this post was submitted on 12 Jul 2024
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[–] Slovene@feddit.nl 101 points 1 month ago (19 children)

Ackchually, oil is mostly from plant matter.

[–] essell@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago (3 children)

I am under the impression that's coal.

Oil is from sea life. Though I did read that in the 80s so entirely possible its nonsense.

[–] MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz 16 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yes and no. They're both hydrocarbons.

Coal is organic matter from dry land, so typically plants.

Oil is from organic matter that fell to the ocean floor, so microbial life, algae and the like.

But both are from and end up as the same types of organic molecules. Carbon and hydrogen.

[–] the_post_of_tom_joad@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Wow ok that's cool.. so then every* oil well is in a place that historically was underwater?

[–] Cornelius_Wangenheim@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yes, specifically shallow seas that are so rich that they go anoxic. Without oxygen, the organisms don't break down and just accumulate.

[–] JasonDJ@lemmy.zip 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Can Texas just go back to being a shallow anoxic sea?

Please?

[–] MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Yes. A lot of such places are still below the seabed, hence off-shore oil-rigs.

[–] grandkaiser@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Nah, coal is plant matter too.

[–] Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 1 month ago

Trees from before anything existed that could break down wood

[–] essell@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

Yeah, that's what I said!

[–] Piemanding@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I guess algae and bacteria are close to plants.

[–] essell@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

How close? Like cousins or Alabama cousins?

[–] Piemanding@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 month ago

Louisiana cousins I believe.

[–] xx3rawr@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago

Not really, especially in this science sub

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