Natural Gas and Crude Oil

Natural Gas and Crude Oil. How was it Formed and Trapped? How is it Explored? How is it Drilled and Produced?. , The trilobite (above) is Ohio's state fossil. It lived in the shallow seas that covered Ohio around 500 million years ago., Formation and Trapping of Natural Gas and Crude Oil , Scientists believe that most of the petroleum we now use was formed from the remains of tiny marine organisms over a vast period of time. They were gradually buried deeper and deeper as sediments accumulated on top of them. Then bacteria, heat and pressure acted on these remains over millions of years to form a liquid (crude oil) or a vapor (natural gas)., Exploring for Natural Gas and Crude Oil , In the past, it was very difficult to identify natural gas and crude oil deposits. Today, Geologists use techniques such as seismic surveys, which generate sound waves that are reflected back off the rock, and help detect the likely presence of natural gas and crude oil., Drilling and Producing Natural Gas and Crude Oil , Once a suitable site for drilling has been found, a natural gas and crude oil producer must obtain the legal rights to drill. Landowners give permission to a producer by leasing their property for natural gas and crude oil. Also, producers must obtain a special natural gas and crude oil permit from the State of Ohio (Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mineral Resources Management)., After the legal, environmental and safety requirements are met, the well is drilled (see illustration on next panel for well cross-section)., After the drilling is completed, the drilling rig is removed and a special pump is placed over the well to produce the natural gas and crude oil. Next, the drilling area is graded and seeded. The final environmental footprint of the typical Ohio well today is usually smaller than the size of an average dining room, and will produce natural gas and crude oil for decades.