Lecture 15 Flashcards
Why is the mining industry important to Canada?
Canada has rich mineral resources, is a major exporter of minerals and products, and relies on mining for economic stability.
What are resources, and how are they classified?
Materials useful to people, renewable or non-renewable.
What are renewable resources? Provide examples.
Resources replenished over short time spans
(plants, animals, solar, wind, and water energy)
What are non-renewable resources? Provide examples.
Resources that take millions of years to form, e.g., coal, oil, natural gas, iron, copper, uranium, and gold.
What is petroleum, and how does it form?
A group of hydrocarbons formed by heating simple aquatic organisms in organic-rich sediments, producing oil, wet gas, and methane.
What is the sequence of petroleum formation?
Lithification of organic-rich sediment → Kerogen formation → Cracking of carbon-carbon bonds → Oil and wet gas → Dry gas at >150°C.
How do hydrocarbons migrate?
Hydrocarbon fluids, less dense than water, migrate upward but stop at petroleum traps or evaporate at the surface.
What are petroleum traps, and what do they require?
Geologic environments for oil/gas accumulation needing a porous, permeable reservoir rock and an impermeable cap rock.
What are the environmental effects of fossil fuel use?
Global warming from CO₂ emissions, oil spills, rig blowouts, and damage to wildlife and habitats.
What are heavy oil sands, and why are they important?
Mixtures of sediment, water, and bitumen, with Alberta providing 50% of Canada’s oil production. Refining is costly but essential as supplies decline.
Why is sandstone a better petroleum reservoir than shale?
Sandstone is more permeable, allowing fluid flow, whereas shale is less permeable.
What is a cap rock in petroleum accumulation?
An impermeable rock layer that traps oil and gas beneath it in the reservoir.
What is kerogen in petroleum formation?
A precursor to oil formed when organic-rich sediments are subjected to heat and pressure during lithification.
What happens if hydrocarbons reach the surface?
The volatile components evaporate, and the remaining materials may degrade or oxidize.
What are unconventional fossil fuel deposits?
Resources like heavy oil sands that require advanced extraction and refining methods, significant in future petroleum production.
Why are heavy oil sands considered costly?
Extracting and refining bitumen require more energy and resources compared to conventional petroleum sources.
What role do Alberta’s oil sands play in Canada’s oil production?
They provide approximately 50% of Canada’s total oil production, contributing significantly to the economy.
What are the main types of fossil fuels?
Coal, oil, and natural gas, which are formed from ancient organic matter over millions of years.
What makes a reservoir rock suitable for petroleum?
It must be porous and permeable to store and allow the movement of hydrocarbons.
What distinguishes renewable from non-renewable resources?
Renewable resources replenish quickly, while non-renewable resources form over millions of years and exist in fixed quantities.
Cap rock and reservoir strata are associated with accumulations of what?
Petroleum.
Why is sandstone a better reservoir rock for petroleum than shale?
Sandstone is more permeable, allowing easier fluid movement compared to the less permeable shale.
