Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

Ian · 2005-01-05 08:40:27

If there was any fish in the salt water that once existed in the Martian oceans that the Spirit and Opportunity rovers found, then there could be oil under the surface of ancient dried up oceans just like there is oil under the surface of the oceans on Earth. This is just a theory. Does anyone think that this is possible? If rocks like the ALH84001 that was found on Earth but was from Mars exist on the Martian surface, then there could be more in the dried up bottom of ancient Martian oceans and if there was once life in the dried up ancient oceans on Mars, then the dead fish might have turned into oil like it did on Earth over millions of years. Future space probes could confirm or deny my theory about oil and the Mars Sample return mission could search for the products of this chemical reaction that turned the dead fish into oil on this planet and maybe it happened the same way on mars. There should be something on that probe that could detect the product of that chemical reaction.

ERRORIST · 2005-01-05 14:33:30

I think it is possible since methane has been found.

C M Edwards · 2005-01-05 14:55:58

There is a theory that crude oil - unlike coal and other fossil fuels - could have an inorganic source.

However, regardless of its source, surface oil seepage from underground deposits happens all the time on Earth. There's no reason an oil-bearing Mars wouldn't have seeps as well.

el scorcho · 2005-01-05 15:41:38

Oil on Mars...God forbid.

Ian · 2005-01-05 16:47:24

There is a theory that crude oil - unlike coal and other fossil fuels - could have an inorganic source.

If that is true, could there be oil on the moon and other moons in our solar system that are being explored right now or could there also be oil on the moons around the Gas Gaints?

ERRORIST · 2005-01-05 17:44:39

Yep, the possibility exists.

Ian · 2005-01-07 17:51:14

So if there is oil on the moon or on the other moon in our solar system, then if and when oil runs out on our planet, we could find more on the other moons in the solar system and on our own moon if it could come from an inorganic source.

Shaun Barrett · 2005-01-07 18:31:26

Let's not get too excited over oil on the Moon or Mars etc.
Oil's no good unless you can burn its derivatives in oxygen, which means shipping it home to Earth. While this is perhaps theoretically feasible in some future world, you have to bear in mind the phenomenal costs involved in doing that.

Anyone for gas at, say, $2,000,000 a gallon? :laugh:

Trebuchet · 2005-01-07 19:28:55

Hey, if there's oil on Mars, that's very useful *on Mars*. Plastics, synthetic rubber, tar for making macadam roads...

Shaun Barrett · 2005-01-07 20:16:31

Trebuchet:-

Hey, if there's oil on Mars, that's very useful *on Mars*. Plastics, synthetic rubber, tar for making macadam roads...

Good point, Treb! :up:

I was just concentrating on what I perceived to be Ian's enthusiasm for lunar and Martian oil as a replacement for West Texas Crude here on Earth! Not a practical proposition, I think.

Mad Grad Student · 2005-01-08 00:06:55

Well, I s'pose it's possible. Not too likely, but certainly possible. Perhpas this would be a good way to try to find past evidence of life on Mars, you know, send a satellite to search for oil or coal. If you find any, you can be almost certain that life was behind it. Of course, it would take pretty advanced life to turn into coal or oil, there are probably better ways to look...

BWhite · 2005-02-16 15:52:46

Hey, if there's oil on Mars, that's very useful *on Mars*. Plastics, synthetic rubber, tar for making macadam roads...

Yup.

I recall reading an organic chemist explain why he wants to cry at all the petrol stations selling gasoline. Crude oil has an amazingly rich assortment of complex hydrocarbons that can be used for purposes far more exotic than burning to propel SUVs.

We need to start burning light hydrocarbons (methane) as fuel and use the heavy hydrocarbons for exotic plastics, etc. . .

But, oil on Mars means supporting a colony is very much easier. And it means Mars was once a verdant world teeming with life since oil, coal etc. . . requires massive amounts of dead plant and animal material.

= = =

But, now for the REAL NEWS!

Life on Mars!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6981361/]Front Page, MSNBC

Edited By BWhite on 1108590853

Pulaskee · 2005-02-19 00:18:22

At what temp dose oil freez? did some quick surching and didnt find anything but i would think that it could at some time, would this mean that it would not show up in cracks?

New Mars Forums

Announcement

#1 2005-01-05 08:40:27

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

#2 2005-01-05 14:33:30

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

#3 2005-01-05 14:55:58

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

#4 2005-01-05 15:41:38

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

#5 2005-01-05 16:47:24

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

#6 2005-01-05 17:44:39

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

#7 2005-01-07 17:51:14

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

#8 2005-01-07 18:31:26

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

#9 2005-01-07 19:28:55

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

#10 2005-01-07 20:16:31

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

#11 2005-01-08 00:06:55

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

#12 2005-02-16 15:52:46

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

#13 2005-02-19 00:18:22

Re: Oil on Mars - Dead fish or fossils couldhavemadeoil

Board footer