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There are two theories about how crude oil and natural gas were formed. Some scientists believe that petroleum is the result of the decomposition of plants and animals, while others suggest that decaying plants and animals had nothing to do with it. Organic Theory The organic theory says that oil and gas were formed from the remains of plants and animals. Scientists, who support this theory, think that oil and gas were formed from the remains of small or microscopic plants and animals that lived in prehistoric rivers and seas. When these plants and animals died they combined with mud, silt, and sand to form layers of the mixture called sediments. After thousands of years, a thick layer of sediment formed on the bottom of the sea. As more layers were added the weight of the new layers applied pressure to the lower layers and turned them into sedimentary rock. Scientists believe that high heat and pressure, bacteria, chemical reactions, and other forces transformed these sediments into oil and gas. Inorganic Theory Other scientists believe in the inorganic theory that says that oil and gas were produced during the formation of the solar system and the earth. The inorganic theory is often used to explain why oil and gas are found in unexpected places and differences in chemical composition. The Science of the Earth
Because they study earth, geologists are important in the search for mineral resources and petroleum. Geologists who are employed by oil companies to determine whether a region may produce oil or gas are called petroleum geologists.
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