19_Fossil Fuels
Page 1: Title Page
Lecture Outlines by Withgott and Laposata, Sixth Edition, Environment: The Science Behind the Stories
Author: James Dauray, College of Lake County
Chapter 19: Fossil Fuels
© 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Page 2: Lecture Objectives
Identify energy sources currently in use.
Discuss the concept of Energy Return on Investment (EROI).
Describe formation and extraction methods of major fossil fuel types.
Assess concerns regarding future conventional oil supply declines.
Page 3: Additional Lecture Objectives
Outline methods of extending fossil fuel extraction.
Examine environmental impacts of fossil fuel use and ways to minimize them.
Assess political, social, and economic aspects of fossil fuel use.
Discuss strategies for energy conservation and efficiency improvements.
Page 4: Alberta’s Oil Sands and Keystone XL Pipeline
Oil sands (tar sands): layers of sand/clay saturated with bitumen, a viscous petroleum.
Extensive tar sands in Alberta, Canada; extraction impacts are significant.
Page 5: Oil Sands Extraction Process
Steps for extracting oil from oil sands:
Clear forests and strip-mine land.
Mix deposits with hot water/chemicals to separate bitumen.
Store wastewater in toxic tailings lakes.
Extraction was unprofitable until oil prices rose in 2003.
Major consumer of tar sands oil: United States.
Page 6: Keystone XL Pipeline Overview
Keystone XL pipeline constructed to transport tar sands oil to the U.S.
Proposed extension through Dakotas to shorten transport distance and increase capacity.
Page 7: Protests Against Keystone XL Pipeline
Objections raised against the pipeline extension:
Need to reduce oil use and transition to renewable energy.
Risk of oil spills contaminating Nebraska’s Sandhills and the Ogallala Aquifer.
Pipeline approval denied by President Obama in 2015.
Page 8: Sources of Energy
Various ways to harness renewable and non-renewable energy on Earth.
Page 9: Nature's Energy Sources
Most energy comes from the sun, driving natural processes like wind, water cycle, and photosynthesis.
Fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) formed from buried organic matter under specific conditions.
Other energy sources include geothermal energy.
Page 10: Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Energy
Renewable sources: sunlight, geothermal, and tidal energy.
Nonrenewable sources: coal, oil, and natural gas—formed over thousands of years.
Page 11: Fossil Fuel Dependency
Post-industrial revolution, fossil fuels replaced biomass as main energy source due to high energy content.
Uses include transportation, manufacturing, heating, cooking, and electricity generation.
Page 12: Distribution of Energy Sources
Fossil fuel reserves are unevenly distributed; developed countries consume more than developing ones.
Page 13: Energy Consumption Patterns
Developed countries use energy for transportation/industry; developing countries use it for subsistence.
Page 14: U.S. Energy Demand
Coal, oil, and natural gas supply 82% of U.S. total energy demand.
Page 15: Energy Economics
Energy extraction requires energy-invested resources, such as machinery and infrastructure.
Net energy = Energy returned - Energy invested.
Page 16: EROI Concept
EROI (Energy Returned on Investment) = Energy returned / Energy invested.
EROI ratios for conventional oil/natural gas in the U.S. declined from 24:1 in the 1950s to 11:1 recently.
Page 17: Future Energy Sources
Extensive investment in reaching new fossil fuel sources, such as deeper drilling and accessing previously unreachable deposits.
Page 18: Fossil Fuel Formation
Fossil fuels formed from ancient organisms' photosynthesis, then transformed in anaerobic environments.
Page 19: Coal Characteristics
Coal: hard blackish substance from compressed woody organic matter.
Extraction methods include strip mining, subsurface mining, and mountaintop removal.
Page 20: Oil and Natural Gas
Crude oil: unrefined oil, gas mainly composed of methane (CH4).
Petroleum: refers to crude oil but may include natural gas.
Derived from marine plankton transformed by heat/pressure, located under impermeable rock formations.
Page 21: Oil Sands Properties
Oil sands consist of sand/clay mixed with 1–20% bitumen; formed from partially degraded crude oil.
Page 22: Oil Shale and Methane Hydrate
Oil shale: sedimentary rock with organic matter, processed into shale oil.
Methane hydrate: solid methane in water crystals, found in Arctic sediments and ocean floors.
Page 23: Economic Considerations
Technologically recoverable portions refer to fossil fuels accessible with current technology.
Economically recoverable depends on extraction costs and market prices.
Page 24: Refining Processes
Crude oil mixtures require refining to separate molecules into various fuel types.
Page 25: Products from Refining
Refining produces fuels for heating, cooking, transportation, lubricating oils, and asphalts.
Page 26: Uses of Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuel extraction and consumption rates depend on nation size and industrialization level.
Coal primarily used for electricity generation.
Page 27: Coal Power Plants
Coal-fired plants use combustion to convert water to steam, driving turbines for electricity generation.
Page 28: Natural Gas and Petroleum Uses
Natural gas: used for electricity, heat, and cooking.
Petroleum: fuel for vehicles and a component of everyday products.
Page 29: Depleting Fossil Fuel Reserves
Fossil fuels are nonrenewable; reserves decrease with use.
R/P ratio calculated by dividing remaining reserves by annual production rate; estimates indicate 53 years of oil and 54 years of natural gas remaining.
Page 30: Resource Extraction Dynamics
Actual reserve duration may change due to demand fluctuations and technological advancements like hydraulic fracturing.
Peak oil phenomenon: resource extraction reaches a peak before declining, leading to potential shortages.
Page 31: Historical Context of Peak Oil
Prediction of U.S. peak oil in 1970 by M. King Hubbard, later realized; unconventional sources increased production afterward.
Page 32: Global Peak Oil Predictions
Anticipation of impending global peak oil raises questions about future energy sources and technologies.
Page 33: Extending Resource Reach
Methods to extend fossil fuel reach include:
Mountaintop mining, secondary extraction, hydraulic fracturing, offshore drilling, and unconventional source exploitation.
Increased production often leads to lower EROI ratios and heightened pollution.
Page 34: Mountaintop Mining
Mountaintop removal mining removes entire mountains to extract coal, resulting in significant landscape disruption and erosion.
Page 35: Secondary Extraction
Secondary extraction can recover up to two-thirds of remaining deposits via injectables to force out remaining oil or gas; this method is more costly.
Page 36: Directional Drilling
Directional drilling technology enables horizontal drilling around a well, minimizing surface disruption and maximizing fuel access.
Page 37: Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking)
Fracking involves injecting water at high pressure to crack rock layers, significantly expanding fossil fuel access; controversial due to environmental concerns.
Page 38: Offshore Drilling Statistics
Approximately 35% of U.S. oil and 10% of natural gas produced offshore; incidents like the Deepwater Horizon spill highlighted safety risks in deepwater drilling.
Page 39: Arctic Drilling Opportunities
Climate change opens Arctic areas for drilling; challenges include extreme conditions and high accident risks, with previous attempts by Royal Dutch Shell resulting in withdrawal from the region.
Page 40: New Fossil Fuel Sources
An estimated 3 trillion barrels of oil shale available in the U.S.; low EROI ratios from 4:1 to 1.1:1; extraction concerns for methane hydrate.
Page 41: Environmental Impacts of Fossil Fuel Extraction
Significant direct impacts on landscapes and habitats, especially highlighted through Alberta extraction data.
Page 42: Coal Impacts on the Environment
Effects of coal mining: miner health risks, erosion, acid mine drainage, and habitat loss due to mining methods.
Page 43: Hydraulic Fracturing Risks
Potential risks from fracking: aquifer contamination, air pollution, and minor earthquakes; oil sands have significant ecological implications.
Page 44: Transportation and Storage Leaks
Oil and coal transport by rail poses explosion risks; substantial methane leakage occurs during natural gas transport and drilling.
Page 45: Major Oil Spills
The 2010 Deepwater Horizon incident resulted in extensive environmental damage, spotlighting the risks associated with offshore drilling.
Page 46: Aftermath of Oil Spills
Effects of the Deepwater Horizon spill included wildlife contamination and coastal damage.
Page 47: Trends in Oil Pollution
Oil pollution levels from large spills have decreased due to regulations; most current pollution arises from nonpoint sources.
Page 48: Carbon Emissions and Climate Change
Fossil fuel combustion raises carbon dioxide levels, contributing to greenhouse gas effects recognized as significant consequences of fossil fuel reliance.
Page 49: Human Health Risks from Fossil Fuels
Health impacts: mercury from coal, carcinogenic hydrocarbons from gasoline, and acid rain precursors from vehicles and power plants.
Page 50: Clean Coal Technologies
Clean coal technologies aim to reduce contaminants during electricity generation through various chemical and process improvements.
Page 51: Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
CCS technology captures carbon emissions and sequesters them underground; concerns remain on efficacy, groundwater contamination, and energy costs.
Page 52: Viability of CCS
Current doubts about CCS's long-term storage reliability and environmental impact; energy-intensive processes reduce coal's effective EROI.
Page 53: External Costs of Fossil Fuels
Societal costs include health care, environmental clean-up, and climate change damage; fossil fuels maintain low prices due to government support.
Page 54: Local Economic Impacts of Extraction
Fossil fuel extraction generates jobs and economic activity, but environmental costs can have lasting impacts; examples include the Keystone XL pipeline issues.
Page 55: Dependence on Foreign Energy
Countries with limited fossil fuel reserves depend on imports, influencing global energy prices; OPEC's 1973 embargo exemplifies such vulnerabilities.
Page 56: U.S. Energy Security Strategies
U.S. strategies include supporting foreign extraction and drilling efforts, including attempts to access oil in protected areas like ANWR.
Page 57: Energy Efficiency vs. Conservation
Energy efficiency: achieving greater output with less energy; energy conservation: reducing unnecessary energy use.
Page 58: Potential for Energy Savings
Americans' energy consumption is high compared to other nations, indicating potential for reducing use without sacrificing quality of life.
Page 59: Energy Intensity Measurement
Energy intensity gauges energy use per GDP dollar; lower values indicate greater efficiency in energy utilization.
Page 60: Conservation Techniques
Cogeneration captures waste heat from electricity generation for additional heating; improved building design helps in energy loss reduction.
Page 61: Technological Regulations
Regulations limit energy use for devices in standby mode; ENERGY STAR program promotes efficiency in household appliances.
Page 62: Fuel Conservation Policies
Post-OPEC embargo, U.S. improved fuel efficiency standards; lack of increases after 2007 until fuel prices surged.
Page 63: Rebound Effect
Consumer behavior may negate efficiency improvements—a phenomenon termed the rebound effect.
Page 64: Renewable Energy and Conservation
Combines energy efficiency and conservation vital for sustainable futures; potential U.S. savings exceed most extraction gains from oil sands.