L8 - Petroleum Flashcards
What are the primary applications of petroleum?
Fuel for domestic and industrial energy consumption, plastics, and raw materials for pharmaceutical products.
What is petroleum composed of?
A mix of organic compounds, primarily hydrocarbons (cycloalkanes, alkanes, arenes) and other compounds with S, O, N, and some metals.
What are cycloalkanes in petroleum?
Hydrocarbons with one or more carbon rings and hydrogen atoms attached (CnH2n); they make up 30-60% of petroleum.
What are alkanes in petroleum?
Hydrocarbons with single carbon-carbon bonds and hydrogen atoms attached (CnH2n+2); they constitute 15-60% of petroleum.
What are arenes in petroleum?
Aromatic hydrocarbons with benzene rings (C6H6); they account for 3-30% of petroleum
What are asphaltenes in petroleum?
Complex organic compounds containing C, H, N, O, S, V, and Ni, with a C:H ratio around 1:1.2.
How does API gravity relate to petroleum?
It measures petroleum density; as API decreases, viscosity increases, and crude oils become harder to extract.
Who owns the majority of global petroleum reserves?
Nation states own 88%, while international oil companies control only 16%
What event caused crude oil prices to peak in 2008?
The global financial collapse
What caused crude oil prices to peak in 2022?
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
What are the necessary elements of a petroleum system?
Source rock, reservoir rock, trap, seal rock, and overburden
What processes are critical in a petroleum system?
Hydrocarbon generation, migration, and accumulation in a trap.
Q: What organic matter contributes to source rock formation?
Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and lignin.
What controls the accumulation of organic matter in source rocks?
The balance between carbon fixation (productivity) and carbon oxidation (respiration).
What is kerogen, and how is it formed?
A solid organic material formed from anaerobic and abiotic breakdown of organic matter under increased pressure and temperature.
What are the three types of kerogen?
- Type I: Algae, lipid-rich, mostly oil (e.g., Green River Formation).
- Type II: Algae and zoo/phytoplankton, lipid-rich, oil and gas (e.g., Kimmeridge Clay).
- Type III: Land plants, humic, gas (e.g., coal).
What determines reservoir rock quality?
Porosity and permeability, influenced by depositional and diagenetic processes.
What is a trap in a petroleum system?
A convex-up structure that combines a reservoir and a seal to prevent hydrocarbons from migrating to the surface
What methods are used in petroleum exploration?
Geophysical surveys (seismic, magnetics, density) and drilling.
What is the role of wireline logging in petroleum exploration?
To obtain physical parameters of the subsurface around a well during drilling
What distinguishes upstream and downstream operations in oil production?
- Upstream: Exploration, appraisal, and production.
- Downstream: Processing, refining, distribution, and chemical manufacturing.
What is the major environmental concern with petroleum?
Global warming and climate change due to disruptions in the natural carbon cycle.
How does the oil industry address environmental concerns?
Through strict health, safety, and environmental (HSE) regulations, minimizing footprints, and adopting new energies.
Why might fossil fuels remain prominent despite environmental concerns?
They are cost-effective and essential for reducing poverty in developing countries.
