Oil vs. Natural Gas
What is the difference between Oil and Natural Gas? Today’s world works with fossil fuels. While measures are being taken to incorporate more renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind, most fossil fuel dominates the world. Coal, oil, and natural gas are essential for modern life.
Coal is by far the dirtiest of the three, in emissions and extraction methods. Oil and natural gas are moderately better. However, there are many differences between oil and natural gas.
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Difference between Oil and Natural Gas
Description of oil and natural gas
- Oil refers to viscous liquid that is not soluble in water or alcohol.
- Includes edible oils as well as petrochemicals.
- The last one is the one that will be the subject of this article.
- Natural gas is a light, colorless, odorless substance made mainly of methane.
Origins of oil and natural gas
- The oil comes from the earth. It was created in millions of years by the pressure of organic substances.
- Nowadays there are n rocky and porous formations.
- Sometimes there are large open spaces that are filled with a sea of oil.
- It can also be found in sand traps, or a very difficult place to extract it from.
- Natural gas comes from several sources.
- It is available underground, also associated with oil and natural gas fields.
- natural processes of swamps, landfills and manure dumps.
Uses of oil and natural gas
- Oil when burned produces a concentrated flame.
- Therefore it is used to heat. It is also used for water heaters.
- When refined, oil is used as a power source in internal combustion engines of cars and trucks.
- A more crude refinement is used to generate power for electricity plants.
- Oil is also used as a lubricant.
- Natural gas is mostly used to power turbines that create electricity.
- It is also stored in pipes for household uses and for gas stoves and other domestic purposes.
- If it is stored and compressed it can be used to operate engines of cars converted to combustion.
Environmental impact of oil and natural gas
- Oil produces greenhouse gases and other chemicals when burned.
- An oil spill can be disastrous for the environment because it is very difficult to clean.
- Natural gas also produces greenhouse gases, but in less quantity than oil.
- When it is accidentally released into the environment, the gas is relatively benign but a concentrated amount can cause an explosion.
In Summary:
- Natural gas and Crude Oil both are fossil fuels formed over thousand of years.
- Crude oil or petroleum consists of organic compounds and other hydrocarbons.
- Natural gas consists mostly methane and hydrocarbons or ethane.
- Oil is found in the earth while gas can be produced by rotten organic matter.
- Oil and gas are used to heat, transport and generate electricity but in different ways.
- Gas is less harmful to environment compared to oil, especially in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
- Crude oil is useful for making plastics, cosmetics, rubber while natural gas is for fertilizers.
- Comapring the two; Natural gas is cleaner fuel than crude oil and other gases, as it produces less carbon dioxide.
