this may be a dumb question but when I search their formation, they are are both dead organic matters that were buried long ago and subjected to pressure and heat. what separates them from turning into coal or petroleum?
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A big difference is what the relation between carbon and hydrogen atoms are in the original organic matter. Or at least after the oxidation have taken place. For example ocean sediments contain a lot of water which contains lots of hydrogen atoms. This is how natural gas is formed as it have an H-C ratio of up to 4. Oil have an H-C ratio closer to 1. Sidements formed on land where the gasses can escape over time often have a lower H-C ratio and turns into coal.
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