Oil and gas environmental ecology

This book covers the fundamental problems of the interaction of hydrocarbons with the biosphere. Hydrocarbons are a global phenomenon of our planet. In the biosphere hydrocarbons are ubiquitous and appear in a variety of forms. Hydrocarbons in the form of oil and gas have been released from Earths core to its surface for thousands of years; nevertheless no evidence exists that in the early days hydrocarbons were antagonists of the biosphere. In ancient times humans perceived numerous oil occurrences as part of the environment. Since the 20th century humanitys demand for fuel and energy and chemical resources has grown continuously. Oil and hydrocarbons were found on all inhabited continents and under the surrounding seas more often. The expansion of hydrocarbons into the biosphere has gradually come into collision with the naturally established ecological balances. Oil natural gas and products of their refining processes have had a pervasive negative impact on the environment. The global nature of these processes has made oil and gas environmental ecology a pressing scientific challenge affecting all other areas of ecology.