Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How can moving groundwater change the location of an oil pool inside a petroleum trap?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
petroleum
Liquid petroleum (crude oil)—which is refined into gasoline, diesel, heating fuels, asphalt, plastics, and other useful chemical compounds—is often extracted from the ground using a series of drills and pumps.
When groundwater within a petroleum trap is stationary, an oil pool typically rises to the highest point of the trap, creating a level oil-water contact. However, when groundwater is in motion, the pool's position is altered by hydrodynamic pressure.
As the water flows, it exerts pressure that displaces the oil pool down the side of the trap in the direction of the water's movement. Depending on the strength of this flow, the oil pool may be shifted a significant distance from its original position or, in some cases, may be completely flushed out of the trap entirely.1