EGEE 401
Energy in a Changing World

Fuel Demand

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Fossil Fuels

"Fossil Fuels" – it's a phrase we use all the time, but have you ever stopped to think about those words? Fuels...made from fossils, really? Yep. Here's the EIA's definition, "An energy source formed in the Earth's crust from decayed organic material." Others are more explicit, "formed in the earth from plant or animal remains." (Merriam-Webster) Fossil fuels include coal, natural gas, and petroleum (crude oil).

How Fossil Fuels were Formed

Contrary to what many people believe, fossil fuels are not the remains of dead dinosaurs. In fact, most of the fossil fuels we find today were formed millions of years before the first dinosaurs.

Fossil fuels were formed from plants and animals that lived 300 million years ago in primordial swamps and oceans (top). Over time the plants and animals died and decomposed under tons of rock and ancient seas (middle). Eventually, many of the seas receded and left dry land with fossil fuels like coal buried underneath it (bottom).

Think about what the Earth must have looked like 300 million years or so ago. The land masses we live on today were just forming. There were swamps and bogs everywhere. The climate was warmer. Ancient trees and plants grew everywhere. Strange looking animals walked on the land, and just as weird looking fish swam in the rivers and seas. Tiny one-celled organisms called protoplankton floated in the ocean.

When these ancient living things died, they decomposed and became buried under layers and layers of mud, rock, and sand. Eventually, hundreds and sometimes thousands of feet of earth covered them. In some areas, the decomposing materials were covered by ancient seas, then the seas dried up and receded.

During the millions of years that passed, the dead plants and animals slowly decomposed into organic materials and formed fossil fuels. Different types of fossil fuels were formed depending on what combination of animal and plant debris was present, how long the material was buried, and what conditions of temperature and pressure existed when they were decomposing.

(For more good reading on this fascinating topic and pictures, see source, How Fossil Fuels were Formed)

Reading Assignment

Visit the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Energy Explained.

  • Read "Nonrenewable Sources" (page is titled Nonrenewable Energy Explained)
  • Under “Oil and Petroleum Products,” read Use of Oil.

Petroleum Demand for Transportation Use

The International Energy Outlook 2016, published by our friends at the U.S. Energy Information Administration, presents an assessment of the outlook for international energy markets through 2040. The results are based on a scenario in which current laws and policies remain unchanged throughout the projection period. These conditions are called the "IEO2016 reference case."

Reading Assignment

From the US EIA's International Energy Outlook 2016, read these sections of Chapter 8. Transportation sector energy consumption:

  • Overview
  • Transportation sector energy consumption by fuel
  • Transportation sector travel demand (first five paragraphs)
  • more if you like!