One environmental effect there is, is that the weather effects of Northern Thanalan are caused by excessive mining of Ceruleum as it evaporates in the air and its where Camp Bluefog gets its name.

It doesn't seem to be anything more special than fantasy oil that absorbs aether though and the Hearers in Gridania make an allusion to oil and say that no elementals reside in it and that it's made up of the remains ancient life.