Unit 1 petroleum and natural gas

1. Before reading the text learn the following words.

approximately ancient accumulate combustible boiling point borehole caulk carbon to conduct to cure decomposition deposit derivative disease distinct dwelling dissolve decomposition earth's crust extraction film frequent fuel

приблизительно древний, старинный накапливать горючий, воспламеняемый точка кипения буровая скважина смолить (лодки) углерод проводить исцелять разложение, распад месторождение, залежь производное болезнь определенный жилище, дом растворять, разжижать разложение, распад земная кора извлечение, добыча плёнка частый топливо, горючее

gravity hydrocarbon hydrogen illumination incendiary insulator impurity lubricant manuscript to migrate inflammable limestone liquid natural gas nitrogen occur oxygen odour=smell oil=petroleum porous bed rush sandstone seep sedimentary silt sulphur trap utilize well

сила тяжести углеводород водород освещение боевые зажигательные средства изолятор примесь, загрязнение смазочный материал рукопись мигрировать огнеопасный известняк жидкость природный газ азот залегать кислород запах нефть пористый слой зд. хлынуть песчаник просачиваться осадочный ил, осадок, наносы сера ловушка использовать, syn. apply, use скважина

II. Find the proper Russian equivalents for the following English terms.

manuscript ancient properties lubricant surface seeps commercial production valuable combustible specific gravity rainbow film

ценный горючий удельный вес свойства радужная пленка древний рукопись смазочное вещество выходы нефти на поверхность промышленная добыча

III. Translate the following phrases into Russian without dictionary:

ancient manuscript curing properties medical treatment sources of energy combustible oily liquid

different impurities specific gravity colorific value accumulation of thick layers quantity of different impurities

Petroleum

As we know from ancient manuscripts man first began to apply petroleum already some centuries B.C. Ancient people knew different properties of oil and used it for various purposes. They caulked their ships and boats with oil and made their cloths waterproof. They used petroleum as a cheap and efficient lubricant. Ancients discovered curing properties of oil and used it in medical treatment of some diseases. Besides, they utilized petroleum for the illumination of their dwellings and even as the incendiaries in frequent war battles. Since such application didn’t require large amounts of oil ancient people managed with oil they got from the surface seeps.

Only since 19 century A.D. people have begun to use petroleum as one of the most important sources of energy. The commercial production of this valuable fuel has led to the development of modern petroleum industry.

Petroleum or as we often call it oil is a combustible oily liquid which occurs in sedimentary rocks of the Earth’s crust. Petroleum usually forms and accumulates in geological traps at the depths of 1,200 –2,000 m and deeper. Very often petroleum engineers drill deeper wells (up to 6,000 m). The deepest wells that are not so numerous reach gigantic depths of 10,000 and even more metres.

Petroleum is a liquid which consists of different hydrocarbons, i.e. compounds of carbon and hydrogen. Besides, oil often contains smaller amounts of sulphur, nitrogen and oxygen. Petroleum is a substance with a characteristic smell. The odour of petroleum depends on the nature, composition and quantity of hydrocarbons and different impurities. The colour of oil varies from light brown to dark brown, nearly black. Specific gravity of oil determines its colour. The heavier the oil the darker is the colour. Oil is much lighter than water. It doesn’t dissolve in water and forms a thin rainbow film on its surface. For oil doesn’t conduct electricity, people use some of its products in manufacturing of insulators. All sorts of petroleum are combustible. At present, petroleum is the most important fuel and energy source because of its high calorific value.

The geological science has not yet given a clear explanation for the petroleum formation. Most scientists, however, admit the organic origin of petroleum. They believe that carbon and hydrogen, i.e., the chemical basis of any oil, came from sea and land plants and animals as a result of their decomposition. In a very calm, shallow sea, dead plants and animals fell to the bottom. The accumulation of thick layers of silt above the organic matter led to an increase in temperature and rise in pressure – conditions under which liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons formed. As petroleum is a mixture of fluids, both liquid and gaseous, it often migrated far from the place where it originated.