Chapter 24. Chapter 24: Petroleum

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using...?

Why You Should Care

If petroleum costs continue to rise, then it becomes more important to have a steady source of energy (energy security) and energy sources that lie within your nation’s borders (energy independence). Natural gas is a petroleum substitute that is plentiful in the United States and easily recovered in many places.

Much like petroleum, we have recovered the easiest terrestrial deposits and the increasing demand for natural gas requires new technology like fracking. Fracking has spread rapidly and its controversial use of fluids to fracture rocks has led to groundwater and surface-water pollution. Offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, we have been expanding traditional natural gas extraction with noticeable environmental disturbance to ocean and estuary communities. All natural gas releases methane, a known greenhouse gas. Its cleaner combustion releases less carbon dioxide than petroleum or coal, but far more methane. Its overall effect on climate change may not be much better than any other fossil fuel.

As we develop new technology to recover natural gas, the question becomes: What price are we willing to pay to use it?