The Properties of Petroleum

Petroleum, one of the main objects of geological exploration, is a viscous, dark brown liquid known as the "blood of industry".

Petroleum additives are stored in some areas of the upper crust. The main component is a mixture of various alkanes, Cycloalkane Aromatic hydrocarbon. There are two theories on the mechanism of oil formation: biological sedimentation to oil petrochemical oil. The former is widely accepted believes that oil was formed through the long evolution of organisms in ancient oceans lakes, belonging to biological sedimentation to oil regeneration; The latter believes that oil is generated carbon within the Earth's crust, unrelated to life, renewable. Petroleum is mainly used as fuel gasoline, is also a raw material for many chemical industry products such as solutions, fertilizers, insecticides, plastics.

Ancient Egypt ancient Babylon had exploited utilized oil long ago. The Chinese name "petroleum" was named by Shen Kuo, a great scientist of the Northern Song Dynasty.

On October 27, 2017, the list of carcinogens released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization (WHO) was preliminarily sorted out for reference. Petroleum refining (occupational exposure) was included in the list of Category 2A carcinogens.

The properties of petroleum vary depending on the origin, with a density of 0.8-1.0g/cm3, a wide viscosity range, significant differences in freezing points (30-60 degrees Celsius), a boiling point range room temperature to over 500 degrees Celsius. It is soluble in various organic solvents insoluble in water, but can form emulsions with water. However, the composition appearance of oil different oil fields can be greatly distinguished. Petroleum is mainly used as fuel gasoline, which formed one of the world's secondary energy sources in 2012. Petroleum is also the raw material of many chemical industrial products, such as solvents, fertilizers, pesticides plastics. 88% of the oil extracted in 2012 was used as fuel, while the remaining 12% was used as raw materials for the chemical industry. In fact, petroleum is a renewable raw material.

The world's ocean area is 360 million Square kilometre, about 2.4 times that of land. The continental shelf Continental margin are about 55 million Square kilometre, equivalent to the total area of continental Sedimentary basin. 1/4 of the proven oil resources 45% of the final recoverable reserves on Earth are buried at the bottom of the sea. The world's Proven reserves will gradually shift land to sea.