Rocky Secrets: Where Does Oil

Hide?

Submitted to: Mr. Romano

Submitted by: Nicolas Casadiego
Course Code: SCH4U1
Date Lab Submitted: January 18, 2015

Abstract
This experiment examined which sedimentary rock was able to store the most
amount of oil. Oil is stored in between sedimentary rocks, and it can be held within
tiny spaces in underground rock, like water in a sponge. Therefore, this experiment
is meant to prove whether or not sedimentary rocks are able to withhold the
amount of oil is supposedly recorded, at a much smaller scale. Each sedimentary
rock was tested three separate times, with three samples of each sedimentary
rock, with three drops of 5W-30 is dropped onto each rock, 5W-30 being a
substitute for petroleum oil. The three rocks being tested are shale, sandstone and
limestone. The oil being poured on these rocks is 5W-30. These rock samples were
observed for oil permeability and how quickly the oil was absorbed after 0 minutes
being the oil drops being dropped onto the rock samples, 30 minutes, and 1 hour
time intervals, experiment meant to last about a week. Independent variable being
the amount of drops, dropped on sedimentary rock and dependent variable being
the rock sample itself. The size of error increases when oil input is inaccurate,
weather conditions arent the same for every trial and when dog keeps interfering
with every trial. The two major factors in this project was keeping a consistent size
throughout every sedimentary rock trialed and being able to keep the temperature
for every rock was the same for every different sample trial. My hypothesis was
that the sandstone rock would absorb oil best. The experimental results did not
support my hypothesis. The experiment showed the limestone rock was the best
storage rock.

Introduction and History

Petroleum can be found in many of the everyday objects we use, from shoes to
clothes to even bed mattress as well as medicine, lotion, tires, and CDs.
Petroleum is found inside the earth, where it was made from the remains of
microorganisms that died millions of years ago, and settled to the floor of ancient
seas, more specifically where lack of oxygen enables the microorganisms to
maintain their hydrogen-carbon bonds, a necessary ingredient for the production of
oil and gas. Over the course of millions of years, layers of sandy sediment covered
the decaying plankton. Heat and pressure turned the microorganisms into source
rock containing oil and gas, as well as turning the sandy sediment into reservoir
rock which is permeable and porous. Cap rock is made from layers of muddy
sediment which is impermeable. The movement of the earth causes the sandy
sediments to mold into various dome-shaped traps. After the oil is formed in the
source rock, it slowly moves upward through the porous reservoir rock and gets
stuck in the traps, due to the impermeable cap rock which doesnt allow for the oil
to pass through. From here, petroleum geologists and engineers find efficient ways
in order to drill into these cap rocks and extract the oil and gas. Which then is
processed and refined in order to be used in contribution to make our everyday
household products.

Purpose/Hypothesis
Sedimentary rocks will absorb majority of oil, with sandstone being observed as
the best storage rock.

Methods and Materials

Limestone (3 samples)
Sandstone (3 samples)
Shale (3 samples)
Magnifying glass
Paper plates (3)
Eyedropper
5W-30 (Petroleum Oil)
Clock
Lab notebook

Procedure
Part A:

1. Place one sample of limestone, one sample of sandstone, and one sample of
shale on each of the three paper plates.
a. Try to choose samples that are similar in size to each other.
b. Try to position the samples so that there is a flat surface facing upward.
c. Using a pen, write the rock's name next to each sample on the paper
plates.
d. The reason why you are preparing three plates of rock samples (instead of
just one) is so that you can conduct repeat trials. Running trials allows you
to ensure that your results are accurate and repeatable.
2. Look carefully at the rocks using a magnifying glass and write down the
differences you observe in your lab notebook

Part B:

1. Write down the time in your lab notebook.

2. Fill up the eyedropper with 5W-30 (Petroleum Oil).
3. Add three drops of oil to each rock sample on each paper plate.
a. Place the drops one on top of the other, not spread out over the rock.
b. Write down in your lab notebook how the rocks look immediately after
you placed the oil on them. Be sure to examine the rocks in good light.
c. Take photos for your display board, if desired.
4. After 30 minutes (min.) from the starting time, examine your rock samples
again.

a. Write down in the data table how the rocks look now. Be sure to
examine the rocks in good light. Use a magnifying glass, if desired.
5. After 1 hour from the starting time, repeat step 4.

Observations/Results
Sedimentary Rock Testing Data Table

Rock Type

Sandstone
1
(January 7,

Starting Observations
(right after adding drops
of oil, at time equals
zero)

(January 10,

Some oil is still

left on surface of
rock

Most of oil has

been absorbed
into rock

Some oil has seeped

into rock

Some oil is still

left on surface of
rock

Most of oil has

been absorbed
into rock

Some oil has seeped

into rock

Some oil is still

left on surface of
rock

Most of oil has

been absorbed
into rock

Rock absorbed majority

of oil

Rock has little

to no oil left to
absorb

Rock absorbed
all oil

Rock has little

to no oil left to

Rock absorbed
all oil

2016)

Sandstone
3
(January 12,
2016)

Limestone
1
(January 7,
2016)

Limestone
2

Observations
after 1 hour

Some oil has seeped

into rock

2016)

Sandstone
2

Observations
after 30 min.

Rock absorbed oil

Rock Type

Starting Observations
(right after adding drops
of oil, at time equals
zero)

Observations
after 30 min.

Observations
after 1 hour

(January 10,

absorb

2016)

Limestone
3
(January 12,

Rock absorbed oil

Rock has little

to no oil left to
absorb

Rock absorbed
all oil

Oil rests on top of rock

Little pool of oil

still rests on top
of rock

Some oil is still

left on surface of
rock

Oil rests on top of rock

Little pool of oil

still rests on top
of rock

Some oil is still

left on surface of
rock

Oil rests on top of rock

Little pool of oil

still rests on top
of rock

Some oil is still

left on surface of
rock

2016)

Shale 1
(January 7,
2016)

Shale 2
(January 10,
2016)

Shale 3
(January 12,
2016)

Discussion/Analysis
Experiment was started on January 7, 2016 at 6:00pm and finished on January 13,
2016 at 8:00 am. Upon finishing experiment, it is concluded that sandstone was
the best sponge to hold the 5W-30. It absorbed fairly well and quickly when
compared to the shale and limestone sedimentary rocks. It took under an hour for
Limestone to absorb oil drops poured on it, Limestone took over an hour to absorb
all the oil drops and shale took overnight to absorb the oil drops poured onto it.
The experiment showed the limestone rock let the oil pass through, resulting in the
rock that stored oil the best. This could have been because of many factors, the
amount of pores that were in the specific samples bought (porosity) could have
been a factor. Upon inspection, limestone did seem to have many pores, but in the
students inspection of each sedimentary rock, sandstone did seem more porous.
When it comes to sandstone, the coating that clay minerals offer to the sandstone

grains protect the grain from cementation process and they cause the sandstone
to maintain its porosity even in great depths. Limestone is usually a very porous
rock, like a dense sponge and are made up of calcium carbonate which allows for
the rock to form the way it does.

Conclusion
Within this experiment, one student was allowed to put to the test three different
sedimentary rock samples in order to test which one acted like the best sponge
when it came to dropping oil on it. In this experiment small samples of sandstone,
limestone and shale were used and the petroleum oil substitute used was 5W-30.
Three drops were dropped onto each sample, and three different times were
recorded: right when the oil is dropped onto rock, 30 minutes after the oil is
dropped and an hour after the oil is dropped. This experiments allotted time for the
entire project was a week, starting from January 7, 2016 where 1 sample from each
sedimentary rock was tested, then again on January 10, 2016 and last round of
samples were tested on January 12, 2016. Each round of sedimentary rocks
samples had oil dropped on it at same time, but each round of rocks had a different
time of oil dropped on them. First round had the oil dropped onto the rocks at
8:00am, second round had the oil dropped onto it at 8:00pm and the last round
had the oil dropped at 6:00pm (Refer to observations table Sedimentary Rock
Testing Data Table for a more detailed look into final observations). Upon finishing
the experiment and collecting all data, my observations did not support the
hypothesis. Although sandstone was second best when it came to which rock was
able to store better, Limestone proved number 1 in showing which rock was the
best oil storage. Sources of error include, inaccurate oil measurements, not having
the exact same mass and volume of each sedimentary rock, allowing rocks to
absorb overnight allowed for air contaminates the possibility of entering
experiment, as well as other contaminates entering rocks from plates used.

Reference

www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fairprojects/project_ideas/Geo_p041.shtml#background
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-is-oil-usually-found/
http://www.geomore.com/sedimentary-rocks/
http://education.seattlepi.com/oil-gas-found-kind-rocks-4309.html
https://answersingenesis.org/geology/the-origin-of-oil/