5.1.3 POLLUTION FROM FOSSIL FUELS

The Era of Fossil Fuels

• Fossil fuels: petroleum, natural gas and coal (organic)• Currently 90% of current US energy from from fossil

fuels • Expected oil production peak: 2020-2030• Consumption currently increasing• Projected world oil production will be exhausted by

2100• Produces significant and diverse pollution problems

o Greenhouse gasseso Gaseous Sulfur and nitrogen oxideso Land-based disturbances

What Is Crude Oil?

Crude Oil is a liquid mixture of thousands of organic chemicals found underground. It is the result of organic matter decaying over thousands of years; hence the name fossil fuel

Crude oil is found all over the world and varies tremendously in its density, sulfur, and metals content

Very SimplifiedPetroleum andPetrochemical

Flowchart

OilW ell

CrudeOil

Separations

Con

vers

ions

Sepa

ratio

nsan

dPu

rific

atio

ns

NaturalGas

Propane &Butane

Naphtha(C 5 - C 10)

G as S tove

Fuel

G asoline

Jet Fuel

Fuel

R X Ethylene Polyethylene (G lad Bags)R X

R X Polym ers (7 UP Bottles) (Barbeque G rills)

R X

R X O rganic Chem icalsM ore Polym ers

(Aspirin, Hair Spray)(Football Helm et, AstroTurf, Nylon)

Hom e HeatingO il, LubricatingO il, W ax

D iesel Fuels

Kerosene &

Gas Oils (C 10+)

Coke(Carbon M ateria l S im ilar to Coal)

Steel M aking

AsphaltRoads Pot Holes

Purifications rem ove sulfur and heavy m etals

R X = Chem ical Reactions

G raphite F ibers(Tennis Racquets)

THE REFINERY

© 2003 John Wiley and Sons Publishers

Proven world oil reserves in 1998.

Coal World’s most abundant fossil fuel, but

dirtiest! Coal provides 25% of world’s commercial

energy; 22% of US energy Dangerous to mine, harms land, water

and air – causes smog, acid rain and global warming.

Burning coal releases thousands of time more radioactive particles per unit of energy than a nuclear power plant!

© 2003 John Wiley and Sons Publishers

Fig 17.9 World coal reserves in 1999.

Pollution

Health Impacts More than 131 million Americans live in areas

where smog pollution makes their air unsafe to breathe, and every year over 45,000 lives are cut short by air pollution.

The National Academy of Sciences estimates that every year 60,000 children may be born at a significantly increased risk of neurological defects primarily due to mothers eating mercury-contaminated fish.

Pollution

Oil Spills 31,000 galloons of

spilled into waterways every day

Between 1973 and 1993 there were 200,000 oil spills in U.S. waters, spilling more than 230 million gallons of oil.

Pollution

Land Destruction Mountaintop removal in

West Virginia

Tens of thousands of coalbed methane wells in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming

Pollution

Global Warming With only 4 percent of the world's population,

we produce 25 percent of the carbon dioxide pollution

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects that the Earth's average surface temperature will increase between 2.5 and 10.4°F (1.4 to 5.8°C) between 1990 and 2100 if no major efforts are undertaken to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases (the "business-as-usual" scenario).

© 2003 John Wiley and Sons Publishers

Total energy consumption for the United States, 1950-1999.

“This [U.S. oil] is an industry that probably has larger tax incentives relative to its size than any other industry in the country.”

Statement of Hon. Donald C. Lubick, former Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, U.S. Department of Treasury

© 2003 John Wiley and Sons Publishers

Taxes for 1 gal of gasoline in U.S. dollars equivalent for selected countries, 1995.

Current Energy Tax BreaksFiscal Years 2003-2007

12%

6%

76%

2%

1%

1%

2%

Nuclear Tax Exempt Energy Bonds Oil and Gas Coal Energy Conservation Geothermal and Solar Wind and Biomass

Historical Research and Development DollarsDepartment of Energy Research and Development

(Fiscal Year 1948-1998)

Nuclear Energy59%

Renewables11%

Fossil Fuel 23%

Energy Efficiency7%

Nuclear Energy Fossil Fuel Energy Efficiency Renewables

$66 Billion

$26 Billion

$8 Billion

$12 Billion