Energy Sources 41 Case Study 1. Oil: Meeting the world’s energy demands
Oil is currently used to meet most of the world’s energy demands.
Sea bed
Natural gas (methane)
oil can cause accidents and pollute the environment, for example the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.
Oil Rock
Fig. 12 Oil is made from the remains of dead sea creatures and is found under the sea bed or in places where a sea or ocean once existed.
Oil is used to power electricity-generating stations and to produce many products that we rely on including: Diesel Petrol
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Home heating oil Jet engine fuel Plastics
Advantages
Cheap method of generating electricity. Provides fuel for cooking, heating and transport.
Disadvantages l
Oil is non-renewable and will eventually run out. It is not a sustainable source of energy. Extracting, transporting and burning oil causes pollution.
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Extraction: Offshore oil rigs can cause difficulties for fishermen. Drilling for
Fig. 14 A brown pelican covered in oil after the 2010 Gulf oil spill tries to raise its wings.
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Fig. 13 A tide of oily water heading towards Florida, USA after the explosion of the offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.
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Transport: Transporting oil has resulted in many major oil spills at sea. This leads to the destruction of habitats and the deaths of many animals.
