Interesting facts

What is crude oil?

Crude oil is an oil consistency flammable liquid. It is found in porous rocks of sedimentary origin penetrating sand, sandstone, limestone. Oil is known as the most important natural resource in the world, without which the modern industry and the modern life is inconceivable.

Oil has been found already in ancient times, as under certain conditions oil rises to the surface. Archaeological excavations at the Euphrates River showed the traces of oil production dated 4000 – 6000 years B.C.

Oil was used as a fuel, while bitumen for the building and road construction. In Ancient Egypt oil was used for the embalming of bodies. In Chine oil was produced drilling bamboo wells. Heating brine with oil salt was extracted. (What does this mean?)

History of modern application of oil began in 1853, when the Polish scientist Jgnacy Lukasiewicz got kerosene from crude oil.

The first commercial oil well was drilled in Canada in 1858. Later large crude oil fields were found in the USA, Azerbaijan, Venezuela, and the Near East.

Up to the 70s of XX century coal was the main source of energy. Later oil took the place of coal.

Meantime the largest oil producers in the world are the countries of the Far East, America, and South Asia. To date Lithuanian oil reserves are very small, but this could change if the development of oil shale is successful.

What would happen if oil disappeared?

Though it seems peculiar and unusual to many people, however, the modern life would stop if all of a sudden oil disappeared. Many still think that crude is used for fuel only, however, that is not exactly the case. If oil was depleted suddenly and no substitute was found, people’s life would be reverted to the prehistoric times in few instances: without plastic, cosmetics, perfumes, footwear, cloths, power, transportation and other articles, without which the life of contemporary people is inconceivable.

Therefore, the specialists of all fields of industry working in oil companies are looking for the methods, which allow to use the oil reserves for centuries. They explore and analyze new rocks, which may also contain oil.

Geologists and other scientists analyze different types of rocks and decide on whether they are perspectives in terms of oil production. It is expected that the new technologies and new findings ensure that oil reserves will last for a long time.