Where Do We Get Oil From? - Geography for Kids | Educational Videos by Mocomi

Summary

Oil is formed from the remains of tiny plants and animals that lived in ancient waters, which settled on the ocean floor. Over millions of years, heat and pressure transformed these organic materials into oil. This oil then moves through porous rocks but can remain trapped in non-porous rocks. Oil is extracted from fields across the globe, with the majority produced in the Middle East. To access it, oil companies drill wells, sometimes using offshore rigs for fields located at sea.

Takeaways

• 😀 Oil is formed from tiny plants and animals that lived millions of years ago in water.
• 😀 When these plants and animals died, they fell to the ocean floor and were covered by sand and mud.
• 😀 The weight of the sand and mud compressed the remains of plants and animals into oil over millions of years.
• 😀 Heat from the Earth's interior and the weight of the layers contributed to the formation of oil.
• 😀 Oil moves slowly through the pores in rocks but can sometimes be trapped in rocks without pores.
• 😀 Oil fields are areas where oil is extracted from the Earth, and they are found in different parts of the world.
• 😀 Over half of the world's oil is produced in the Middle East.
• 😀 To access the oil, companies must drill down to it, often using rigs to support the drill.
• 😀 A well is drilled into the ground to reach the oil once the site is identified.
• 😀 Offshore rigs are used to extract oil from fields located in the sea.

Q & A

Where does oil come from?

Oil originates from tiny plants and animals that lived in the Earth's oceans millions of years ago. When these organisms died, they fell to the ocean floor and were covered by sand and mud.

What process turns dead plants and animals into oil?

The dead plants and animals are compressed by layers of sand and mud. The heat from the Earth's interior and the weight of the rocks cause the organisms to undergo chemical changes, forming oil.

Why is oil found trapped underground in some rocks?

In some cases, rocks that lack pores prevent the oil from moving through them, trapping the oil underground.

What are oil fields?

Oil fields are locations where oil is extracted from the ground. These fields are found in various parts of the world, and they contain reserves of oil.

Where is most of the world's oil produced?

More than half of the world's oil is produced in the Middle East.

How do oil companies extract oil from the ground?

Oil companies use drilling techniques. A drilling rig is set up to support the drill, and a well is drilled into the ground until the oil is reached.

What equipment is used to drill for oil?

A drilling rig is set up to support the drilling process, and a drill is used to create a well that reaches the oil.

What happens if the oil field is located in the sea?

Offshore rigs are used to extract oil from oil fields that are located beneath the sea.

How do the layers of sand and mud play a role in oil formation?

The layers of sand and mud cover the dead plants and animals, and their weight helps to compress the organic material. This pressure, combined with heat from the Earth's interior, leads to the formation of oil.

Why is oil considered a non-renewable resource?

Oil is considered non-renewable because it forms over millions of years and cannot be replenished on a human timescale. Once oil reserves are used up, they are not easily replaced.