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3.3 Fossil Fuel Characteristics

Most chemical fuels are found in nature in the form of crude oil, natural gas, and coal.
These fuels are called fossil fuels because they are believed to have been formed by the
decay of vegetable and animal matter over many thousands of years under conditions of
high pressure and temperature and with a deficiency or absence of oxygen. Other fuels
such as gasoline, syngas (synthetic gas), and coke may be derived from fossil fuels by
some form of industrial or chemical processing. These derived fuels are also called
fossil fuels.

Coal

Coal is an abundant solid fuel found in many locations around the world in a variety of
forms. The American Society for Testing Materials, ASTM, has established a ranking
system (ref. 3) that classifies coals as anthracite (I), bituminous (II), subbituminous
(III), and lignite (IV), according to their physical characteristics. Table 3.2 lists