What is Fuel Oil and Home Heating Oil?

Biogenic Theory
Most geologists view crude oil, (fuel oil or home heating oil) like coal and natural gas, as the product of compression of ancient vegetation over geological timescales. North America is blessed with a supply of native oil. So are many other regions of the world, including the Middle East, Asia and even our Oceans. North America however only possesses about 3% of the total supply of fuel oil, home heating oil, petroleum on the planet.

According to this theory, fuel oil was formed from the decayed remains of prehistoric marine animals and terrestrial plants. Over many centuries this organic matter, mixed with mud, was buried under thick sedimentary layers of material. The resulting high levels of heat and pressure caused the remains to metamorphose, first into a waxy material known as kerogen, and then into liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons. These then moved through adjacent rock layers until they became trapped underground in porous rocks called reservoirs, forming an oil field, from which the liquid can be extracted by drilling and pumping.

Alternative Theories
Thomas Gold was the most widely known Western proponent of the Russian-Ukrainian theory of abiogenic petroleum (fuel oil) origin. This abiogenic theory is fascinating in that is proports that if the right gaseous materials were in the atmosphere and the right materials were in the water, and somehow these two entities can come together, it is inevitable that a living cell will form from it. This theory suggests that large amounts of carbon exist naturally in the planet, some in the form of hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons are lighter than rocks so they seep upward. Deep microbial life convert them into the various hydrocarbon deposits.

There is also a new theory, presented in Scientific American in 2003, which proposes that hydrocarbons are generated by active nuclear activity in the Earth's core.

As of 2004, these fuel oil formation theories are very much minority positions in the community of geologists.

Fuel oil is what heats our homes and keeps our families warm in the winter. Fuel oil is what heats our water in the summer. Find out more by visiting the rest of our site and reading what fuel oil, and home heating oil, information we have here to offer you.

Composition and the Real Technical Jargon
The component chemicals of petroleum (fuel oil and home heating oil) are separated by distillation. Products based on refined crude oil include kerosene, benzene, gasoline, paraffin wax, asphalt, etc.

Strictly speaking, petroleum consists entirely of hydrocarbons, compounds of hydrogen and carbon.

The four lightest alkanes — CH4 (methane), C2H6 (ethane), C3H8 (propane) and C4H10 (butane) — are all gases, boiling at -107°C, -67°C, -43°C, and -18°C, respectively (-161°, -88°, -46°, and -1° degrees F).

The chains in the C5-7 range are all light, easily vaporized, clear naphthas. They are used as solvents, dry cleaning fluids, and other quick-drying products. The chains from C6H14 through C12H26 are blended together and used for gasoline. Kerosene is made up of chains in the C10 to C15 range, followed by diesel fuel/heating oil (C10 to C20) and heavier fuel oils as the ones used in ship engines. These petroleum compounds are all liquid at room temperature.

Lubricating oils and semi-solid greases (including Vaseline®) range from C16 up to C20.

Chains above C20 form solids, starting with paraffin wax, then tar and asphaltic bitumen.

Isn't it interesting all the uses of oil. Not just for heating our homes, but for many household uses as well.