Nonrenewable Energy Sources Environmental Science 302 2011.

Nonrenewable Energy Sources

Environmental Science 3022011

garnero101.asu.edu/glg101/Lectures/L37.ppt

Evaluating Energy ResourcesEvaluating Energy Resources

• U.S. has 4.6% of world population; uses 24% of the world’s energy;

– 84% from nonrenewable fossil fuels (oil, coal, & natural gas);

– 7% from nuclear power;

– 9% from renewable sources (hydropower, geothermal, solar, biomass).

Global Primary Energy Supply

Fossil FuelsFossil Fuels• Fossil fuels originated from the decay of living

organisms millions of years ago, and account for about 80% of the energy generated in the U.S.

• The fossil fuels used in energy generation are:– Natural gas, which is 70 - 80% methane (CH4)

– Liquid hydrocarbons obtained from the distillation of petroleum

– Coal - a solid mixture of large molecules with a H/C ratio of about 1

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How Fossil Fuels Are Formed

How Fossil Fuels Are Formed

Energy resources removed from the earth’s crust include: oil, natural gas, coal, and uranium

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Coal is cheaper, gas is cleaner, oil is the highest qualityCoal: $0.85 per million Btu

Natural Gas: $2.18 per million BtuCrude Oil: $2.97 per million Btu

Problems with Fossil FuelsProblems with Fossil Fuels• Fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources

– At projected consumption rates, natural gas and petroleum will be depleted before the end of the 21st century

• Impurities in fossil fuels are a major source of pollution

• Burning fossil fuels produce large amounts of CO2, which contributes to global warming

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1. Oil1. Oil2. Coal2. Coal3. Natural Gas3. Natural Gas4. Nuclear Energy4. Nuclear Energy

Oil Extraction

• Primary Oil Recovery– Drill well– Pump out oil that flows by

gravity into well

• Secondary Oil Recovery– Inject water into nearby water

to force oil into well.

Enhanced (Tertiary) Oil Recovery

Who Has the Oil? Reserves

North America 75.7

South and Central America 89.5

Western Europe 18.9

Former Soviet Countries 58.9

Middle East 673.6

Africa 75.4

Far East and Oceania 43.0

Total 1,033.2

OPEC• Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

– Set up in 1960 so developing countries would get a fair price for the resource.

– Control 67% of world’s oil

– Saudi Arabia (#1), Iraq (#2), Iran, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Libya, Nigeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Qatar, and Venezuela

Oil in U.S.Oil in U.S.•2.3% of world reserves

•uses nearly 30% of world reserves;

•65% for transportation;

•increasing dependence on imports.

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What a Barrel of Persian Gulf Oil Really Costs U.S. Consumers

• $30 in initial costs • + $61 for military support services • = $91 per barrel of oil

(Prentice Hall 2005)

• Oil near $119 after report of Iranian boat firing– MSNBC April. 25, 2008

• Currently around $85/barrel (2011)

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Alternative forms of Oil

• Oil Shale Oil Shale (kerogen) & Tar Sand Tar Sand (bitumen)• Different forms of rock/sand that can be

transformed (crushed/heated or pressurized) to be use like crude oil.

• PROS: In Canada & U.S• CONS: Need ½ barrel of oil to extract & purify

– Uses large amounts of water– Pollutes groundwater, air, etc.

Energy Consumption in the United StatesEnergy Consumption in the United States

1. Wood2. Water (steam)3. Coal4. Natural gas5. Oil6. Nuclear power

3, 4, and 5 = 83.5% of U.S. energy consumption

Projected SuppliesRemember: these are reserves, based on current technology

• Oil – 25 -75 years• Natural gas – 60-200-year supply• Coal – 250 – 900 -year supply

1. Oil

2. Coal2. Coal3. Natural Gas4. Nuclear Energy

•Mostly Carbon (40-98%)•Water (0.2 – 1.25%)•Sulfur (0.2 – 2.5%)•Trace amounts of radioactive materials found in the earth.

Formation of Coal

PEATPEAT

LIGNITELIGNITE

garnero101.asu.edu/glg101/Lectures/L37.ppt

BITUMINOUSBITUMINOUS

ANTHRACITEANTHRACITE

Extracting Coal from the Ground• Subsurface Mining: miners work in tunnels to

get coal from underground.– Most dangerous, most laborious

• Surface Mining: Coal lies near surface– Area Strip Mining – on flat terrain– Contour Strip Mining – on hilly/mtn terrain– Open Pit Mining – near surface but dig down

• Then Transported, Washed, Dried, Shipped again

Extracting Coal: Underground Mining

• for coal buried 200-1,000 ft. deep

Extracting Coal: Surface Mining

-for coal that is buried less than 200 feet deep

- cheaper

• Mountaintop miningPictures:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2009/03/removing_mountains.html

• NPR clip – January 2009

World Coal Deposits

Who uses it?• China is the largest user: 76% of its E

• Used to make 75% of the world’s steel

• 39% of world’s electricity– What about in US?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk-jrbCi7Sc&feature=related

• Tour through a coal mine• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkHfnp2czZQ

• Centralia, PA

© Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

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CoalCoal

Cons• Dirtiest fuel, highest

carbon dioxide• Major environmental

degradation• Major threat to health

Pros• Most abundant fossil fuel• Major U.S. reserves• 300 yrs. at current

consumption rates• High net energy yield

Coal Coal (solid) • Changing form is slightly better

for pollution, but lessens net E• Coal gasification

Synthetic natural gas (SNG)• Coal liquefaction Liquid fuels

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_K8jXrtPZQ• Sequestration and climate change applications

Coal Sequestration

How can we link coal sequestration and tertiary oil recovery?

SciFi! Can we ship our CO2 to another planet and make an atmosphere???

1. Oil2. Coal

3. Natural Gas4. Nuclear

Natural Gas - Fossil FuelNatural Gas - Fossil Fuel• Mixture

•50–90% Methane (CH4) •Ethane (C2H6)•Propane (C3H8) •Butane (C4H10)•Hydrogen sulfide (H2S)

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billion cubic metres

Sources of Natural GasSources of Natural Gas•Russia & Kazakhstan - almost 40% of world's supply.

•Iran (15%), Qatar (5%), Saudi Arabia (4%), Algeria (4%), United States (3%), Nigeria (3%), Venezuela (3%);

•90–95% of natural gas used in U.S. is domestic

•255,000 miles of pipeline

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Natural Gas Extraction• Tap gas field

– Propane & butane are liquefied (liquefied petroleum gas)

• Stored in pressurized tanks• Energy source in rural areas!

• Remaining gas (methane) is dried to remove water, cleansed to remove impurities, pressurized & piped to homes.

• Odor is added to detect leaks

• Liquefied natural gas (LNG) can be shipped in refrigerated tanker ships

• Lose ¼ of net energy when this is done

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