Crude oil is a fossil fuel that is pumped from the ground. It can be pumped from onshore or offshore wells. Oil is measured by barrel. Each barrel of crude oil contains 42 gallons. The crude oil is refined and various products that we are familiar with are made. Some products are common knowledge, like gas, and others not, like birthday candles.

When oil is refined, the versatile hydrocarbons are changed to create a variety of products. Refining and processing are done with chemicals and with heat.

A barrel of crude oil will produce the following when it is refined and processed:

• Gasoline (22.6 gallons)
• Diesel (6.7 gallons)
• Jet fuel (5.5 gallons)
• “Still gas” (2.4 gallons)-mixture of gas that is produced in refineries
• “Marketable coke” (2.2 gallons)-residue from refining and processing
• Fuel oil (22.6 gallons)-used for heating, power generation, ship and locomotive fuel, etc.
• Liquefied gas (1.2 gallons)-used in heating appliances and vehicles, chlorofluorocarbons alternative
• Asphalt (.8 gallons)
• Lubricants (.04 gallon)-added to grease
• Miscellaneous products (.07 gallon)

Products that are made from a barrel of crude oil include the following:

• Charcoal briquettes (4lbs)
• Propane cylinders (12)
• Wax birthday candles (170)
• Motor oil (1 quart)
• Petrochemicals (used in pharmaceuticals, plastics, cosmetics and foodstuffs)

Currently the United State is dependent on foreign oil to meet their crude oil needs. There are those who are pushing to decrease the dependency on foreign oil, but the concerns about the effects of drilling and pumping oil is a major concern that restricts US oil drilling. In addition there are safety issues. Safety and environmental concerns have been in the news with the recent explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This has impacted offshore drilling and the oil it would have produced for the US. Onshore drilling is expected to increase to prevent further dependency on foreign oil and the risks that are involved with that dependency.

To invest in oil and gas, read about investing, learn oil terms, and see the featured investments, go to Max Tech Oil today. They are an independent oil company that seeks out oil properties that are underdeveloped and undervalued.