Alternative Sources of Fossil Fuels
The 2008 Rand study "Unconventional Fossil Based Fuels" cites two major problems with petroleum products produced from crude oil: high levels of carbon dioxide emitted by these fuels and the large payments made to countries that export crude oil.
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Oil Shale
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Oil shale is either a carbonate rock (common in the western United States) or silica-based rock (eastern United States) that contains kerogen. Kerogen can be processed to produce jet fuel and diesel fuel.
Tar Sands
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Tar sands consist of a mixture of the hydrocarbon bitumen, water, clay and sand. The bitumen can be processed to create jet fuel, gas, asphalt and synthetic crude oil.
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Coal to Liquid
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Coal can be converted to liquid fuels such as diesel or gas by a direct conversion to a liquid or through a more complex process that includes a gas phase.
Geography
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Most of the reserves of these alternative fossil fuels are found in the Western hemisphere, including the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Warning
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The environmental impact of these alternative fossil fuels is still under study. For example, processing oil sands requires large amounts of water and the process may damage the water table.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit U.S. Department of the Interior, Utah DNR
