Why Is Petroleum Not a Renewable Resource?
As people seek out sources of clean, renewable energy, they need to understand just what a renewable resource is and what a renewable resource is not. Once that's clear, the downsides of petroleum become more obvious.
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Petroleum
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Petroleum is mineral oil or crude oil, a thick, viscous and flammable liquid found in the upper strata of some areas of the Earth's crust.
Formation
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Petroleum is formed through the geologic transformations of ancient plant and animal remains over millions of years. The pressure, heat and metamorphosis turns the material into oil, hence the name fossil fuels.
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Renewable Resource
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The word renewable refers to resources and technologies that are non-depletable or naturally replenishable. Some examples are wind and tidal energy, hydro-electric energy and solar power.
Why it Isn't
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Petroleum is not a renewable resource because it can be exhausted. While new oil is theoretically being formed from ancient materials, it isn't formed fast enough to meet today's demand and therefore isn't a renewable resource.
Conversion
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Because oil is currently one of the most used resources, and because it can run out, companies and governments are racing to switch over to renewable resources before the oil spigot runs dry.
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References
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Comments
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rlawrence2
Aug 17, 2010
oh, and just how many dead dinosaurs do you think there were? That theory just isn't holding up. Further, oil is also biodegradable as well in the sunlight. Do your own test with some crude. Ask any petroleum geologist. Learn the facts man. Oil is indeed both renewable and environmentally safe. It always has been and always will be. It is only those that want to control industry that say otherwise. -
rlawrence2
Aug 17, 2010
Stupid article! How many decades to we have to go before people realize that the oil fields are actually replenishing themselves over decades? Look at the facts. This article should at least mention that there are scientific views of the opposite position based on scientific evidence. just look at the oil reserves in the Gulf over the last 4 decades!
