Energy (Part I)

Question 1

How are global energy resources used?

Answer 1

TWh: Terawatt-hour, Expresses the amount of produced energy, electricity and heat

1 TWh = 1 million MWh

This is the equivalent of 170 billion lightbulbs burning all year or every person’s stove constantly running at 350F

Question 2

Why do countries differ in their energy use?

Answer 2

1. Geography - different regions have different access to natural resources such as coal, oil, natural gas, and hydropower, which can be used for energy production
2. Demographics - countries with larger populations generally require more energy to sustain their populations. In addition, a country’s level of urbanization can also affect its energy use, as cities typically consume more energy than rural areas.
3. Economic Development - countries with a higher standard of living tend to consume more energy.
4. Cultural values - different societies may have different attitudes towards energy conservation and sustainability.

Question 3

What would it look like if the national energy used was only generate by human labour?

Answer 3

Iceland: 2250 slaves/per capita
Trinidad: 1250 slaves/per capita
Canada: 1100 slaves/per capita
USA: 800 slaves/per capita
UK: 400 slaves/per capita
Mexico: 200 slaves/per capita
India: 50 slaves/per capita

Question 4

What is the role of energy in quality of life?

Answer 4

L = (R + E+ I) / Population , where…

L - Life quality
R - Raw materials consumed
E - Energy consumed
I - Ingenuity

Increases in energy consumption can also lead to environmental degradation.

Question 5

How are energy resources used in Canada?

Answer 5

Business Sector: 72%
- Electricity generation / distribution = 16%
- Oil & Gas Extraction = 13 %

Household Sector: 23%
- Heating, lighting and appliances = 13%
- Motor fuels and lubricants = 10%

Question 6

What is the source of all energy on Earth?

Answer 6

The source of all energy on Earth ultimately comes from the sun.

Question 7

How is Energy Return On Investment calculated?

Answer 7

EROI = Sum of energy content of fuel output / Sum of energy invested to produce, deliver or use that output

EROI = (energy(OUT) - energy(IN)) / energy(IN)

Question 8

What are the EROI of common energy sources?

Answer 8

1. Domestic oil - 20-40:1
2. Oil Sands - 2-6:1
3. Oil Shale - 1-2:1
4. Coal-bed methane - 10:1
5. Anthracite Coal - 40:1
6. Subbituminous Coal - 20:1

Question 9

Where do we find oil and gas?

Answer 9

1. Source rock: Shale & Limestone (primary productivity)
2. Reservoir rock: Limestone & Fractured Shale/Sandstone (porous & permeable)
3. Caprock: Clay Shale & low permeable Limestones

Question 10

What are primary recovery methods?

Answer 10

Primary recovery methods are the initial techniques used to extract oil and natural gas from underground reservoirs. These methods rely on the natural pressure of the reservoir to force the oil or gas to the surface.

Question 11

What are secondary recovery methods?

Answer 11

1. Miscible: Water with propane/ethane (from natural gas) mix with oil to help remove “stuck” oil
2. Thermal: Steam injection makes oil less viscous and more free-flowing
3. Chemical: Water with large molecule compounds are used to thicken water

Question 12

What are oil sands?

Answer 12

Oil sands, also known as tar sands, are a mixture of clay (5%), coarse grained sand (80%), water (5%), and bitumen (10%), which is a heavy, viscous form of crude oil.

Question 13

How is oil sands extracted?

Answer 13

Mining Method: In the mining method, the oil sands are extracted from the ground using large shovels and trucks. The oil sands are usually found in shallow pits, which are dug by the shovels. The oil sands are then loaded into trucks and transported to a processing facility, where the bitumen is separated from the other materials and upgraded to a form that can be refined into gasoline, diesel fuel, and other products.

In-situ Extraction Method: In the in-situ extraction method, the bitumen is extracted from the ground without removing the oil sands. Instead, steam is injected into the reservoir to heat the bitumen and make it flow more easily. The bitumen is then pumped to the surface, where it is separated from the other materials and upgraded to a form that can be refined into gasoline, diesel fuel, and other products.

Question 14

What are the Environmental Consequences?

Answer 14

1. Spills - Ecological cascades can lower fish stocks
2. Land clearing - can increase soil erosion
3. Gas flares - can result in methane greenhouse gas emissions
4. Natural gas power (GHG emissions) - can result in increased warming, drought, forest fires, severe flooding events, and hurricane activity
5. Displacement of people - these include developing countries and notably, indigenous peoples

Question 15

What are oil reserves and are they accurate measures?

Answer 15

Oil reserves refer to the amount of crude oil that can be economically and technically recovered from oil reservoirs under current economic and technological conditions. Oil reserves are estimated based on various factors, including the size of the reservoir, the amount of oil in place, the oil’s viscosity and other physical characteristics, the well flow rate, and the production and processing costs.

Oil reserve estimates are not always accurate and can change over time due to changes in economic and technological conditions, as well as new discoveries and advances in oil extraction techniques.

Question 16

Who is OPEC?

Answer 16

OPEC is the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, an intergovernmental organization made up of 14 member countries. OPEC plays a significant role in the global oil market, as its member countries together control a large portion of the world’s oil reserves and production. By coordinating their production levels, OPEC countries can influence the supply and demand for oil, and therefore, the price of oil.

Question 17

How is oil price dictated?

Answer 17

1. Quality (Grade)
   - Light oil (gasoline and bottled gas) is usually high in price and contain more paraffin & hydrocarbon quantities
   - Heavy oil (formed by marine bacteria ingestion of hydrocarbon = bitumen) is usually lower in price and come from less valuable oil sand and asphalts
2. Market Demand
   - When demand for oil is high, the price of oil tends to rise, and when demand is low, the price of oil tends to fall.
   - This relationship is driven by basic economic principles of supply and demand

Question 18

What is Natural Gas and which country has the most gas reserves?

Answer 18

Natural gas is a fossil fuel that is composed mainly of methane, with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons and impurities. In 2023, the United States has the most gas reserves.

Question 19

What is Hydraulic Fracturing?

Answer 19

Hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking,” is a method of extracting oil and natural gas from underground formations. It involves injecting a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals into rock formations under high pressure to create fractures or cracks in the rock. These fractures then allow oil and natural gas to flow more freely from the rock formations and into the well, where it can be pumped to the surface.

Question 20

What must the water be disposed of?

Answer 20

1. Salt water (desalination)
2. Benzene (Carcinogen& flammable)
3. reinjected in deep wells / water treatment facility
4. Recycled (increase level of contaminates)

Question 21

What are some concerns associated with fracking?

Answer 21

1. Negligence / Fracking-related negligence
2. Potential to pollute water
3. Methane leaks out during pumping / drilling

Question 22

How was coal formed?

Answer 22

Coal is a fossil fuel that was formed from the remains of ancient plants that lived millions of years ago. Over time, the dead plant material was buried under sediment and subjected to heat and pressure, causing it to undergo physical and chemical changes that transformed it into coal. The process of coal formation is known as “coalification”.

Question 23

What are the types of coal?

Answer 23

1. Anthracite (EROI: 40:1)
   - Formed from intense heat & pressure
   - Often at convergent boundaries
   - High foliation
2. Bituminous
   - Flat lying beds
   - Shallow
   - Can be obtained through surface mining
3. Subbituminous (EROI: 20:1)
4. Lignite

Question 24

How is coal extracted?

Answer 24

1. Surface mining: Surface mining is used when coal deposits are found near the surface of the earth. It involves removing the overlying rock and soil to access the coal seam. These include:

a. Strip mining: In strip mining, the overburden (the soil and rock above the coal seam) is removed in strips to access the coal seam. The coal is then extracted and the overburden is replaced in a process known as backfilling.

b. Mountaintop removal mining: Mountaintop removal mining involves removing the top of a mountain to access the coal seam below. This method is typically used in areas where the coal seam is near the surface and the overburden is relatively thin.

2. Underground mining: Underground mining is used when coal deposits are located deep below the surface. It involves digging tunnels or shafts to reach the coal seam and extract the coal (risk of cave-ins). these include:

a. Room-and-pillar mining: In room-and-pillar mining, rooms are carved out of the coal seam and pillars of coal are left in place to support the roof of the mine.

b. Longwall mining: In longwall mining, a large machine known as a shearer is used to cut a long, continuous panel of coal. The coal falls onto a conveyor belt and is transported to the surface.

c. Continuous mining: In continuous mining, a machine known as a continuous miner is used to extract the coal. The machine cuts the coal and loads it onto a conveyor belt for transport to the surface.

Question 25

What are the problem associated to fossil fuel combustion?

Answer 25

1. Air pollution
   a. Oxides of carbon (CO & CO2) -> GHG warming
   b. Sulfur dioxide from pyrite -> acid rain
   c. Nitrogen Oxide (NO) -> smog -> acid rain
   d. Fine Ash (aerosols)
   e. Arsenic and fluorine poisoning -> drying peppers over coal fire
2. Acid Rain
   a. Damages crops
   b. Acidifies soils
   c. Corrodes rocks / building / monuments
   d. Contaminates streams / rivers / groundwater

Question 26

What are some mitigation strategies associated to fossil fuel combustion?

Answer 26

Desulfurization, also known as flue gas desulfurization (FGD), is a process used to remove sulfur dioxide (SO2) from the flue gas produced by power plants and other industrial processes that burn fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas.

Desulfurization systems typically use a chemical reaction to convert the sulfur dioxide in the flue gas into a solid form, such as gypsum, which can then be safely disposed of. Desulfurization is an important mitigation strategy for reducing emissions from fossil fuel combustion, as it helps to remove one of the major pollutants from the flue gas and improve air quality.

By reducing the amount of sulfur dioxide emitted into the atmosphere, desulfurization also helps to mitigate the impacts of acid rain and prevent damage to crops, forests, and other sensitive ecosystems.