C6.2n To be able
to explain how modern life is crucially dependent upon hydrocarbons and
recognize that crude oil is a finite resource
C6.2l To describe
the fractions as largely a mixture of compounds of formula CnH2n+2 which are members
of the alkane homologous series
Crude oil
has come to be one of the most essential resources that support life in the 21st
Century. Crude products are essential to
every nation on earth.
Think of it
like this: remove crude oil and its products from life as we know it and what
is lost: heating, fuel for all forms of transport vehicles and freight,
aircraft and shipping, all forms of lubrication of engine moving parts,
petrochemicals for the production of plastics and other material, gases for
lighting and heating.
The next
picture shows this variety of products derived from crude oil and emphasises
just how dependent we still are on oil.
Hydrocarbons
are crucial to life on planet earth.
What are
these hydrocarbons?
These hydrocarbons
are usually saturated, that is the molecules only contain single
covalent bonds. No molecule contains any double or triple carbon—carbon
covalent bonds.
The formulae of
these hydrocarbon molecules follow a simple pattern CnH2n+2
The number of
hydrogen atoms in each hydrocarbon is twice that of the carbon atoms plus two.
This pattern is known as the general formula of the
hydrocarbon.
All hydrocarbon
molecules whose formula fits this CnH2n+2 pattern
are part of a family of molecules called Alkanes.
These alkane
molecules are the feedstock of today’s petrochemical industry.
There are still vast resources and reserves of fossil fuels on earth but they are decreasing in size dramatically. here is a chart showing the proven oil reserves by region:
But and it
is a big but it is likely that we have passed the point of peak oil: that is the
moment when the maximum resources of crude oil existed on earth.
At present
(2018) crude oil, despite new discoveries, is a reducing resource, its use is
outstripping new discoveries. In other
words, there are only a finite number of barrels of oil that can be extracted
from the earth’s crust.
Or to put it
more dramatically the time will come one day in the future when the last drop
of oil will dribble out of a hole in the ground and that will be it,
forever!! It will all be gone for good.
Who knows
when that day will be? The above charts suggests a date around the mid 21st century!
We might be
able to predict it given the rate at which we sue crude oil resources today but
really we should be arguing for the conservation of this precious resource for
example the development of alternative fuels renewable fuels so that crude oil
products are not burnt but reserved to make useful products.
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