Petroleum

Petroleum, also called crude or oil, is a material or organic origin that can usually be found on large deposits hundreds of meters under the surface of Earth. The substance usually presents itself as a black-yellowish viscous goo with a strong smell.

Origin

This substance has been theorised to have originated from organic matter collected in an area during millions of years, after which sediments start settling on top of the mix and oxygen amounts go down considerably. The remaining matter would then be finally decomposed gradually while undertaking massive pressures from both tectonic movements and pressure generated by the layers of soil above.

Composition

The GOPE (Global Organization of Petroleum Exports) has stablished 4 types of petroleum depending on their composition:

• Type A - Very light, yellowish, almost transparent and easy to wash light oils. They are extremely flammable and have lower density than water, reason why they float
• Type B - Brownish and semi-opaque oils. They are usually difficult to wash but can be done with propper equipment. They are flammable but not as much as Type A oils. If left to evaporate, they can and will become Type C oils, becoming more difficult to work with.
• Type C - Very heavy oils, usually black and completely opaque, which are slightly flammable and can be very difficult to clean up even with propper equipment. Due to their high density, they usually sink instead of floating if presented with water.
• Type D - Very dense and usually solid oils. They barely are toxic or flammable. If heated up they tend to melt, creating a thicc coast of substance that can be, at times, impossible to remove or clean up.

Location

The 3 biggest petroleum reservoirs as confirmed by the GOPE are:

Great Patagonian Basin

Guyanese-Caribbean Reservoir

North Sea Deposits

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Credits:
Top image: https://www.bcg.com/en-tr/industries/energy/oil-gas/overview - Boston Consulting Group

Top: Waraira Refinery, located in northern Colombia

Type

Biomaterial