What Is Crude Oil?

Crude oil can potentially pose hazards to people and the environment. To understand what these hazards are, let's start by explaining, in basic terms, what crude oil is.

Crude oil is made of decayed plants and animals (organic materials) that lived over millions of years ago and were buried in sediments below the surface, forming reservoirs. It contains a considerable amount of energy that can be processed and used as a fuel. It is brought to the surface by drilling wells to tap the reservoir.

It is chiefly composed of the chemical elements carbon and hydrogen (thus, it is called a hydrocarbon). It contains lesser quantities of other chemicals, including nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and metals.

A chemical is a substance with a specific, distinct composition that is used in or produced by a chemical process (a reaction).

To learn more about Crude Oil Hazards visit our Crude Oil Hazards Online Training web page.