energy source.
However, natural gas is difficult to detect and its gaseous nature makes it inconvenient to transport and handle. Utilizing natural gas effectively requires a high level of technology, which can come at an additional cost.
The first problem with using fossil energy – limited reserves
Fossil energy is categorized as a non-renewable resource because, as we can see from its generation process, it has a cycle of millions of years or more. Therefore, if we use the limited fossil energy available on our limited planet without planning, we will eventually run out of fossil energy and humans will no longer be able to generate energy. This concern is one of the reasons that emphasizes the need for long-term management of energy resources and sustainable development.
The second problem with using fossil energy – environmental pollution
The conversion of fossil energy into energy produces a significant amount of carbon dioxide, which is not enough for the Earth’s plants to absorb. Therefore, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will continue to increase, and many scientists argue that this increase is responsible for the phenomenon of global warming. In addition to extreme weather, global warming can cause a number of other unpredictable problems. It also causes environmental problems such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides from the combustion of fossil energy, which dissolve in rainwater and become acid rain, increasing the acidity of the soil and corroding historical monuments.
Future energy directions and the need to replace fossil energy
Modern society is focused on developing various energy sources that can replace fossil energy. Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal are emerging as alternatives that can overcome the limitations of fossil energy. These renewable energy sources provide a sustainable energy supply with minimal negative environmental impact, and governments and companies are working to develop technologies and expand infrastructure to do so.
In particular, reducing the consumption of fossil energy and transitioning to clean energy is essential to maximize energy efficiency and enhance environmental protection. This is more than just an energy transition, it is an essential choice for protecting the global environment and leaving a healthy planet for future generations. The energy transition and sustainability debate has become a global conversation, and as it continues to take shape, the future energy paradigm is shifting.
