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Over 50% of the world's oil is found in the Middle East. Steve Allen/Photodisc/Getty Images
Energy from natural resources is either renewable or non-renewable. Renewable resources, such as wind, solar or geothermal power, will always be available. Non-renewable resources such as oil, coal and natural gas will eventually run out. According to the University of California, over 85% of the world's energy comes from non-renewable resources. At the same time, the world is experiencing global non-renewable natural resource shortfalls, which is only going to intensify.
Coal
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Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel although it can take millions of years for the Earth to create. Most coal reserves are found in Eastern Europe and Asia, but the United States has a large amount of reserves as well. Coal is created by layers of dead plants being covered by layers of dirt and water. The heat and pressure trap the energy of the ancient swamp plants to form a compressed, spongy matter. As this material becomes more deeply buried, the even higher temperature and pressure hardens the matter into coal. Using coal for energy has environmental consequences during both the mining and burning processes. Strip-mining uses large machines to remove coal that is less than 200 feet underground. Although the rock and top-soil is replaced, this process still causes soil erosion and habitat destruction. Underground mining involves sending people down, sometimes 1,000 feet deep, to remove coal by hand. Miners can become trapped or suffer health consequences from inhaling coal. During coal burning, generally used for electricity, sulfur dioxide, heavy metals and carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere.
Nuclear Power
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A lot of energy is used to hold an atom, tiny particles that make up every object, together. Nuclear energy harvests energy from the core, or nucleus, of an atom through nuclear fission. During nuclear fission, atoms are split apart into smaller atoms and scientists harvest the energy released during the process. Energy can also be extracted by fusing smaller atoms into a large atom although research is ongoing on how to harvest that into electricity. Uranium is found in rocks all over the world and is the most common metal to be used for nuclear energy because its atoms are easiest to split apart. Although there is uranium in the Western United States, 86% used is imported. Nuclear fission releases no harmful gases into the atmosphere but research has yet to come to a definitive conclusion on how to safely dispose of spent nuclear fuel. Accidents in the United States and Ukraine also question the safety of harvesting nuclear energy.
Oil
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Crude oil was created by the remains of dead oceanic creatures covered by sand and silt. Heat and pressure turned the mixture into liquid petroleum, which moves upward until it is trapped by a layer of impermeable cap rock. Oil is refined into energy products like jet fuel, heating oil, diesel fuel and gasoline as well as non-energy products like ink, bubble gum, tires, dish-washing soap and more. Oil is acquired by drilling through the cap rock into reservoirs and pumping out the crude oil. Seventy-five percent of the oil in the reservoir cannot be pumped out so hot water is injected into the well, forcing the remaining oil up into a recoverable area. Burning oil releases sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere although in lesser amounts than burning coal. Oil spills during off-shore drilling, the process of drilling for oil underwater, have environmental consequences. An accident can kill the area's marine life and birds and is difficult to contain.
Natural Gas
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Natural gas is created the same way as crude oil. When heat and pressure changed the composition of the organic matter, some changes into crude oil and others into odorless bubbles of gas. By using seismic surveys or assumptions based on an area's rocks, drilling is performed in the search for natural gases. Natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel, and pipelines make it easy to transport. Use of natural gas is increasing globally because it can be used for powering vehicles, heating, cooking and making ammonia fertilizer. The majority of gas consumed in the United States was found domestically. There are more than 300,000 miles of natural gas pipelines in the United States although the majority of pipelines are found in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Natural gas is highly flammable and explosive, so natural gas companies have started adding a sulfur-like substance so people can detect if there is a gas leak.
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