Here’s the need-to-know stuff about the energy source, crude oil!
Description
Crude oil is a dark liquid. It is found in reservoirs deep under the ground.
How was it formed?
Millions of years ago the worldβs oceans were filled with plants and plankton. When these died they fell to the bottom of the seas. Over millions of years, these remains were buried under layers of sand and mud. Heat and pressure turned the remains into oil and natural gas.
Where do you find crude oil?
Oil reserves can be found all over the world, including the North Sea, Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United States, Iran, Iraq and China.
How is it made into electricity?
The oil is burned to heat water and produce steam. This steam propels the blades of a turbine. This is attached to a generator, which produces electricity.
What are the advantages of using crude oil?
- Oil can easily be transported by a network of pipelines.
- Oil-fired power stations can, in theory, be built almost anywhere.
What are the disadvantages of using crude oil?
- Oil is a non-renewable source of energy. This means that one day we will probably run out of crude oil.
- Burning oil produces carbon dioxide gas. This is a greenhouse gas that contributes towards climate change.
- Burning oil can pollute the air.
- Much of our oil has to be imported and it is becoming more and more expensive as reserves reduce and imports increase.
- Producing electricity from crude oil is expensive compared to other fossil fuels such as coal or gas.
π Words to know
- Fossil fuel
- A natural substance formed over millions of years from the buried remains of ancient living things. Coal, oil and gas are all fossil fuels.
- Non-renewable
- An energy source that cannot be replaced, and will one day run out.
- Generator
- A device that turns movement, like spinning steam-driven blades, into electricity.
- Carbon emissions
- The carbon released into the air when something is burned.
β οΈ Watch out!
π§ Listen and watch
- Turning Heat Into Power β burning things makes heat, and heat can make electricity.
- The National Grid Today β how electricity reaches your house from wherever it was made.
How much do you know about crude oil?
Crude oil started out as living things. What were they?
- Tiny sea plants and creatures
- Dinosaur bones
- Melted rocks
- Old forests on land
Is crude oil renewable?
- No β one day it will run out
- Yes, it makes itself every year
- Yes, if we recycle it
- Only in winter
Apart from electricity, what else do we make from oil?
- Petrol, diesel and plastics
- Glass and sand
- Cotton and wool
- Water and ice
We’ve got a whole series about energy, electricity, and power generation! It’s called Curious Kate, and you can listen to it below!
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