Иностранный язык (английский яз)

Oil 

      Oil was formed from the remains of animals and plants (diatoms) that lived millions of years ago in a water environment be­fore the dinosaurs. Over millions of years, the remains of these ani­mals and plants were covered by layers of sand and silt. Heat and pressure from these layers helped the remains turn into what we today call crude oil.

    Crude oil is a smelly, yellow-to-black liquid and is usually found in underground areas called reservoirs. Scientists and engi­neers explore a chosen area by studying rock samples from the earth. Measurements are taken, and, if the site seems promising, drilling begins. Above the hole a derrick is built to house the tools and pipes going into the well. When finished, the drilled well will bring a steady flow of oil to the surface.

Crude oil is called ‘’sweet’’ when it contains only a small amount of sulfur and ‘’sour’’ if it contains a lot of sulfur. Crude oil is also classified by the weight of its molecules. ‘’Light’’ crude oil flows freelу like water, while ‘’heavy’’ crude oil is thick like tar. Crude oil is measured in barrels (bbls).

The world’s top five crude oil producing countries are Russia, Saudi Arabia, United States, Iran, China.

     After crude oil is removed from the ground, it is sent to a re­finery by pipeline, ship, or barge. A typical refinery costs billions of dol­lars to build and millions more to maintain. A refinery runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and requires a large number of employees to run it. A refinery can occupy as much land as several hundred foot­ball fields.

At a refinery, different parts of the crude oil are separated into useable petroleum products. Essentially, refining breaks crude oil down into its various components, which then are selectively re­configured into new products. All refineries perform three basic steps: separation, conversion and treatment.

One barrel of crude oil, when refined, produces about 19 gal­lons of finished motor gasoline, and 10 gallons of diesel, as well as other petroleum products. Most petroleum products are used to produce energy, to move merchandise and people, help make plas­tics, and do many other things. For instance, many people across the United States use propane to heat their homes.

Other products made from petroleum include ink, crayons, bubble gum, dishwashing liquids, deodorant, eyeglasses, CDs and DVDs, tires, ammonia, heart valves.

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