Crude oil is a fossil fuel formed from the remains of tiny aquatic organisms called plankton that lived millions of years ago. This process, known as diagenesis, converted the organic matter into a waxy substance called kerogen.
How Reservoir Rocks Trap and Accumulate Crude Oil
As more sediment accumulated, the organic matter was compressed and began to change chemically. Over time, these organic materials were buried under layers of sediment and rock, subjected to intense heat and pressure, transforming into the liquid hydrocarbon mixture we extract today.
Extraction and Modern Recovery Once trapped, crude oil is extracted using drilling techniques. The Biological Origins: Ancient Plankton and Algae The story of crude oil begins in ancient oceans, lakes, and seas where microscopic organisms such as algae and plankton thrived.
How Reservoir Rocks Trap and Accumulate Crude Oil
This continuous burial process isolated the organic material from oxygen, preventing complete decomposition. When these organisms died, their remains settled on the seabed, mixing with mud and silt.
More About How crude oil was made
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