EarthComm Earth's Natural Resources: Energy Resources and Your Community Activity 6

This investigation will help you to:

The Nature and Origin of Petroleum and Natural Gas

"Fossil Fuels" - Penn State University
Reviews how hydrocarbon deposits (including oil and gas) deposits form in list format.
"Beginning the Search for Natural Gas" - - Natural Gas Information and Educational Resources
Site reviews how natural gas deposits form and also how geologists search and discover these deposits. Includes color diagrams and links to further information.
"How Fossil Fuels Formed" - DOE

The History of Oil Production in the United States

United States Petroleum Production

"Economics and the 1995 National Assessment of U.S. Oil and Gas Resources" - USGS Open-File Report 95-75-M
Online fact sheet reviews the status and location of United States onshore and offshore oil and gas ressources as of 1995. Includes information about known oil and gas fields, as well as estimates of undiscovered reserves and the costs and methods associated with finding these reserves.
"A Summary of the U.S. Geological Survey 1995 National Assessment of Oil and Gas Resources" - USGS Fact Sheet
This report summarizes the findings of the 1995 National Assessment of Oil and Gas Resources, with a focus on undiscovered reserves.

Part C: Oil and Gas Resource Use in Your Community, to complete the investigation, each student group will need:

Internet access:

To view data regarding your state’s petroleum and natural gas production, consumption, and distribution, visit the Energy Information Administration State Electricity Profiles page. Profiles can be viewed in either PDF (requires Adobe Acrobat) or HTML format.

To learn more about the top oil and gas fields in the United States, visit the following web sites: