Petroleum Significance

Credit: 2 hour

Petroleum, complex mixture of hydrocarbons that occur in the Earth in liquid, gaseous, or solid forms. The term is often restricted to the liquid form, commonly called crude oil, but as a technical term it also includes natural gas and the viscous or solid form known as bitumen, which is found in tar sands. The liquid and gaseous phases of petroleum constitute the most important of the primary fossil fuels.  Liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons are so intimately associated in nature that it has become customary to shorten the expression “petroleum and natural gas” to “petroleum” when referring to both.  The significance of oil as a world energy source is difficult to overdramatize.

Learning Objectives:

·         Introduction and Overview

·         Exploration and production

·         Political influence

·         Real world impact

Course Number:  ODP1023

Field of Study: Civil Engineering

Level: Basic

Presenter:
Ronald Finger

Prerequisites:
None

Advanced Preparation:
None