Oil is one of the most common types of fossil fuels. It was formed over millions of years from highly pressured and heated water dwelling plants. The bacteria from the decomposed animals and the high pressure it was placed under slowly turned it into oil.

The Fossil Fuel Oil

Oil is used for many activities. It is used daily to heat and cool buildings and to fuel transportation. Oil is also used to create many other common products, such as ink, lotion, bandages, crayons, aspirin, glue, and cameras.

Uses of Oil

Because of its many uses, oil is highly

demanded all over the world. Some

countries that extract and export oil

are Saudi Arabia, America, Russia, China, and

Canada.

These countries extract oil through hydrolic fracturing

on land and off-shore drilling. Hydrolic fracturing, or

fracking, is harmful to the environment because it disturbs the habitats of areas they extract. Off-shore drilling can lead to drastic and deadly oil spills.

Who and How Oil is Mined

Drilling for Oil & Its Consequences

Drilling for oil can harm the environment both on land and in the ocean. On land, plants and animal habitats are destroyed to create an oil well. In the ocean, oil detection can harm marine life and ecosystems. While technology has improved these areas, they are still highly destructive.

One of the major problems with off-shore drilling is the possibility of an oil spill. Oil spills drastically effect the environment and are hard to clean up.

The Impact of Oil Spills

Oils spills usually occur accidentally at an oil well and during transportation of the oil. These oil spills contaminate the surrounding area. Because of oil's flammability, explosions and fires are also a very common result of an oil spill.

Depending on the amount, cause, and location, cleaning up an oil spill can range from months to years and may cost millions of dollars. Animals exposed to the oil can also be gravely injured and even die.