CE011 – Geology for Civil Engineers

Week 4
Topics

❑ Coal and Petroleum

Introduction to General Geology

Learning Outcomes
➢ Discuss different properties of coal and
petroleum
➢ Discuss how coal and petroleum are formed
and sourced
➢ Discuss how coal and petroleum were
discovered in India
PEAT
Coal
➢ combustible, sedimentary, organic rock,
formed from vegetation.
➢ a fossil fuel created from the remains of
plants that lived millions of years ago.
➢ considered as a non renewable source of
energy because it takes too much time to
form.
Properties of Coal
➢ Density
▪ ranges from approximately 1.1 to about 1.5 Mg/m3, or g/cm3 (1 Mg/m3= 1
g/cm3)
▪ slightly denser than water and significantly less dense than
most rock and mineral matter
Properties of Coal
coke
➢ Porosity
▪ 3 Size Ranges of Pores:
a) macropores (diameter greater than 50 nm);
b) mesopores (diameter 2 to 50 nm); and
c) micropores (diameter less than 2 nm)
▪ important in the production of coke, gasification, liquefaction, and the
generation of high-surface-area carbon for purifying water and gases
Properties of Coal
➢ Reflectivity
▪ “Reflectance”
▪ measured by shining a beam of monochromatic light (with
a wavelength of 546 nm) on a polished surface of the vitrinite macerals
in a coal sample and measuring the percentage of the light reflected
with a photometer
Fusinite
Other Properties of Coal
➢ Hardness
➢ Grindability
➢ Ash-fusion Temperature
➢ Free-swelling Index
Coal
➢ combustible ,sedimentary, organic
rock, formed from vegetation.
➢ a fossil fuel created from the
remains of plants that lived millions
of years ago.
40%
➢ considered as a non renewable
source of energy because it takes
too much time to form.
Types of Coal
less than 60%. 60% – 70% 71% – 77%
from swamp plants brown coal black lignite

77% –87% > 87%

soft coal hard coal
Types of Coal
Coalification
Petroleum
➢ “petra” means rock and ”oleum” means oil.
➢ “Black Gold”
➢ Crude Oil - “mother of all commodities”
➢ a liquid which occurs naturally in rock
formations
➢ consists of a complex mixture of different
molecular weights of hydrocarbons, plus
other organic compounds.
Properties of Petroleum
• Crude oils range from very fluid, volatile liquids to viscous, semisolid materials.
• The color is usually black or black with a greenish tinge (reddish, greenish yellow,
light yellow, or transparent)
• The smell ranges from gasoline (sweet crude) to foul (sour crude) to fruity (crude oil
rich in aromatic-type molecules).
• Natural gas is a colorless, odorless gas that burns. An artificial odorant is put in
natural gas before it is sold.
Properties of Petroleum
• Crude oil density is measured in degrees American Petroleum Institute
(°API) gravity.
• Degrees API gravity is calculated by dividing the specific gravity of the
crude oil at 60° F into 141.5 and then subtracting 131.5. Fresh water is 10°
API gravity.
• Crude oils range from 5 to 55°.
• Average-weight oils are between 22 and 31°.
Properties of Petroleum
• Light oils are above 31°. They are more fluid and contain more gasoline
than normal crude oil.
• Heavy oils are below 22°. They are more viscous and contain more
asphalt than normal crude oil.
• Extra heavy oils are less than 10° and sink in water because they are
denser than water. Condensates are very light, with degrees API
gravities above 50.
• Light oils are easiest to produce and are more valuable than heavy oils
because they contain more gasoline.
• The most valuable is sweet crude oil, at 37° API gravity.
Types of Petroleum
➢ Asphalt-based crude oils
• usually black.
• 2% less wax
• sticky and in a semi-solid or liquid state
• When refined, they produce a relatively large amount of high-quality
gasoline and asphalt.
➢ Paraffin-based crude oils
• black with a greenish tinge.
• When refined, they produce a relatively large amount of paraffin
wax and high-quality motor lubricating oil.
➢ Mixed-base crude oils
• natural blend of asphalt- and paraffin-based crude oil.
Petroleum Formation
Coal and Petroleum in India
➢ South Karanpura Coalfield
➢ North Karanpura Coalfield
➢ Ramgarh Coalfield
➢ West Bokaro Coalfield
➢ East Bokaro Coalfield
➢ Jharia Coalfield
➢ Raniganj Coalfield
➢ Singrauli Coalfield
➢ Talcher Coalfield
➢ Ib Valley Coalfield
➢ Chirimiri Coalfield
➢ Jhilimili Coalfield
➢ Korba Coalfield
➢ Mand Raigarh Coalfield
➢ Sohagpur Coalfield
➢ Umaria Coalfield
➢ Pench Kanhan Coalfield
➢ Wardha Valley Coalfield
Coal and Petroleum in India
➢The world’s first oil well was drilled in Pennsylvania, USA, in 1859.
➢ In 1867, oil was struck at Makum in Assam. In India, oil is found in Assam,
Gujarat, Mumbai High and in the river basins of Godavari and Krishna.
Coal and Petroleum in India
➢ Research further on how coal and petroleum was used and discovered in
India.
Week 5

❑ Preliminary Course Assessment (2 hours)

▪ Wait for the announcement before the
scheduled assessment
▪ Answer the poll for your preferred schedule
❑ Week 5 Remaining Topic