The Science and Refining of Oil

Abstract

Hydrocarbons literally fuel our economy. Oil is a major constituent of the class of energy labeled nonrenewables that also includes natural gas and coal. The other sources of energy are nuclear, which technically is also a nonrenewable, and renewable energy sources, ranging from wind and solar power, biomass, wave power, and hydroelectric. With the exception of nuclear energy, these energy sources derive their energy content from the sun, through differential heating of the atmosphere, the photons emitted from the Sun and impinging on solar panels, heating fluids, from the creation of weather, or from the absorption of light and carbon dioxide to create carbohydrates in plants.