Oil derived from coal, oil shales or tar sands is called

Oil derived from coal, oil shales or tar sands is called

a) natural gas
b) biomass
c) synerude
d) none of these

The correct answer and explanation is :

The correct answer is:

c) synerude

Explanation:

Synerude (short for synthetic crude oil) refers to crude oil that is derived from unconventional sources such as coal, oil shale, or tar sands. These sources are not liquid petroleum in their natural state, but they can be processed into liquid hydrocarbons that resemble conventional crude oil.

1. Sources of Synerude

• Coal: The process of converting coal into liquid fuels is known as coal liquefaction. It can be achieved through direct or indirect liquefaction methods, such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
• Oil Shale: Oil shale contains kerogen, a solid organic material that, when heated, breaks down into liquid hydrocarbons. This process is known as retorting.
• Tar Sands (Oil Sands): Tar sands contain bitumen, a thick and sticky form of petroleum. The bitumen is extracted using mining or steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) methods and then upgraded to synthetic crude oil.

2. Differences from Conventional Crude Oil

• Conventional crude oil is extracted from underground reservoirs in a liquid state, while synerude requires additional processing.
• The refining process for synerude can be more complex due to higher impurity levels.

3. Importance of Synerude

• Synerude provides an alternative source of oil, especially in countries with abundant coal or oil shale but limited conventional crude oil reserves.
• It helps reduce reliance on imported crude oil, improving energy security.
• Technologies like coal-to-liquid (CTL) and gas-to-liquid (GTL) help mitigate oil shortages.

4. Environmental Concerns

• Extracting and processing synerude is energy-intensive and emits more CO₂ compared to conventional crude oil.
• It may lead to land degradation and high water usage, especially in tar sand extraction.

Conclusion:

Synerude is a valuable alternative energy source derived from coal, oil shale, or tar sands, but it comes with environmental and economic challenges.