Ioli—Indlela Ekuchaphazela Ngayo
NGABA wakha wacinga ukuba bebuya kuba njani ubomi babantu abaninzi ukuba ibingekho i-petroleum nezinto ezenziwa ngayo?a Ioli ephuma kwi-petroleum isetyenziswa ukuthambisa iintsimbi kwiinqwelo-mafutha, kwiibhayisekile, kwiinqwelo zabantwana nakwezinye izinto ezineentsimbi ezishukumayo. Ioli yenza ukuba iintsimbi zingakhuhlani kangako, nto leyo ebangela ukuba bangakhawulezi bonakale oomatshini. Kodwa ikwasetyenziswa nakwezinye izinto.
Ioli isetyenziswa kwiinqwelo-moya, kwiinqwelo-mafutha nakwizinto zokufudumeza. Izinto zokuthambisa ezininzi, iipeyinti, ii-inki, amayeza, izichumiso, iiplastiki nezinye izinto eziliqela zenziwa ngezinto ezivela kwi-petroleum. Ngaphandle kweoli, bebuya kuba nzima gqitha ubomi babantu abaninzi. Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba enye incwadi ithi i-petroleum nezinto ezenziwe ngayo “yeyona nto isetyenziswayo emhlabeni wonke.” Ifumaneka njani ioli? Ivela phi? Abantu banexesha elide kangakanani beyisebenzisa?
IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba ngaphezu kweenkulungwane ezimbini ngaphambi kobukho bukaKristu, uNowa wakha umkhombe omkhulu ethobela ulwalathiso lukaThixo waza wawuqaba itela—ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yayivela kwi-petroleum—ukuze ungangenwa ngamanzi. (Genesis 6:14) Izinto ezenziwe nge-petroleum zazisetyenziswa nangabantu baseBhabhiloni xa betshisa izitena kwionti, nangabaseYiputa xa beqwayita izidumbu yaye zazisetyenziswa nangabantu bamandulo kwezonyango.
Ngubani owayesazi ukuba i-petroleum iza kuba yinto ebaluleke ngolu hlobo kwihlabathi lanamhlanje? Akukho mntu unokukhanyela ukuba inkqubela kwezoshishino ixhomekeke kwi-petroleum.
Ukusetyenziswa kweoli evela kwi-petroleum xa kukhanyiswa, kuye kwabangela ukuba isetyenziswe kakhulu ioli. Ukususela kwinkulungwane ye-15, ioli iye yasetyenziswa kwizibane eBaku, namhlanje elikomkhulu laseAzerbaijan. Ngowe-1650, kombiwa imithombo yeoli engekho nzulu eRomania, yaye kwafunyanwa iparafini eyayisetyenziswa xa kukhanyiswa. Ebudeni benkulungwane ye-19, elo lizwe kuquka amanye akwiMpuma Yurophu ayesele ehamba phambili kushishino lweoli.
Kwiminyaka yee-1800, ukufunwa kwendlela yokukhanyisa ebhetele kwabangela ukuba iqela lamadoda aseUnited States licinge ngokusebenzisa ioli. La madoda aqonda ukuba ukuze kuveliswe iparafini eyaneleyo, kufuneka kombiwe ioli. Ngoko ngowe-1859 kombiwa umthombo weoli ePennsylvania. Kwaqala ngaloo ndlela ke ukusetyenziswa kakhulu kweoli. Yintoni eyalandelayo?
[Umbhalo osemazantsi]
a Igama lesiNgesi elithi “petroleum” livela kwigama lesiLatini elithetha “ioli evela ematyeni.” Lidla ngokusetyenziswa ukubhekisela kwizinto ezimbini ezinxibeleleneyo—imethane neoli. Maxa wambi zombini ezi zinto zidla ngokuphuma kwiimfanta ezisemhlabeni. Ioli isenokuba lulwelo okanye ibe yitela ebizwa ngokuba yiasphalt, ipitch okanye ibitumen.
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 3]
YINTONI UMAHLUKO PHAKATHI KWE-PETROLEUM NEOLI?
Nangona ngokuqhelekileyo ibizwa ngokuba yimithombo yeoli, enyanisweni yimithombo ye-petroleum, okanye ioli ekrwada evela ngaphantsi komhlaba. Kuthiwa i-petroleum ngumxube ongqindilili ongaphantsi komhlaba weegesi, ulwelo neehydrocarbons, umthubi bumnyama ngebala yaye kulula ukuba utshe. Kuyo kusenokuphuma izinto ezahlukahlukeneyo njengemethane, ipetroli, inaphtha, iparafini, amafutha okubasa, izinto zokuthambisa, amakhandlela neasphalt.