The hypothesis of abiogenic petroleum origin (synonyms: abiotic, abyssal, endogenous, inorganic, juvenile, mineral, primordial) holds that petroleum is formed by non-biological processes deep in the earth's crust and mantle. It contradicts the more widely-held view that petroleum is a fossil fuel produced from the remains of ancient living organisms. The constituent precursors of petroleum (mainly methane) are commonplace and it is possible that appropriate conditions exist for hydrocarbons to be formed deep within the earth ...

Including:

• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Comparison of theories
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Raw material
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Events before conversion
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Conversion to petroleum and methane
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Formation of coal
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Evidence supporting abiogenic theory
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Supergiant oil fields
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Extraterrestrial methane
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Existence of hydrocarbon deposits
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Methane on Earth
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Cold planetary formation
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Unusual deposits
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Deep microbes
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Helium
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Trace metals
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Diamondoids
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Hydrogen
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Thermodynamics
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Biology
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Serpentinization and chemical synthesis of oil
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Deep structures and petroleum association
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Why is oil frequently found in sedimentary basins?
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Ambiguous results
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Biomarkers or Chemofossils
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Deep hot carbon sources
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Evidence supporting biogenic theory
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Unusual deposits
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Biomarkers
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - Petroleum origin peak oil and politics
• Abiogenic petroleum origin - The future of the abiogenic theory

Read more here: » Abiogenic petroleum origin: Encyclopedia - Abiogenic petroleum origin

See also:

Abiogenic petroleum origin, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Comparison of theories, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Raw material, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Events before conversion, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Conversion to petroleum and methane, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Formation of coal, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Evidence supporting abiogenic theory, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Supergiant oil fields, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Extraterrestrial methane, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Existence of hydrocarbon deposits, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Methane on Earth, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Cold planetary formation, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Unusual deposits, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Deep microbes, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Helium, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Trace metals, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Diamondoids, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Hydrogen, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Thermodynamics, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Biology, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Serpentinization and chemical synthesis of oil, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Deep structures and petroleum association, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Why is oil frequently found in sedimentary basins?, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Ambiguous results, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Biomarkers or Chemofossils, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Deep hot carbon sources, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Evidence supporting biogenic theory, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Unusual deposits, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Biomarkers, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Petroleum origin peak oil and politics, Abiogenic petroleum origin - The future of the abiogenic theory

Read more here: » Abiogenic petroleum origin: Encyclopedia II - Abiogenic petroleum origin - Evidence supporting abiogenic theory

Many aspects of the abiogenic theory were developed in the former Soviet Union by Russian and Ukrainian scientists during the Cold War. Some proponents see a pro-Western bias in the promotion of the biogenic theory. Thus, in addition to the scientific merits of competing hypothoses, political and economic considerations often influence discussions of petroleum origins. The topic of the origin of petroleum is also linked to discussions of projected declines in petroleum production, variously referred to as "peak oil" or "Hubbert's peak ...

See also:

Abiogenic petroleum origin, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Comparison of theories, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Raw material, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Events before conversion, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Conversion to petroleum and methane, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Formation of coal, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Evidence supporting abiogenic theory, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Supergiant oil fields, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Extraterrestrial methane, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Existence of hydrocarbon deposits, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Methane on Earth, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Cold planetary formation, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Unusual deposits, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Deep microbes, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Helium, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Trace metals, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Diamondoids, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Hydrogen, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Thermodynamics, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Biology, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Serpentinization and chemical synthesis of oil, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Deep structures and petroleum association, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Why is oil frequently found in sedimentary basins?, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Ambiguous results, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Biomarkers or Chemofossils, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Deep hot carbon sources, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Evidence supporting biogenic theory, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Unusual deposits, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Biomarkers, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Petroleum origin peak oil and politics, Abiogenic petroleum origin - The future of the abiogenic theory

Read more here: » Abiogenic petroleum origin: Encyclopedia II - Abiogenic petroleum origin - Petroleum origin peak oil and politics

Methane is typically found on Earth, when not in natural gas deposits, in methane hydrate deposits under high pressure under the deep abyssal plains of oceans, produced from the decay of sinking biotic materials at shallow levels. Methane's effect as a greenhouse gas is twenty times greater than carbon dioxide. It is possible that major extinction in the history of the earth is due to methane. During the breakup of supercontinent Pangaea in the Triassic Period, an enormous volume of methane was released to the atmosphere. Methane reacts with ...

See also:

Abiogenic petroleum origin, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Comparison of theories, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Raw material, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Events before conversion, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Conversion to petroleum and methane, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Formation of coal, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Evidence supporting abiogenic theory, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Supergiant oil fields, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Extraterrestrial methane, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Existence of hydrocarbon deposits, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Methane on Earth, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Cold planetary formation, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Unusual deposits, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Deep microbes, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Helium, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Trace metals, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Diamondoids, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Hydrogen, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Thermodynamics, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Biology, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Serpentinization and chemical synthesis of oil, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Deep structures and petroleum association, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Why is oil frequently found in sedimentary basins?, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Ambiguous results, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Biomarkers or Chemofossils, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Deep hot carbon sources, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Evidence supporting biogenic theory, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Unusual deposits, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Biomarkers, Abiogenic petroleum origin - Petroleum origin peak oil and politics, Abiogenic petroleum origin - The future of the abiogenic theory

Read more here: » Abiogenic petroleum origin: Encyclopedia II - Abiogenic petroleum origin - Methane on Earth

Petroleum (from Greek petra – rock and oleum – oil), crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. A widely believed myth is that the oil itself is flammable; however, it is actually the gas that evaporates from the oil that is flammable. Petroleum exists in the upper strata of some areas of the Earth's crust. Another name is naphtha, from Persian naft or nafátá (to flow). It consists of a complex mixture of various hydrocarbons, l ...

Including:

• Petroleum - Origin
• Petroleum - Biogenic theory
• Petroleum - Abiogenic theory
• Petroleum - Composition
• Petroleum - Extraction
• Petroleum - Alternate means of producing oil
• Petroleum - History
• Petroleum - Environmental effects
• Petroleum - Future of oil
• Petroleum - Classification
• Petroleum - Pricing
• Petroleum - Top petroleum-producing countries
• Petroleum - Books about the petroleum industry
• Petroleum - Films about petroleum
• Petroleum - Writers covering the petroleum industry

Read more here: » Petroleum: Encyclopedia - Petroleum

An aromatic hydrocarbon (abbreviated as AH), or arene is a hydrocarbon, the molecular structure of which incorporates one or more planar sets of six carbon atoms that are connected by delocalised electrons numbering the same as if they consisted of alternating single and double covalent bonds. After the simplest possible aromatic hydrocarbon, benzene, such a configuration of six carbon atoms is known as a benzene ring. Aromatic hydrocarbon - Models of benzene ring electron configurations. Each carbon ...

Including:

• Aromatic hydrocarbon - Models of benzene ring electron configurations
• Aromatic hydrocarbon - Properties of aromatic hydrocarbons
• Aromatic hydrocarbon - Members of this group of substances
• Aromatic hydrocarbon - PAHs

Read more here: » Aromatic hydrocarbon: Encyclopedia - Aromatic hydrocarbon

Biomarker is an occasionally-used synonym for biosignature, which is a term used in astrobiology to indicate "a measurable phenomenon that indicates the presence of life." In medicine, a biomarker is an indicator of a particular disease state or a particular state of an organism. In the past, biomarkers were primarily physiological indicators such as blood pressure or heart rate. More recently, biomarker is becoming a synonym for molecular biomarker, such as elevated prostate specific antigen as a molecular ...

Read more here: » Biomarker: Encyclopedia - Biomarker

Bitumen is a category of organic liquids which are highly viscous, black, sticky and wholly soluble in carbon disulfide. Asphalt and tar are the most common forms of bitumen. In British English, 'bitumen' is often used interchangeably with both 'asphalt' and 'tar'. In American English, 'bitumen' is most commonly used in engineering jargon to explicitly include both asphalt- and tar-based materials. In Australian English, 'bitumen' ...

Read more here: » Bitumen: Encyclopedia - Bitumen

Alternative fuel is any method of powering an engine that do not involve petroleum (oil). Some alternative fuels are electricity, hythane, hydrogen, natural gas, wood, and vegetable oil. The need for the development of Alternative fuel sources, has been growing because of concerns that the reserves of oil are finite and will one day run out completly. See Oil depletion. The relative difficulty in obtaining oil which is a major cause of conflict, especialy in areas like the Middle East, has caused the price of oil to slowly rise ...

Including:

• Alternative fuel - Alternatives to oil
• Alternative fuel - Non-conventional oil
• Alternative fuel - Other fossil fuels and the Fischer-Tropsch process
• Alternative fuel - Nuclear power
• Alternative fuel - Fusion power
• Alternative fuel - Hydrogen

Read more here: » Alternative fuel: Encyclopedia - Alternative fuel

Gold achieved fame for his 1992 paper "The Deep Hot Biosphere" in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which presented a controversial view of the origin of coal, oil, and gas deposits, a theory of an abiogenic petroleum origin. The theory suggests coal and crude oil deposits have their origins in natural gas flows which feed bacteria living at extreme depths under the surface of the Earth; in other words, oil and coal are produced through tectonic forces, rather than from the decomposition of fossils. Gold also publis ...

See also:

Thomas Gold, Thomas Gold - Life, Thomas Gold - Astrophysics, Thomas Gold - Origins of petroleum

Read more here: » Thomas Gold: Encyclopedia II - Thomas Gold - Origins of petroleum

Petroleum - Biogenic theory. Most geologists view crude oil, like coal and natural gas, as the product of compression and heating of ancient vegetation over geological time scales. According to this theory, it is formed from the decayed remains of prehistoric marine animals and terrestrial plants. Over many centuries this organic matter, mixed with mud, is buried under thick sedimentary layers of material. The resulting high levels of heat and pressure cause the remains to metamorphose, first into a waxy material ...

See also:

Petroleum, Petroleum - Origin, Petroleum - Biogenic theory, Petroleum - Abiogenic theory, Petroleum - Extraction, Petroleum - Alternate means of producing oil, Petroleum - History, Petroleum - Environmental effects, Petroleum - Future of oil, Petroleum - Classification, Petroleum - Pricing, Petroleum - Top petroleum-producing countries, Petroleum - Petroleum in Military Strategy, Petroleum - Books about the petroleum industry, Petroleum - Films about petroleum, Petroleum - Writers covering the petroleum industry

Read more here: » Petroleum: Encyclopedia II - Petroleum - Origin

Petroleum - Biogenic theory. Most geologists view crude oil, like coal and natural gas, as the product of compression and heating of ancient vegetation over geological time scales. According to this theory, it is formed from the decayed remains of prehistoric marine animals and terrestrial plants. Over many centuries this organic matter, mixed with mud, is buried under thick sedimentary layers of material. The resulting high levels of heat and pressure cause the remains to metamorphose, first into a waxy material ...

See also:

Petroleum, Petroleum - Origin, Petroleum - Biogenic theory, Petroleum - Abiogenic theory, Petroleum - Composition, Petroleum - Extraction, Petroleum - Alternate means of producing oil, Petroleum - History, Petroleum - Environmental effects, Petroleum - Future of oil, Petroleum - Classification, Petroleum - Pricing, Petroleum - Top petroleum-producing countries, Petroleum - Books about the petroleum industry, Petroleum - Films about petroleum, Petroleum - Writers covering the petroleum industry

Read more here: » Petroleum: Encyclopedia II - Petroleum - Origin

The Hubbert peak theory, also known as peak oil, is a theory concerning the long-term rate of production of conventional oil and other fossil fuels. It assumes that oil reserves are not replenishable (i.e. that abiogenic replenishment is negligible), and predicts that future world oil production must inevitably reach a peak and then decline as these reserves are exhausted. Controversy surrounds the theory, as predictions for when the global peak will act ...

See also:

Petroleum, Petroleum - Origin, Petroleum - Biogenic theory, Petroleum - Abiogenic theory, Petroleum - Extraction, Petroleum - Alternate means of producing oil, Petroleum - History, Petroleum - Environmental effects, Petroleum - Future of oil, Petroleum - Classification, Petroleum - Pricing, Petroleum - Top petroleum-producing countries, Petroleum - Petroleum in Military Strategy, Petroleum - Books about the petroleum industry, Petroleum - Films about petroleum, Petroleum - Writers covering the petroleum industry

Read more here: » Petroleum: Encyclopedia II - Petroleum - Future of oil

Main article: Hubbert Peak The Hubbert peak theory, also known as peak oil, is a theory concerning the long-term rate of production of conventional oil and other fossil fuels. It assumes that oil reserves are not replenishable (i.e. that abiogenic replenishment is negligible), and predicts that future world oil production must inevitably reach a peak and then decline as these reserves are exhausted. Controversy surrounds the theory, as predictions for when the global peak will actually take place are highly dependent on the past production ...

See also:

Petroleum, Petroleum - Origin, Petroleum - Biogenic theory, Petroleum - Abiogenic theory, Petroleum - Composition, Petroleum - Extraction, Petroleum - Alternate means of producing oil, Petroleum - History, Petroleum - Environmental effects, Petroleum - Future of oil, Petroleum - Classification, Petroleum - Pricing, Petroleum - Top petroleum-producing countries, Petroleum - Books about the petroleum industry, Petroleum - Films about petroleum, Petroleum - Writers covering the petroleum industry

Read more here: » Petroleum: Encyclopedia II - Petroleum - Future of oil

There are two theories on the origin of "fossil" fuels: the mainstream biogenic theory and the abiogenic theory. The two theories have been intensely debated since the 1860s, shortly after the discovery of widespread petroleum. According to the biogenic theory, fossil fuels are the altered remnants of ancient plant and animal life deposited in sedimentary rocks. The organic molecules associated with these organisms forms a group of chemicals known as kerogens which are then transformed into hydrocarbons by the process of catagenesis. The ter ...

See also:

Fossil fuel, Fossil fuel - Origin, Fossil fuel - A limited resource

Read more here: » Fossil fuel: Encyclopedia II - Fossil fuel - Origin

Boyko G. E. and Chekaliuk E.B., 1966. Thermodynamic criteria of oil origin. In: Problem of oil and gas origin and formation of their commercial accumulations. - Kiev, Naukova Dumka Publ. - p. 81-90 (in Russian) Boyko G. E., 1968. The Transformation of Abyssal Petroleum under the Conditions of the Earth's Crust. – Kiev, Naukova Dumka Publ. Boyko G. E., 1982. The Prediction of the Presence of Oil an ...

See also:

Georgi E. Boyko, Georgi E. Boyko - Selected publications

Read more here: » Georgi E. Boyko: Encyclopedia II - Georgi E. Boyko - Selected publications

The oil industry classifies "crude" by the location of its origin (e.g., "West Texas Intermediate, WTI" or "Brent") and often by its relative weight (API gravity) or viscosity ("light", "intermediate" or "heavy"); refiners may also refer to it as "sweet", which means it contains relatively little sulfur, or as "sour", which means it contains substantial amounts of sulfur and requires more refining in o ...

See also:

Petroleum, Petroleum - Origin, Petroleum - Biogenic theory, Petroleum - Abiogenic theory, Petroleum - Extraction, Petroleum - Alternate means of producing oil, Petroleum - History, Petroleum - Environmental effects, Petroleum - Future of oil, Petroleum - Classification, Petroleum - Pricing, Petroleum - Top petroleum-producing countries, Petroleum - Petroleum in Military Strategy, Petroleum - Books about the petroleum industry, Petroleum - Films about petroleum, Petroleum - Writers covering the petroleum industry

Read more here: » Petroleum: Encyclopedia II - Petroleum - Classification

The presence of oil has significant social and environmental impacts, from accidents and routine activities such as seismic exploration, drilling, and generation of polluting wastes. Oil extraction is costly and sometimes environmentally damaging, although Dr. John Hunt from Woods Hole pointed out in a 1981 paper that over 70% of the reserves in the world are associated with visible macroseepages, and many oil fields are found due to natural leaks. Offshore exploration and extraction of oil disturbs the surrounding marine environment. Extrac ...

See also:

Petroleum, Petroleum - Origin, Petroleum - Biogenic theory, Petroleum - Abiogenic theory, Petroleum - Extraction, Petroleum - Alternate means of producing oil, Petroleum - History, Petroleum - Environmental effects, Petroleum - Future of oil, Petroleum - Classification, Petroleum - Pricing, Petroleum - Top petroleum-producing countries, Petroleum - Petroleum in Military Strategy, Petroleum - Books about the petroleum industry, Petroleum - Films about petroleum, Petroleum - Writers covering the petroleum industry

Read more here: » Petroleum: Encyclopedia II - Petroleum - Environmental effects

The first oil wells were drilled in China in the 4th century or earlier. They had depth of up to 800 feet and were drilled using bits attached to bamboo poles. The oil was burned to evaporate brine and produce salt. By the 10th century, extensive bamboo pipelines connected oil wells with salt springs. Ancient Persian tablets indicate the medicinal and lighting uses of petroleum in the upper echelons of their society. In the 8th century, the streets of the newly-constructed Baghdad were paved with tar, derived from easily-accessible pe ...

See also:

Petroleum, Petroleum - Origin, Petroleum - Biogenic theory, Petroleum - Abiogenic theory, Petroleum - Extraction, Petroleum - Alternate means of producing oil, Petroleum - History, Petroleum - Environmental effects, Petroleum - Future of oil, Petroleum - Classification, Petroleum - Pricing, Petroleum - Top petroleum-producing countries, Petroleum - Petroleum in Military Strategy, Petroleum - Books about the petroleum industry, Petroleum - Films about petroleum, Petroleum - Writers covering the petroleum industry

Read more here: » Petroleum: Encyclopedia II - Petroleum - History

Kropotkin P.N., 1955. Problems of oil genesis. Soviet Geology Jour., no. 47. pp. 104-125 (in Russian) Kropotkin P.N. and Shakhvarstova K.A., 1959. Solid bitumens, oil, and combustible gases in hyperbasite intrusions, traps, and volacinic pipes. In: Problems of oil migration and formation of oil and gas accumulations. - Moscow, GosTopTechIzdat. - pp. 151-164 (in Russian) Kropotkin P.N., 1986. Earth's outgassing and genesis of hydrocarbons. Mendeleev All-Union Chem. Soc. Jour. – Moscow, [Khimiya] ...

See also:

Pyotr Nikolaevich Kropotkin, Pyotr Nikolaevich Kropotkin - Selected publications

Read more here: » Pyotr Nikolaevich Kropotkin: Encyclopedia II - Pyotr Nikolaevich Kropotkin - Selected publications