Research | Oil

Oil has High Energy Density.

This is one of the primary reason why it is almost impossible to use other forms of energy. You can use a small amount of natural gas to generate an enormous amount of energy that is necessary for running of machines. Car manufacturers prefer to use oil as the energy source primarily due to this reason.

Oil is Easily Available.

Oil is readily available in almost all parts of the world. You can readily access it for use, and this has been made possible by the efficient transport systems that are available in almost all places. Examples of the channels that are used to transport oil include ships, tankers, and pipelines. Other forms of energy such as electricity are not readily available especially in remote places such as some parts of Africa.

Oil is Used in a Variety of Industries.

Oil is used in almost all industries. You cannot easily find any other product that has massive use in virtually any kind of industry than oil energy. Almost all the goods that you are using have been produced using oil input at some stage in their production process. Oil is, therefore, one of the essential inputs in almost all industries in the world.

Oil is a Constant Power Source.

You will obviously find more pleasure relying on an energy source that is dependable. Oil is such a source as it has been proved to be always reliable in producing energy at all times of the day. Most engines that use oil energy have been designed using mature technology to ensure that they are less likely to break down. Oil energy is therefore very reliable as compared to sources such as solar and wind energy.

Adventages of Oil Energy

Disadventages of Oil Energy

Emission of Greenhouse Gases.

This has been the biggest threat to using oil energy. After combustion, oil releases gases such as carbon dioxide and other greenhouse emissions. These gases are very harmful to the ozone layer as their accumulation encourages its deterioration. Continued destroying of the ozone layer ultimately leads to global warming. This occurrence can be very harmful to your survival on the earth. All countries in the world have made many treaties, but they have yielded limited results due to the high demand for the commodity.

Water Pollution.

You probably have heard about the BP oil spill that massively destroyed aquatic animals. Oil is transported in crude form. This makes water transport the most viable option for moving the commodity from one place to another. This leads to spills, and they are destructive to aquatic life.

Oil Refining Produces Highly Toxic Substances.

Oil is primarily a mixture of various hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons have to be refined first to be used in various ways. During this process, various toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and solids such as plastic are emitted.

Oil is used in almost all industries:

Agriculture
Plastics
Chemicals
Healthcare
Homeopathy

BioSoap Green School

An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is a viscous liquid at ambient temperatures and is both hydrophobic (does not mix with water, literally "water fearing") and lipophilic (mixes with other oils, literally "fat loving"). Oils have a high carbon and hydrogen content and are usually flammable and surface active.

The general definition of oil includes classes of chemical compounds that may be otherwise unrelated in structure, properties, and uses. Oils may be animal, vegetable, or petrochemical in origin, and may be volatile or non-volatile. They are used for food (e.g., olive oil), fuel (e.g., heating oil), medical purposes (e.g., mineral oil), lubrication (e.g. motor oil), and the manufacture of many types of paints, plastics, and other materials. Specially prepared oils are used in some religious ceremonies and rituals as purifying agents.

Concerns are mounting over the role of fossil fuels in global warming. This has led to a new urgency in find materials that can replace those made from petroleum products. We have already seen some substitutes for plastic. These include edible straws and packaging made from yeast. Now, crafting plastics! studio has developed a bioplastic made from corn starch, sugar and used cooking oil. The new material is dubbed Nuatan. It is biodegradable, more durable than other types of bioplastics and is even safe for fish to eat.

Furthermore, Nuatan was developed along with material scientists at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. It is made by combining two biopolymers derived from corn starch – polyactic acid and polyhydroxybutyrate. The new material can be easily formed into a variety of food packaging using existing techniques, including injection moulding, 3D printing and blow-forming. It also remains stable at temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Celsius. Most importantly, it is fully biodegradable and biocompatible. The materials’ designers claim that it has been safely fed to fish and is also harmless when eaten by humans.