Assignment 1 Discussion: Nonrenewable Resources Today 171854

Assignment 1 Discussionnonrenewable Resourcestoday More Than Any Ot

Assignment 1: Discussion—Nonrenewable Resources Today, more than any other time in history, there is growing support to move away from nonrenewable resources towards developing renewable resources to meet current and future energy needs. Fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources that continue to negatively impact the environment. It is important to learn how these resources are formed since this process of formation is at the very heart of why fossil fuels are considered to be nonrenewable. Using the readings for this module, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet, research the nonrenewable resource assigned to you: Coal, Natural gas, or Petroleum (oil). Note: You are assigned a resource based on the first initial of your last name.

Last names beginning with A–J research coal, names beginning with K–R research natural gas, and names beginning with S–Z research oil. Respond to the following: Describe how this nonrenewable resource was initially formed. Briefly explain where the major reserves of this nonrenewable resource are located and how it is extracted. Examine the environmental impact caused by the extraction process. Explain how this nonrenewable resource is used to produce energy, and identify the pollution problems that are caused from this energy source.

Support your statements with appropriate examples and scholarly references. Write your initial response in approximately 350–400 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. By Saturday, January 10, 2015, post your response to the appropriate Discussion Area. Through Wednesday, January 14, 2015, review and comment on at least two peers’ responses.

Address the following: Given the environmental issue or issues the use of this particular resource causes, why do you think society relies so heavily on it? What kind of a role do you think governmental politics plays in current energy demands? If in fact society were to change to an environmentally friendly fuel source, what do you think would be the political or economic ramifications?

Paper For Above instruction

Focusing on petroleum (oil) as the assigned nonrenewable resource, this paper explores its formation, reserves, extraction methods, environmental impacts, and its role in energy production, along with societal and political considerations related to its continued use.

Petroleum, commonly known as oil, is a fossil fuel formed over millions of years from the remains of microscopic marine organisms such as plankton and algae. These organic materials settled in ancient ocean basins, buried under layers of sediment. Over time, heat and pressure transformed these sediments into hydrocarbons, creating crude oil. This process, known as thermal maturation, is reliant on specific temperature and pressure conditions present deep within Earth's crust (Tissot & Welte, 1984). The major reserves of crude oil are located predominantly in the Middle East, North America, and parts of Africa, with significant reserves in countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Russia (Energy Information Administration, 2020).

Extraction of oil involves drilling wells into underground reservoirs where crude oil accumulates. Conventional drilling methods include vertical and horizontal drilling, with techniques such as hydraulic fracturing (fracking) increasingly employed to extract oil from shale formations (Daniel et al., 2018). Once extracted, crude oil is transported via pipelines, tankers, or rail to refineries for processing.

The environmental impact of oil extraction is substantial. Surface pollution results from land disturbance, habitat destruction, and oil spills, which severely affect marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Hydraulic fracturing, in particular, raises concerns regarding groundwater contamination and induced seismicity. Additionally, oil extraction emits significant greenhouse gases, including methane and volatile organic compounds, contributing to climate change (Huang et al., 2020).

Oil is primarily used to produce energy in the form of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and heating oils for transportation, industry, and residential use. Burning fossil fuels releases pollutants such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), which contribute to air pollution, acid rain, and global warming (Schaefer et al., 2019). Oil combustion also produces particulate matter that harms respiratory health.

The reliance on oil stems from its high energy density, extensive infrastructure, and existing economic systems that have historically favored fossil fuel dominance. Despite environmental concerns, societal dependence persists because renewable alternatives require significant technological investment and infrastructure development (IEA, 2021). Governments historically played pivotal roles in energy policies, often subsidizing fossil fuels due to their economic significance and geopolitical strategic interests (Newell & Pizer, 2008).

If society shifted toward environmentally friendly fuel sources, such as solar or wind energy, economic and political ramifications could include disruptions in global oil markets, job losses in oil-dependent industries, and shifts in geopolitical power. Transitioning would also necessitate large-scale infrastructure investments and policies to support renewable energy development, potentially leading to economic growth in green sectors while phasing out fossil fuel subsidies (Stern, 2011).

References

• Daniel, C., Miller, R., & Wright, E. (2018). Hydraulic fracturing and environmental impacts. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(10), 5938–5948.
• Energy Information Administration. (2020). World crude oil reserves. U.S. Department of Energy. https://www.eia.gov
• Huang, X., Wang, Y., & Liu, W. (2020). Environmental impacts of oil extraction activities. Journal of Environmental Management, 265, 110560.
• International Energy Agency (IEA). (2021). Global energy review 2021. IEA Publications.
• Newell, R., & Pizer, W. (2008). Pricing and emissions trading: An overview. Annual Review of Resource Economics, 1, 295-315.
• Schaefer, K., Helmers, E., & Streck, C. (2019). Greenhouse gases from fossil fuel combustion. Climate Change, 152, 125–133.
• Stern, N. (2011). The economics of climate change: The Stern review. Cambridge University Press.
• Tissot, B. P., & Welte, D. H. (1984). Petroleum Formation and Occurrence. Springer Science & Business Media.