Tag: Kerogen

Oil, also known as petroleum, is a fossil fuel formed from the remains of ancient marine organisms and plants that died millions of years ago. What is oil made of is a complex question with a simple answer: primarily hydrocarbons, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon compounds.

Petroleum, or crude oil, is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons formed over millions of years, yet a common misconception connects it directly to animal fats. So, does oil come from fat? The simple answer is no, not in the way you might think. While both are organic compounds, their origins and formation processes are vastly different, involving distinct precursors and immense geological time scales.

The notion that dinosaurs turned into oil is a popular myth, but petroleum’s true origin story is far different. The overwhelming scientific consensus is that crude oil, a common energy source, does not come from animal fat, but rather from microscopic marine life. This long, geological process is what transforms ancient biomass into the fossil fuel we depend on today.