Text c “The origin of petroleum”

The origin of petroleum is not definitely known but one widely accepted theory accounts for its formation, in a similar manner to coal, but by the deformation under pressure of animal tissue instead of plant tissue. Large beds of animal remains, formed possibly by volcanic upheaval from the ocean bed, were gradually forced by the increasing pressure of superimposed weed and silt into the deeper, and hotter regions of the Earth’s crust just as were vegetable beds in the formation of coal. The effect of pressure in this case, how­ever, was to press out oil instead of water. The oil flowed under gravity and accumulated in pockets in impermeable rock. In some cases, particularly when oil is floating on the surface of water trapped in the impermeable rock, there are also big accumulations of natural gas - methane and ethane chiefly - above the surface of the oil.

S uch a geological formation, whether on or below the Earth’s surface is favourable for oil drilling.

Future Supplies of Coal and Petroleum. The world’s supplies of coal will probably last for several thousand years, but future supplies of natural petroleum may be limited to a very short period. Esti­mates vary from 50 to 300 years but, if the exceptional conditions of formation of petroleum outlined above are correct, it is unlikely that many important new oilfields will be discovered. Synthetic petrols from coal and alcohol, from fermentation of waste vegetation are possible substitutes.

Notes:

bed- шар

silt – трава або мул

upheaval – змiщення пластiв

weed – бурян

furnace - вогнище

Exercise 23 . Discussion points :

1.The main properties of petroleum .

2.The main deposits of petroleum .

3 .The origin of petroleum.

Unit VII

THE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

I.Language.

Ex.1. Read and memorize the words:

clean — чистий

pure — чистий

to breathe — дихати

to emit — випускати, випромінювати

harmful — шкідливий

to pollute — забруднювати

pollutant — забруднювач; речовина, що забруднює

to deposit — осідати, опадати

acid rain — кислотний дощ

to cause — спричиняти

species — вид, різновид

to decline — зменшуватися

to fill — наповнювати(ся)

invisible — невидимий

odorless — без запаху

hazard — ризик, небезпека

to expose — зазнавати впливу

average —середній

lung — легені

fume — вихлопний газ, дим

to release — випускати, виділяти

volatile organic compound (VOC) — такий, що швидко випаровується

solvent — розчин, розчинник

emissions — викиди

to evaporate — випаровувати(ся)

oven stack —димова труба, димар

to vent — випускати

to reduce — зменшувати

fuel — паливо

furnace — піч

insulation — ізоляція

tile — черепиця, кахель

Ex. 2 .Find the synonymic pairs.

clean , pollutant , deposits , oven , to decline ,to emit ,hazard ,supplies ,pure ,contaminant , to decrease ,furnace , to vent ,danger .

Ex. 3 .Form the antonomic pairs.

harmful , to increase , invisible , dangerous ,organic ,outdoor ,death , useful ,visible , safe , to reduce ,inorganic ,indoor , life .

Exercise 4. Translate the following word combinations .

air pollution , radioactive radon gas , environmental health hazard , tobacco smoke , fabric printing , mineral spirit solvents , oven stack , print paste , VOC emission source , production processes .