Petroleum, also called crude oil, is a fossil fuel. Like coal and natural gas, petroleum was formed from the remains of ancient marine organisms, such as plants, algae, and bacteria. Over millions of years of intense heat and pressure, these organic remains (fossils) transformed into carbon-rich substances we rely on as raw materials for fuel and a wide variety of products.

Origin

The geological conditions that would eventually create petroleum formed millions of years ago, when plants, algae, and plankton drifted in oceans and shallow seas. These organisms sank to the seafloor at the end of their life cycle. Over time, they were buried and crushed under millions of tons of sediment and even more layers of plant debris.


Reference: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/petroleum

In fact, oil meets 97 per cent of the world transport sector demand. In addition, it also benefits our lives in being vital to the production of many everyday essentials. Oil’s refined products are used to manufacture almost all chemical products, such as plastics, fertilisers, detergents, paints and even medicines, plus a whole host of other products that you might not expect.

Most oil is used for transport (car, lorries and planes) but around a quarter used for heating, chemical plants and in other industry

Here are some examples of what we owe to oil, every day of our lives:

Reference: https://www.ukogplc.com/page.php?pID=74