PHY 121 Lecture 7: PHY 121 Lecture September 20th 2016
10 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Used by society for over 500 years medicinal properties. Not prized as a light source (odor and smoke). Considered a nuisance, it was polluting salt mines in the 1850s. Samuel kier distilled into kerosene and marketed for illumination (still disagreeable odor). Edwin drake drills first oil well in 1859. Oil production reached 3 million barrels by 1862. Not as clearly defined chemical formula as coal, some form of hydrocarbon. Like coal, petroleum forms in anaerobic (lack of oxygen) conditions. +will find its way to surface through path of least resistance. A) fold = two impermeable beds sandwiching petroleum-rich sandstone. B) salt dome vertical growing salt formation creating similar fold effect/ C) fault = break creates pockets surrounded by impermeable rock. Approximately 70% of the usa reserves are offshore. Sound waves travel at different speeds through different rocks. Geologists use a similar process for off-shore drilling. Look under the microscope to observe oil trapped in the pores.
