29^th Ambassadorship

Title: [October free report] Fossil fuels

Month 1, Report 2

I explored more on fossil fuel as a free report for October month, have a good reading.

Fossil fuels can be divided into several major categories, including: Coal: Coal is a sedimentary rock that is black or brown in. It can range in hardness from crumbly to relatively hard. It is thought that it was first formed during the Carboniferous period between 300 and 360 million years ago when algae and plant debris from swamp forests sank deeper and deeper beneath layers of mud. Coal is mined using either surface or underground techniques, and in 2018 China, India, and the United States were the main producers and consumers of coal. Depending on how much carbon there is in the coal, it can be divided into four different types: anthracite, bituminous, sub-bituminous, and lignite. The majority of the worldwide carbon dioxide emissions, or 44% of total emissions, come from burning coal, which is responsible for the majority of the global temperature rise over pre-industrial levels. Coal use has decreased both in the United States and internationally due to the negative effects it has on human health and the environment, as well as the threat posed by inexpensive natural gas.

 Oil: Crude oil is a liquid that primarily consists of carbon and hydrogen. Depending on its chemical makeup, crude oil can come in a range of hues and viscosities in addition to its common color of black. Between 252 and 66 million years ago, during the Mesozoic era, a large portion of it originated as plankton, algae, and other material fell to the bottom of ancient seas and eventually became buried. Crude oil, which is extracted from wells on land and at sea, is refined into a range of petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel, and heating oil. The top three producers of oil are the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, which together account for around 40% of global production. Nearly half of the carbon emissions in the United States and roughly a third of the global total are caused by the usage of petroleum. Drilling and transport of oil have resulted in numerous significant accidents. However, despite our growing need for mobility, the need for oil is still rising due to the various items, such as plastics, that are produced using petrochemicals, which are often created from oil and gas.

Natural gas: A mostly methane-based gas with no odor, natural gas is frequently found in deposits that, like those for coal and oil, were created millions of years ago by decomposing plant and animal life. Even though natural gas emits fewer emissions than coal and oil, it still makes up 5% of global emissions, excluding the sometimes large so-called fugitive emissions that come from the sector. The world's natural gas reserves are not all being actively mined. One potential gas source being considered is underwater methane hydrates, where gas is trapped in frozen water.

I hope you gained some insights more on fossil fuel. Thank you.

References: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/fossil-fuels