Considering where oil came from
How an artist visualized different ideas about oil and gas
Artem Stefanov (Moscow)
62 Beloglazova Street
Theories of the Genesis of Oil
Нефть барлыкка килү теорияләре
Context
The starting point for this work is in theories about the origin of oil, where one sees the wonder of the origins of the universe and millions of years of prehistoric life.
The question of how the earth's oil came to be is one people have been asking for a long time. In science today (as 100 years ago) the biotic theory of the origin of oil dominates. To put it simply, oil is the result of the following transformations: millions of years ago, as organisms and plants died, their remains became part of sedimentary rock, and when the layers of these rocks receded deep into the Earth, the so-called oil window came into being. That is, the layers were at a depth where the temperature was high enough to form oil, but not so high as to turn it into a thermal gas. Chemical reactions took place that turned the organic remains into oil.
But as often happens, the prevailing theory is periodically questioned by authors of alternative versions. In this case, we can talk about a set of abiotic theories, those theories that either exclude the remains of living organisms from the process of oil formation or that consider their contribution insignificant. According to one of these theories, the main oil reserves formed before the advent of life, at the point at which the Earth formed as a cosmic body. The factors are the same – exposure to high temperatures and pressure – while the material consists of organic compounds of non-biological origin such as methane, for example. At the present time, then, this oil appears to ooze up from the deep layers as condensation from rising gas fractions.
Among fans of alternative theories, one can even find those who believe that oil reserves can be restored very, very quickly, making this resource practically inexhaustible. But this is a completely marginal idea. In the process of collecting material, we also met with the slightly naïve, figurative ideas of the 1940-50s drillers, including the idea that underground there are oil rivers, oil lakes and seas of oil from which the material is extracted.
But as often happens, the prevailing theory is periodically questioned by authors of alternative versions. In this case, we can talk about a set of abiotic theories, those theories that either exclude the remains of living organisms from the process of oil formation or that consider their contribution insignificant. According to one of these theories, the main oil reserves formed before the advent of life, at the point at which the Earth formed as a cosmic body. The factors are the same – exposure to high temperatures and pressure – while the material consists of organic compounds of non-biological origin such as methane, for example. At the present time, then, this oil appears to ooze up from the deep layers as condensation from rising gas fractions.
Among fans of alternative theories, one can even find those who believe that oil reserves can be restored very, very quickly, making this resource practically inexhaustible. But this is a completely marginal idea. In the process of collecting material, we also met with the slightly naïve, figurative ideas of the 1940-50s drillers, including the idea that underground there are oil rivers, oil lakes and seas of oil from which the material is extracted.
PJSC «Tatneft» oil company lead geologist Rais Salikhovich Khisamov.
The question of how the earth's oil came to be is one people have been asking for a long time. In science today (as 100 years ago) the biotic theory of the origin of oil dominates. To put it simply, oil is the result of the following transformations: millions of years ago, as organisms and plants died, their remains became part of sedimentary rock, and when the layers of these rocks receded deep into the Earth, the so-called oil window came into being. That is, the layers were at a depth where the temperature was high enough to form oil, but not so high as to turn it into a thermal gas. Chemical reactions took place that turned the organic remains into oil.
But as often happens, the prevailing theory is periodically questioned by authors of alternative versions. In this case, we can talk about a set of abiotic theories, those theories that either exclude the remains of living organisms from the process of oil formation or that consider their contribution insignificant. According to one of these theories, the main oil reserves formed before the advent of life, at the point at which the Earth formed as a cosmic body. The factors are the same – exposure to high temperatures and pressure – while the material consists of organic compounds of non-biological origin such as methane, for example. At the present time, then, this oil appears to ooze up from the deep layers as condensation from rising gas fractions.
Among fans of alternative theories, one can even find those who believe that oil reserves can be restored very, very quickly, making this resource practically inexhaustible. But this is a completely marginal idea. In the process of collecting material, we also met with the slightly naïve, figurative ideas of the 1940-50s drillers, including the idea that underground there are oil rivers, oil lakes and seas of oil from which the material is extracted.
But as often happens, the prevailing theory is periodically questioned by authors of alternative versions. In this case, we can talk about a set of abiotic theories, those theories that either exclude the remains of living organisms from the process of oil formation or that consider their contribution insignificant. According to one of these theories, the main oil reserves formed before the advent of life, at the point at which the Earth formed as a cosmic body. The factors are the same – exposure to high temperatures and pressure – while the material consists of organic compounds of non-biological origin such as methane, for example. At the present time, then, this oil appears to ooze up from the deep layers as condensation from rising gas fractions.
Among fans of alternative theories, one can even find those who believe that oil reserves can be restored very, very quickly, making this resource practically inexhaustible. But this is a completely marginal idea. In the process of collecting material, we also met with the slightly naïve, figurative ideas of the 1940-50s drillers, including the idea that underground there are oil rivers, oil lakes and seas of oil from which the material is extracted.
PJSC «Tatneft» oil company lead geologist Rais Salikhovich Khisamov.
Process
Ital. Mural — wall
Monumental wall painting created on a faсade or a blank wall of a building or any other urban architectural objects.
Monumental wall painting created on a faсade or a blank wall of a building or any other urban architectural objects.
«Artem Stefanov, an artist from Moscow and author of large-scale works on industrial facilities, rethinks theories of the origin of oil, as described by Tatneft chief geologist and Almetyevsk resident Rais Salikhovich Khisamov. Yet another important motif was the idea that present-day Almetyevsk and the surrounding oil region was, at the time of the formation of oil, the bottom of an ancient ocean, populated by prehistoric fish and other organisms.
All this became the basis of Artem Stefanov's work: the bowels of the earth, the pristine beauty of space, trilobites and other outlandish animals of the Devonian period are all found on the walls of the boiler room. The word "Devon," referring to the Devonian period, is, incidentally, very significant for Almetyevsk residents: in the professional slang of oil workers it refers to the highest quality oil.»
All this became the basis of Artem Stefanov's work: the bowels of the earth, the pristine beauty of space, trilobites and other outlandish animals of the Devonian period are all found on the walls of the boiler room. The word "Devon," referring to the Devonian period, is, incidentally, very significant for Almetyevsk residents: in the professional slang of oil workers it refers to the highest quality oil.»
Work on «Theories of the Genesis of Oil», 2019.
«Artem Stefanov, an artist from Moscow and author of large-scale works on industrial facilities, rethinks theories of the origin of oil, as described by Tatneft chief geologist and Almetyevsk resident Rais Salikhovich Khisamov. Yet another important motif was the idea that present-day Almetyevsk and the surrounding oil region was, at the time of the formation of oil, the bottom of an ancient ocean, populated by prehistoric fish and other organisms.
All this became the basis of Artem Stefanov's work: the bowels of the earth, the pristine beauty of space, trilobites and other outlandish animals of the Devonian period are all found on the walls of the boiler room. The word "Devon," referring to the Devonian period, is, incidentally, very significant for Almetyevsk residents: in the professional slang of oil workers it refers to the highest quality oil.»
All this became the basis of Artem Stefanov's work: the bowels of the earth, the pristine beauty of space, trilobites and other outlandish animals of the Devonian period are all found on the walls of the boiler room. The word "Devon," referring to the Devonian period, is, incidentally, very significant for Almetyevsk residents: in the professional slang of oil workers it refers to the highest quality oil.»
Work on «Theories of the Genesis of Oil», 2019.
Author
STFNV (as the name of this artist is usually written) has been engaged in graphic design and monumental art since 2007. In his large-scale murals, he transforms the spaces proposed for work using optical illusions, geometric patterns and glitch-art effects. At different periods of his artistic career, Artem was part of the Zukclub art group and collaborated with Arma17, organizers of techno raves in industrial spaces. For more than ten years he took part in more than thirty Russian and international festivals.
A work by Artem Stefanov at the Stenograffia Festival. Ekaterinburg, 2019.
STFNV (as the name of this artist is usually written) has been engaged in graphic design and monumental art since 2007. In his large-scale murals, he transforms the spaces proposed for work using optical illusions, geometric patterns and glitch-art effects. At different periods of his artistic career, Artem was part of the Zukclub art group and collaborated with Arma17, organizers of techno raves in industrial spaces. For more than ten years he took part in more than thirty Russian and international festivals.
A work by Artem Stefanov at the Stenograffia Festival. Ekaterinburg, 2019.
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