Answer:
Coal, oil, and natural gas are all fossil fuels that were formed from the remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago.
Coal was formed from the remains of plants that grew in vast swamps and bogs during the Carboniferous period, about 300 million years ago. Over time, these plants were buried by sediment and subjected to heat and pressure, which transformed them into coal.
Oil and natural gas were formed from the remains of tiny marine organisms, such as plankton and algae, that lived in the oceans and seas hundreds of millions of years ago. When these organisms died, their remains sank to the bottom of the ocean and were buried by sediment. Over time, heat and pressure transformed the organic material into oil and natural gas.
In terms of reserve abundance, natural gas is currently in the greatest supply. According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), global natural gas reserves were estimated at 198 trillion cubic meters as of January 2022. This is followed by oil, with global reserves estimated at 1.73 trillion barrels, and coal, with global reserves estimated at 1.03 trillion short tons. However, it's important to note that the availability and distribution of these resources can vary widely by region, and factors such as extraction costs, market demand, and environmental regulations can all influence their commercial viability.