Coal is a black or brownish-black burnable fossil fuel, containing the remnants of plant and animal matter that can be burnt to provide energy. Coal contains elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen as well as numerous minerals but it consist largely of carbon.

How Was Coal Formed?

It is understood that Coal was formed during the Carboniferous period (280 to 345 million years ago) when large amounts of organic materials such as plant life grew in swamp like conditions. When the organic matter eventually died it would drift to the bottom of the swamp, decompose slowly over time, turn into peat and as the peat was compressed under the earths surface over millions of years it would turn into coal through the forces of pressure and heat over time. The higher the level of compression and heat, the harder the coal would be produced.

Where Can Coal Be Found?

Coal can be found in every continent on the planet, including unlikely regions such as Antarctica. This is due to the way in which the fossil fuel is formed over millions of years from dead plants and organic materials.

How Do We Get Coal?

We get coal from the ground by mining for it. Coal miners will use large mining machines to extract the coal by one of two ways –

• Surface mining
• Underground mining

Surface mining consists of the mining for coal no deeper than 200 feet underground. Surface mining is much cheaper than underground mining and in the US it is estimated that two thirds of all coal production of obtained from surface mining because in the US, much of the coal reserves are located near to the grounds surface. To surface mine coal, it is necessary to use machines to remove the topsoil and large layers of rock to expose the coal beds. Once the coal has been mined, the miners will return the rock and topsoil to the cavity in the earth to allow for the area to be used for replanting, agriculture, buildings wildlife areas or one of a number of uses.

Underground mining is the more expensive and dangerous option, which will allow miners to extract coal from 1,000 feet or more underground. Essentially, two large openings called “shafts” will need to be drilled into the ground. The first is to allow the transport of miners and machinery underground to the coal itself and the second shaft is drilled to transport the mined coal to the surface. The coal will then need to be broken down into a manageable size by conventional mining techniques, the use of large machinery incorporating rotating cutters or the use of explosives.

How Do We Transport Coal?

Once the coal has been mined from the ground and broken down into manageable pieces it will be transported by a variety of transport methods. The most popular transport method for coal is by railway, although it is also carried by truck, conveyors, and by boat.

Name The Different Types of Coal?

Coal can be broken down into four main types which is based upon the amount of pressure and heat that was used to create the coal over millions of years in the earth and also by the amount of carbon that is in the coal.

The four main types of coal are –

• Anthracite
• Bituminous
• Subbituminous
• Lignite

Anthracite has the highest concentration of carbon (between 85% – 97% carbon) and has a slightly lower heating rate than bituminous coal.

Bituminous coal contains 45% – 86% carbon and has a high heating value. For this reason it is a very important fossil fuel for the steel and iron industries and it is widely used to generate electricity. It is a highly abundant form of coal and it was formed between 100 – 300 million years ago.

Subbituminous coal will typically contain 35% – 45% carbon and has a slightly higher heat rating than that of lignite coal. Again subbituminous is an abundant form of coal and it is thought to have been formed 100 million years ago.

Lignite coal will typically contain 25% – 35% carbon and has the lowest coal energy rating. The reason for this is that deposits of lignite are relatively young so they have not been subjected to extreme heat and pressure over the long periods of time that other forms of coal have and as such this type of coal is quite brittle and moist.

Generally speaking the energy rank of a type of coal will be dependent on the heat and pressure that it has withstood over the years so the higher the pressure and heat it has withstood and the longer it has withstood it, the greater the heating rank it will be.

What Do We Use Coal For?

Coal is primarily used for the production of electricity both domestically and for industry. The main areas that it is used are:

• Electricity production
• Exports
• Making steel
• General industry

Electricity production by burning coal amounts to almost half of the electricity produced in the US alone. Power plants burn coal to make steam and the steam will power turbines in the power plant, which will generate the electricity.

Exports of coal in the US amount to approximately 9% and these exports will go to many of the world’s major nations. In 2005, 49.9 million tonnes was exported to other countries from the United States.

The use of coal in making steel is very important. Coal is baked in hot furnaces to make coke, which can be used to smelt iron ore into iron, which can then be used to make steel. It is the high temperatures that are obtained by burning coke that helps give steel the strength and flexibility needed.

In industry coal is burnt to produce numerous products and by-products of coal. Burning coal itself can create the by-products methanol and ethylene, which can be used in making plastics fertilisers and medicines. Also the paper and concrete industries burn significant amounts of coal to operate.

How Much Coal Is Left?

The United States has approximately 268 billion tons of recoverable coal remaining, which should last for another 250 years if the rate of use stays at the same level as today.

Worldwide, there is approximately 998 billion tons of recoverable coal sitting underground according to an estimate in 2006 from the International Energy Agency. The countries with the highest deposits (in order) are –

• United States – 268 billion tons
• Russia – 173 billion tons
• China – 126 billion tons
• India – 102 billion tons

These four countries hold around two thirds of the worlds coal supplies.

Why Do We Use Coal to Generate Electricity?

Very simply, coal is widely used to generate electricity because it is an abundant fossil fuel, which is also comparatively cheap to obtain and to turn into energy.

How Fast Is Demand Growing For Coal?

Coal demand is growing steadily with 26% of all energy consumed in 2004 worldwide being derived from burning coal according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency. It is thought that this figure will grow to be 38% by 2030.

Increased carbon taxes and a general awareness of possible environmental concerns about the production of energy via coal are resulting in lower growth rates of the use of coal in the developed nations. Developing nations, with a 72% rise predicted over the next 25 years by India and China, will fuel growth in the use of coal.

How Much Does Coal Cost?

Thirty-five years ago it was cheaper to produce electricity by using natural gas, but in the late 1970’s coal became the cheapest fossil fuel for producing energy and it remains the cheapest to this day.

In 2005, generating a million BTUs from coal would cost $1.54, compared with $8.20 for natural gas.

Does Coal Cause Pollution?

In a word, yes. Coal accounted for 39% of all carbon dioxide emissions in 2004 (this behind oil) but it is expected to pass oil for the highest levels of carbon dioxide emissions in 2010, according to the EIA. Tellingly, if residents in the US were to replace every incandescent light bulb in the country with compact fluorescents, the benefits would be eradicated by the carbon dioxide from only two coal-fired plants over the period of a year.

Other pollutants that can be attributed to the burning of coal can include nitrogen compounds, sulphur, aluminium, and silicon. Environmental and health related problems include acid rain, polluted water systems, stripped forests, and mining hazards.

How Can Coal Be Cleaned To Lower Pollution?

There are a number of experimental techniques that are currently being developed which will hopefully lead to lower emissions from burning coal. A brief list of these is –

• Convert coal into natural gas, which is a cleaner fossil fuel. Carbon dioxide produced during the conversion will get sequestered at plants. Although studies show that converting fossil fuels can be somewhat energy inefficient as there can be “leakage” of energy.
• Develop more efficient boilers that cut down on the amount of pollutants being released from the burning of coal.
• Convert coal into a liquid fuel, which could be used to power cars.

What Is Carbon Capture?

Carbon capture is the process whereby it is attempted to remove the harmful elements in the emissions created when burning coal. Due to the massive reliance globally on coal as an energy resource, it is unlikely to be removed overnight so it is important to develop ideas to burn coal more cleanly and this is the essence of carbon capture techniques.

Natural gas is a non-renewable fossil fuel, which is a combination of gases mainly consisting of methane (CH4) with smaller amounts of propane, ethane and butane in addition to carbon dioxide, nitrogen and traces of some other gases.

How Was Natural Gas Formed?

Natural gas is formed over millions of years from the decayed animal and plant matter that has been deposited into the Earth and subjected to massive heat and pressure over time forming natural gas. For more details on how natural gas is formed visit how natural gas is formed

Where Can Natural Gas Be Found?

Natural gas can be found all over the world. The top ten countries that are the largest producers of natural gas in order of the largest first are -

1. Russia
2. Iran
3. Qatar
4. Saudi Arabia
5. United Arab Emirates
6. United States
7. Algeria
8. Venezuela
9. Indonesia
10. Nigeria

How Is Natural Gas Transported?

Natural gas is transported via high-pressure pipelines that are usually buried under the ground. These high-pressure pipelines can transport huge amounts of gas, over very long distances. Importantly, the pipelines are regularly checked for leaks or damage.

What Is Natural Gas Used For?

Natural gas is a highly useful fossil fuel that can be used in a number of commercial, residential and industrial ways. You can find out what it is used for in detail at uses of natural gas

How Much Natural Gas Is Left?

Recent figures suggest that there is approximately 5,149.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves left in the world today. This is rather rapidly decreasing due to the demand for natural gas worldwide.

Can We Keep Up With Demand For Natural Gas?

Arguably, the answer would be no. Statistics from the United States suggest that if the current level of natural gas usage is maintained, there will be enough natural gas to last for just under 50 years. This statistic is based on the current natural gas reserves being used up. It is known that there are additional sources of natural gas that could be mined, but due to legislation and environmental concerns, the natural gas industry have not been able to explore further sites. Based on the dwindling amount of natural gas available in current sites, this governmental policy may change out of necessity.

Does Natural Gas Cause Pollution?

Natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel, much cleaner than coal and oil. The level of carbon released through the burning of natural gas is very much less than coal and oil and there are fewer harmful by-products such as ash or soot. A main constituent of natural gas is methane which when compared with carbon dioxide, gives off a great level of greenhouse gases, however, the level of methane expelled is very small indeed and as a whole natural gas is certainly considered the less harmful fossil fuel in terms of emitting greenhouse gases. Find out more about this area at natural gas and the environment

Is Natural Gas Safe?

Natural gas is a safe means of energy production when utilised in a controlled way. The natural gas industry is very highly regulated and the pipeline system is heavily monitored. Due to the fact that natural gas is colourless and odourless the natural gas industry adds an odorant so that if there is a leak in a domestic environment, the householder should be able to smell that there is a leak. It is not dangerous to inhale small amounts of natural gas and because it is lighter than air, it will disperse quickly. However, it is important to note that natural gas is highly flammable and it can cause an explosion if it is mixed with air in small concentrations.

What Is Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)?

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas that has been super cooled to Minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the gas becomes liquid, which makes the fuel 600 times smaller than the space needed for the natural gas in its natural form. Due to the less space needed when in LNG form, it makes it easier to transport.

Oil, or crude oil in its raw form, is a naturally occurring non-renewable fossil fuel. While its composition differs between oil fields, it is primarily composed of hydrocarbons with other elements and compounds such as Sulphur. Crude oil can be refined fuels, oils and many other useful chemicals.

How Is Oil Formed?

Crude oil is formed over hundreds millions of years from decayed animal, plant and marine matter that has been enclosed and subjected to massive amounts of heat and pressure. For more details on how oil is formed please visit how oil is formed

Where Is Oil Found?

The vast majority of oil is found in the Middle East, however other countries such as Russia, UK, US, Canada and Australia also have proven oil reserves.

How Do We Get Oil?

Oil is obtained by drilling down great distances into the ground or in many cases the seabed. Often natural gas is found at the same time lying on top of the crude oil.

How Is Oil Transported?

Oil is generally transported either by overland pipeline or by sea in vast ‘supertankers’, which can carry huge quantities. Both methods have their drawbacks – pipelines can be attacked and compromised where they run through disputed territories and leaks from supertankers can wreak havoc on marine life.

What Is Oil Used For?

Oil can be used as fuel in its raw form though it can be further refined into petrochemicals, bitumens and chemicals used in the production of plastics. For more information please see uses of oil

How Much Oil Is Left?

OPEC represents countries accounting for 76% of the world’s oil reserves and estimates that at current demand levels we have sufficient oil remaining for around 80 years. It is also possible that further reserves may be discovered, although obviously this not guaranteed and will require vast amounts of costly exploration.

Can We Keep Up With Demand For Oil?

Yes and no. While current demand is being met, any increase in demand for this finite non-renewable energy source will simply result in existing reserves being depleted more quickly.

Does Oil Cause Pollution?

While oil is a much cleaner fuel than coal in use it is not without its negative environmental factors. Some oil fields have particularly high natural sulphur content and burning such fuels will not only produce the usual combustion by-products of carbon dioxide and water, but also sulphur dioxide and sulphur trioxide which combine with atmospheric moisture to form sulphuric acids that result in acid rain. Perhaps the most immediately obvious pollution problem associated with oil is that caused by leaks, which can cause immense environmental damage very quickly with a lasting legacy. For more information please see Oil And The Environment

Is Oil Safe?

For the most part, yes – although some of the chemicals formed through the refining process such as benzene (a known carcinogen) are extremely dangerous. In its raw form, crude oil is flammable but not particularly volatile. Most of the safety concerns relating to oil concern its transportation rather than the usage or handling of the substance itself and spills are difficult to clean up, particularly where it is released into the water.