Topic 4. «Petroleum: formation and composition»

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1. Petroleum or crude oil is an inflammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons.

2. The hydrocarbons in crude oil are mostly alkanes, cycloalkanes and various aromatic hydrocarbons.

3. The other organic compounds contain nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and trace amounts of metals such as iron, nickel, copper and vanadium.

4. The principle compounds in petroleum are paraffines, naphthenes, aromatic and asphaltic materials.

5. It is refined and separated into a lot of consumer products.

6. The process of making crude oil into articles of commerce is called refining.

7. Crude oil is usually black or dark brown but it also may be yellowish, reddish or even greenish.

8. Petroleum is recovered mostly by oil drilling.

9. The value of petroleum depends on its gasoline, distillate fuel and lubricating oil content.

10. Petroleum is also the raw material for many chemical products, including pharmaceuticals, solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, and plastics.

Words and word combinations to the text:

inflammable – горючий, огнеопасный

trace amounts – незначительное количество

complex mixture – сложная смесь

alkanes – алканы

cycloalkanes – циклоалканы

aromatic hydrocarbons – ароматические углеводороды

nitrogen – азот

oxygen – кислород

sulfur – сера

iron – железо

nickel – никель

copper – медь

vanadium – ванадий

consumer products – потребительские товары

paraffine – парафин

naphthene – нафтен

asphaltic material – битумный материал

articles of commerce – предметы торговли, товар

pharmaceuticals – фармацевтические товары, лекарственные средства

solvents – растворители

fertilizers – удобрения

pesticides – пестициды

plastics – пластмасса

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Text 4: «What is crude oil?».

Crude oil, commonly known as petroleum, is a liquid found within the Earth comprised of hydrocarbons, organic compounds and small amounts of metal. It also referred to as black-gold, is a smelly yellow-black liquid found underground in reservoirs. Crude oil comes from the remains of small plants and animals that died millions of years ago. After the organisms died, they sank into the sand and mud at the bottom of the sea. Over the years, the organisms decayed in the sedimentary layers. In these layers, there was little or no oxygen present. So microorganisms broke the remains into carbon rich compounds that formed organic layers. Layer on top of layer was added and caused heat and pressure to refine the organic material into crude oil and natural gas.

There are different types of crude oil and they contain a different chemical makeup depending on the types of plants and animals that created the crude oil reservoir. Primarily, crude oil is made up of hydrocarbons, plus a variety of other chemical compounds, depending on the region. Some crude oil contains lots of sulfur and is sour while oil with little sulfur is called sweet crude. Crude oil can also be thicker (light crude) or thinner (heavy crude) depending on its location. Light Sweet crude oil is priced at a higher rate and is easier to refine and has fewer environmental problems than heavy sour crude oil.

Crude oil is created through the heating and compression of organic materials over a long period of time. Most of the oil we extract today comes from the remains of prehistoric algae and zooplankton whose remains settled on the bottom of an Ocean or Lake. Over time this organic material combined with mud and was then heated to high temperatures from the pressure created by heavy layers of sediment. This process, known as diagenesis, changes the chemical composition first into a waxy compound called kerogen and then, with increased heat, into a liquid through a process called catagenesis.

The most common method of crude oil extraction is drilling. Geologists will first identify a section of land they believe has oil flowing beneath it. There are a number of ways this can be accomplished, the most frequently used methods are satellite imagery, gravity meters, and magnetometers. Once a steady stream of oil is found, underground the drilling can begin.
Drilling is not an overly complicated process however a standard method has been developed to provide maximum efficiency. The first step of the process involves drilling into the ground in the exact location where the oil is located. Once a steady flow has been identified at a particular depth beneath the ground a perforating gun is lowered into the well. A perforating gun has explosive charges within it that allow for oil to flow through holes in the casing. Once the casing is properly perforated a tube is run into the hole allowing the oil and gas to flow up the well. To seal the tubing a device called a packer is run along the outside of the tube. The last step involves the placement of a structure called a Christmas tree which allows oil workers to control the flow of oil from the well.

Topic 5. «Petroleum products»

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I can add; I’d like to say that; as a matter of fact; broadly speaking; as far as I know; to my mind; in my opinion; I’d like to say some words about; it’s important to say that; it should be pointed; as is known; it should be noted that.

1. Petroleum products are useful materials derived from crude oil as it is processed in oil refineries.

2. Petroleum products are mixtures of hydrocarbons and other individual chemical compounds, obtained from oil and oil gases.

3. According to crude oil composition and demand, refineries can produce different shares of petroleum products.

4. The largest share of oil products is used as energy carriers: various grades of fuel oil and gasoline.

5. These energy-carrying fuels include or can be blended to give petrol, jet fuel, diesel fuel, heating oil, and heavier fuel oils.

6. Heavier fractions can also be used to produce asphalt, tar, paraffin wax, lubricating and other heavy oils.

7. Refineries also produce other chemicals, some of which are used in chemical processes to produce plastics, synthetic materials and other useful materials.

8. Sulfur, hydrogen and carbon in the form of petroleum coke may also be produced as petroleum products.

9. Petrochemicals can also be used as monomers and solvents or as feedstock for producing chemicals and substances.

10. Petroleum products are vital to many industries and for our ordinary life.

Words and word combinations to the text:

share – часть, доля

energy carrier – энергоноситель

blend –смешивать

jet fuel – реактивное топливо

heating oil – топочный мазут

tar – смола, деготь, битум

petroleum coke – нефтяной кокс

monomer – мономер, простое соединение

solvents – растворители

feedstock – исходный продукт

vital – жизненно важный

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