Petroleum is a fossil fuel!!

Long before the dinosaurs, oceans covered most of the earth. They were filled with tiny sea animals and plants. As the plants and animals died, they sank to the ocean floor. Sand and sediment covered them and turned into sedimentary rock. Millions of years passed. The weight of the rock and heat from the earth turned them into petroleum.


Petroleum is called a fosil fuel because it was made from the remains of plants and animals. The energy in petroleum came from the energy in the plants and animals. That energy came from the sun.



Petroleum nonrenewable

The petroleum we use today was made millions of years ago. It took millions of years to form. We can´t make more in a short time. That`s why we call petroleum nonrenewable.


We drill oil wells

Petroleum is buried underground in tiny pockets in rocks.to pump out the oil. A few wells are more than two miles deep.

After the oil is pumped to the surface, it is sent to refineries. At the refineries, it is separated into different types of oil and made into fuels. Most of the oil is made into gasoline. The oil is moved from one place to another through pipelines and by ships and trucks.
We use petroleum every day


What would we do without petroleum? Our contry would come to a stop! Most of ours cars, trucks, and planes are powered by fuel made from oil.

Our factories use oil to make plastics and paints, medicines and soaps. We even burn oil to make electricity. We use more petroleum than any other energy source.


Petroleum can pollute

Petroleum keeps us going, but it can damage our environment. Burning fuels made from oil can pollute the air. Pollution from cars is a big problem in many parts of the country. Oil companies are making cleaner gasoline and other fuels every year.

Oil can pollute soil and water, injuring the animals that live in the area. Oil companies work hard to drill and ship oil as safely as possible. They try to clean up any oil that spills.

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