• big oil extraction plant of whale wool lanolinum seal horse
  • big oil extraction plant of whale wool lanolinum seal horse
  • big oil extraction plant of whale wool lanolinum seal horse
  • big oil extraction plant of whale wool lanolinum seal horse
  • What is whale oil?
  • Whale oil is oil obtained from the blubber of whales. Oil from the bowhead whale was sometimes known as train-oil, which comes from the Dutch word traan ("tear drop"). Sperm oil, a special kind of oil used in the cavities of sperm whales, differs chemically from ordinary whale oil: it is composed mostly of liquid wax.
  • How was whale oil obtained?
  • Whale oil was obtained by boiling strips of blubber harvested from whales. The removal is known as flensing and the boiling process was called trying out. The boiling was carried out on land in the case of whales caught close to shore or beached.
  • How did sperm whales get their oil?
  • Case oil was easily harvested since the head-matter was liquid when warm; the head of the sperm whale was simply cut open and then the oil could be bailed-out with a bucket, straight from case to cask. Sperm oil, a pale yellow liquid wax was obtained by cooking together the case oil and blubber.
  • Is sperm whale oil an animal wax ester?
  • Animal wax esters have been conventionally used in the lubricant industry but have numerous therapeutic and cosmetic applications. Sperm whale oil is an excellent example of an animal wax ester and was the primary reason for whale killing. The ban on sperm whale oil started the search for substitute wax ester sources.
  • What fatty acids are in whale oil?
  • Whale oils are especially interesting because some contain fatty acids that are largely in the form of wax esters (Gruger, 1967). The oils from the blubber of the Physeteridae may consist mainly of wax esters. The sperm whale blubber oil consists of a mixture of about 79% wax esters and 21% TAG (Hansen and Cheah, 1969).
  • Did whale oil save whales from extinction?
  • Whaling was a major American industry by 1820. This has led to what we call the Whale Oil Myth - the idea that the discovery of oil let the free market save whales from extermination. Or, at least, delay their extermination. For we did have whales under threat of extinction in 1860. New Bedford Whaling Museum. Photo by John Lienhard.