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The circle of life (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago (13 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.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 month ago (5 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 7 points 1 month ago (4 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 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.