Crude oil, hydrocarbons and alkanes
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From ancient plankton to crude oil

From ancient plankton to crude oil

Cross-section showing ancient sea plankton buried in mud, crude oil trapped in porous reservoir rock beneath impermeable cap rock over millions of years

Crude oil is a dark liquid found trapped in porous rocks underground. It formed from ancient biomass, mainly plankton, that was buried in mud and changed over millions of years.

Crude oil, hydrocarbons and alkanes Lesson

  1. GCSE
  2. /Chemistry
  3. /Crude oil, hydrocarbons and alkanes