Oil Production in the 21st Century - Essay Example

Comparison of geology articles Article on oil production in the 21st Century The high demand for oil in the world has initiated intensive research in order to discover more oil to cater for the high industrial and household demand. New technology adopted by various companies for example Elf, a French-based company has resulted in the discovery of more oil in various places of the world for example in the West African coast. This article covers four technological developments that are effective in tapping the subterranean oil. 4-D approach 4-D approach is one of the scientific methods that is covered by the article. One of the benefits of this system is that it effectively monitors the movement of gases and oil in the drilled wells. As compared to the earlier technologies, the effectiveness of 4-D has enabled more fields to use the technology leading to an increase in oil production by 10-15% (Roger 2) Injection of carbon dioxide and steam into dead wells According to this article, scientists developed pumps that were used to inject carbon dioxide and steam in the dead wells. After the injection, the infusion that penetrates through the pores found on the underground rocks forces the oil into the nearby wells. In the same way, this process involves injecting water into the well below the oil thus creating pressure that pushes oil onto the surface. Even though the use of carbon dioxide resulted in an increase of oil production by 10-15%, the initiative resulted in an increase of cost by 50% (Roger 3). The use of carbon dioxide will only be effective if its cost is reduced especially during the current times when countries are emulating various techniques of curbing greenhouse gases. Directional drilling In addition to the above technologies, scientists came up with the directional drilling technology. It entailed the use of drilling equipment to swing a well from horizontal and vertical direction several kilometers in the ground. Some of the companies that have developed modern drilling machines include Halliburton and Schlumberger. According to Roger 4, such devices can operate at a temperature of more than 200 degrees Celsius and a depth of more than 6 kilometers underground (Roger 2). Robot submarines The robot submarines that were controlled by a remote were an additional technology that ensured petroleum that was far deep in the sea was reached. Through this technology, the flow of oil deep the sea can be regulated. In the same way, through complex machines that are installed by the robot submarines are able to prevent the freezing of natural gas. It is important to note that through the use of this technology, 10 biggest oil producing companies have increased their oil reserves by 5% (Roger 6). Conclusion Based on the above analyses, it is vital to note that the role of technology in the oil extraction cannot be overlooked. The emulation of the four technologies that include 4-D approach, injection of steam and carbon dioxide, use of remote-controlled robot submarines and directional drilling has resulted to an increase of oil production by more than 20% in the year 2010.This article is interesting in that it indicates how the technology in the oil extraction process is significant in increasing the global oil reserves. Due to the recent global fuel crises, companies should emulate modern technology to diversify their oil reserves as a major step to curd the current shortage that has resulted in global high fuel prices and inflation. Article on oil in our coastal backyard This article covers the awful effects of oil spills that have been experienced in various parts of the world. One of the major oil spills that triggered the interest of scientists such as George Hampson and Howard Sanders occurred at Cape Cod in 1969 (Christopher 1). During that time No. 2 oil whose capacity was 189, gallons were spilled. The rocky and narrow waterways are the major cause of oil spills in New England. This has resulted to the death of aquatic living things including fish. In order to understand the effects of the oil on the environment scientists analyzed various chemical components that makeup No. 2 fuel. In addition, environment scientists emulate natural attenuation approach that is focused on restoring the environment to its pre-spill situation. Natural attenuation This approach advocates for the natural process in order to remove harmful chemicals from the affected regions. During this process, microbes that are artificially prepared or naturally available consume the hydrocarbon that is found in the affected mixture of petroleum and water. This article depicts Traditional gas chromatographs and Modern GCxGC as two approaches to understanding the chemical composition of the spilled fuel. Traditional gas chromatographs Even though the technology was effective in demarcating some harmful chemical components in an oil sample, it is incapable of resolving minute chemical components of the oil sample. Modern GCxGC Modern GCxGC is effective as compared to the Traditional gas chromatographs in that it is able to delineate various compounds found in the oil sample regardless of their sizes (Christopher 4). Challenges faced in addressing the oil spills Even though Florida spill occurred more than three decades ago, the area is still affected. This has triggered more research on why the spill still exists. According to the studies done by scientists, microbes are not consuming the compounds found in the remaining oil spill. Some of the reasons that might have caused lack of consumption by the microbes including lack of oxygen in the sediments, or lack of sulfate in the environment. Sulfate is a chemical compound Bouchard 120 oil spill In 2003, another spill occurred in Buzzards Bay where more than 98,000 gallons of No. 6 fuel was spilled (Christopher 6).Various researchers including Bob Nelson collected the samples for analyses. The results from the analysts indicated that major compounds of the oil spill evaporated, degraded by microbes or were water washed. Conclusion Based on the regular oil spills experienced in many regions, it is prudent for companies responsible for the oil spill to undertake effective strategies to collect the situation. Even though various techniques have been undertaken to increase the oil reserves as depicted in the first article, oil producing companies should initiate proper transportation system to avoid losing their costly exploited oil. One of the major interesting aspects of the article on oil spill is the significance of the microbes in curing the negativities of the oil spill. In addition, the role of the scientist in analyzing the oil samples has positively enhanced the understanding of measures to address the menace triggered by oil spills. Works Cited Christopher, M. R., 2004. Spills on WHOI’s shores set the stage for advances in mitigating and remediating oil spills. Oceanus Magazine, Vol 43 No. 1 pages 1-6. Roger, N. A. 1998.A Recent innovation in underground imaging, steerable drilling, and deepwater oil production could recover more of what lies below. Scientific American Magazine, 1998 pages 2-6. Read More