39 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: Ask Anything Wednesday - Physics, Astronomy, Earth and Planetary Science
Yes, the process involves heating and putting pressure on organic material over a long time period. You have to spend more energy than you will get out by burning it.
You could use the process to store energy, but you might as well use hydrogen for that purpose. It is superior in every regard: simpler and faster (less loss during the process), its ingredient is available in infinite quantities, denser, no solid residue when burning, more versatile, ..
Basically, replicating the process to make crude oil will never be done outside of a research lab.
Comment by Team503 at 27/04/2023 at 12:29 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
You can also make oil from algae, although the oil companies have killed that research.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/17/big-oil-algae-biofuel-funding-cut-exxonmobil[1][2]
1: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/17/big-oil-algae-biofuel-funding-cut-exxonmobil
2: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/17/big-oil-algae-biofuel-funding-cut-exxonmobil