The three main categories of fossil fuels are petroleum, natural gas, and coal. 2Each type of fossil fuel has benefits and drawbacks.
3Natural gas and liquid petroleum, also called oil or crude oil, are pumped up from deep underground using wells. Wells could be on land or on the ocean floor. 5A special process called fracking is sometimes used. This involves pumping a solution into cracks in rocks deep underground to make it easier to retrieve the oil and natural gas trapped there. Solid coal is mined from strip mines, pit mines, or underground mines.
& At least in the short term, natural gas, liquid petroleum, and coal are relatively abundant in the US. ®Many electricity generation plants in the US use natural gas or coal, so the infrastructure for harnessing the energy from these fossil fuels is already well developed. 10Indeed, much of the US infrastructure, especially regarding transportation needs, is designed to use products made from oil.
11Products made from oil can be burned and used
to provide energy to turn engines, such as in most cars. 12/n addition, many plastic products are made from oil and natural gas.
13However, coal, natural gas, and oil are all nonrenewable, non-sustainable resources.
14Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases. 15Oil rigs are very dangerous places to work.
16 Oil spills on land can contaminate soil and groundwater. 17Oil spills in the ocean can contaminate water and living things for thousands of miles. 18Explosions can happen at the facilities where oil and natural gas are pumped from wells. 1ºStrip mining, pit mining, and mountaintop removal all remove large amounts of vegetation and soil, and they damage the ecosystem. 20Runoff from mining locations can pollute waterways.
1. Which one of the following would be the best title for the passage? (1 point)
• Fossil Fuels Are Always Helpful
• A Comparison of the Benefits and Drawbacks of Fossil Fuels
• Why We Should Stop Using Fossil Fuels
• The Causes and Effects of Greenhouse Gases