Fossil Fuels
Chapter 19 – Note Guide
1. Energy Literacy
2. Energy Consumption
A. Per Capita Energy Consumption
 Highly Developed nations represent ______________of the world’s population, but
consume ___________ of commercial energy (energy sold in the market place)
 Each person uses _____-- as much energy as a person in a developing country
B. Energy Requirement for Food Production
 Farmers in developing nations rely on ____________________________________

Farmers in developed countries require ___________________________________.
C. Energy Consumption in the U.S.
 Industry ________, Buildings ______________. Transportation ______________
 Most of the energy required in the North America is supplied by _____________.
D. Fossil Fuels
 What are they?

Grades of Coal

Most abundant – known coal reserves could last for __________
Supplies ______________ of energy used worldwide
Largest deposits found in
E. Recovery
 Surface mining

Subsurface mining

Mountaintop removal
F. How does a coal power facility create electricity?
G. How does electricity get to homes and businesses?
F. Safety Problems/Environmental Impact
 Mining dangerous

Toxins

Acid Mine drainage

Climate change – global warming

Acid Deposition (So2 and NOX)

Coal Ash
G. Solution
o Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (1977) –
o Scrubbers – Desulfurization systems installed to ___________________________
Sludge –

Electrostatic Precipitators
o Clean Coal Technologies
o Fluidized-bed combustion
o Coal gasification and liquefaction
Oil and Natural Gas
H. Refining
o Crude oil – Fractionation tower
o Petrochemicals – used in the production of fertilizers, plastics, paints, pesticides,
medicines, and synthetic fibers
o Natural Gas
o Liquefied petroleum gas – Used as ______________________________

Examples: ____________________ and _________________
o Methane – Used for _________________, ________________________, and in
the organic chemistry industry.
 Availability – supplies about ________________ of energy used
worldwide.
Oil
o
________________ of the world’s known oil reserves are located in the _________.
o Oil production is expected to ________________ sometime during the 21 st century and
will then enter a decline.
o Hubbert curve:
Natural Gas
o Almost half of the world’s known natural gas reserves are located in _________ and
________
o Reserves are more _______- than oil and could continue to rise even after oil
production peaks.
o Because it is a gas, it costs ______________ more to transport through pipelines and is
therefore often not utilized.
I. Recovery
Geologic exploration searches for structural traps that may contain oil and natural gas
deposits. Once oil or natural gas deposits have been located, wells are drilled and operated.
J. Environmental Impact
o Burning oil and natural gas emits _______________, contributing to _______________.
o Burning oil releases ______________________, contributing to _______________ and
the formation of photochemical _______________.
o Transporting oil by _______________________________ carries the risk of a major spill.
o Operating offshore oil wells contaminates water with relatively small amounts of oil,
and also carries the risk of a major ____________________
o Oil exploration in environmentally sensitive areas poses permanent threats to
____________________ and _______________ in exchange for a very temporary supply
of oil.
K. Solutions
o Natural gas is ____________________ and _________________ than oil.
o _____________________- natural gas is used to produce both electricity and steam,
providing electricity cleanly and efficiently (page 219)
Synfuels – derivatives of _______________________.
o _______________________ - underground sand deposits permeated with thick,
asphalt-like oil called bitumen; once obtained, bitumen must be refined like crude
oil.
o ______________- rocks containing a mixture of hydrocarbons known as kerogen;
rocks must be crushed and heated, then kerogen must be refined
o ____________- reserves of ice-encrusted natural gas located deep underground in
porous rock.
o _______________- process of producing a liquid fuel out of coal, than can be
cleaned before burning.
o ________________ - production of methane gas from coal.
L. An Energy Strategy for the U.S.
o Reasons for a comprehensive energy policy
o The supply of fossil fuels is _______________.
o The production, transport, and use of fossil fuels __________________.
o Our heavy dependence on foreign oil makes us ___________________
vulnerable.
o Proposed Objectives:
o Increase energy efficiency and conservation - ______________________
(support in the form of monetary payments, public financing, tax benefits, and
tax exemptions) keep energy prices artificially low; when prices reflect the true
costs of energy, including the environmental cost incurred in its production,
transport, and use, energy will be used more efficiently by individuals,
corporations, and industries.
o Secure fossil fuel energy supplies - _________________ produced fossil fuels
(especially natural gas) are a temporary strategy that will give us time to develop
alternate energy strategies for the long term.
o Develop alternative energy sources – a long-term goal to shift to ____________.
o Accomplish the first three objectives without further damaging the environment
– use _______________________ analysis when considering particular energy
sources.