Category: Oil and Gas

Columns of salt that intrude through overlying sediment units. Middle Jurassic salt: This cross-section shows rocks of the East Texas Basin between the Oklahoma-Texas border (on the left) and the Gulf of Mexico coastline (on the right). The purple rock unit is the Middle Jurassic salt, a rock unit that has the ability to flow under pressure.

The geographic distribution of drilling sites can be mapped from space using Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite data from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite. These images were produced by NASA using data acquired in April and October 2012. Article by: Hobart M. King, Ph.D.

Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have made the Eagle Ford and several associated rock units one of the most prolific oil-producing targets in the United States. Article by: Hobart M. King, Ph.D., RPG Eagle Ford Shale: This is a "night lights" image of southeast Texas from NASA's Suomi satellite.

This special sand is one of the keys to producing oil and natural gas from tight shale formations Article by: Hobart M. King, Ph.D., RPG Frac sand: Close-up view of frac sand (on the right) and a typical sand of similar grain size (on the left). Notice how the frac sand has a more uniform grain size, nicely rounded grain shapes, and a uniform composition.

An efficient way to transport natural gas where pipelines are not available Article by: Hobart M. King, Ph.D., RPG LNG terminals: Cartoon of LNG liquefaction and regasification terminals. At the liquefaction terminal (left) natural gas is received by pipeline from a well field, liquefied, stored and loaded onto LNG carrier ships.

The world's largest natural gas resource is trapped beneath permafrost and ocean sediments. Article by: Hobart M. King, Ph.D., RPG Methane hydrate: On the left is a ball-and-stick model of methane hydrate showing the central methane molecule surrounded by a "cage" of water molecules. Other hydrocarbon molecules such as pentane and ethane can occupy the central position in this structure.

Prices change over time and by location in response to supply, demand, and other factors. Article by: Hobart M. King, Ph.D., RPG Average Residential Natural Gas Price By State Natural gas price map: The price of natural gas is not uniform across the United States. Instead, the price is determined by supply, demand, proximity to production, regulatory environments, and the cost of natural gas that is flowing in the local distribution system.

How much should you be paid for your gas? This calculator can be used to produce an estimate of your expected monthy income from a natural gas well, assuming that you can at least guess at the average well yield in millions of cubic feet per day. Keep in mind that this is merely an estimate, and you could be paid a lot more money or a lot less.

Article by: Hobart M. King, Ph.D., RPG History of energy use: This graph illustrates the history of energy use in the United States between 1775 and 2009. It traces the quantity of energy consumed in the form of wood, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydroelectric power and nuclear in quadrillions of BTU.

Article by: Hobart M. King, Ph.D., RPG Largest oil spills map: This map shows the location of eleven of the world's largest oil spills. The colored squares indicate the source of the spill - war (red), a well on land (green), a well in the ocean (blue) or a ship (black). Map copyright by .

Also known as "tar sands" - much of the world's fossil fuel resource is locked in these deposits Article by: Hobart M. King, Ph.D., RPG Oil sand: Tar sands specimen close-up photo. From Asphalt Ridge near Vernal, Utah. Image by Argonne National Laboratory. What are Oil Sands? Oil sands, also known as "tar sands," are sediments or sedimentary rocks composed of sand, clay minerals, water, and bitumen.

Natural gas is an important fuel and a raw material in manufacturing. Article by: Hobart M. King, Ph.D., RPG End Use of Natural Gas in the United States: Electric power generation, industry, residences and commercial buildings were the major natural gas consuming sectors in the United States during calendar year 2013.

Republished from An Initial Assessment of 14 Regions outside of the United States by the Energy Information Administration Shale Gas Well: The use of horizontal drilling in conjunction with hydraulic fracturing has greatly expanded the ability of producers to profitably produce natural gas from low-permeability geologic formations, particularly shale formations.

Guar beans: Left: guar bean cluster, public domain image created by R. Loganathan. Right: guar beans, photograph by Tracey Slotta, United States Department of Agriculture, ARS Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory. A Bean that Turns Water into Gel Powder made from the bean of a relatively unknown plant grown in India and Pakistan can quickly turn water into a very thick gel.

Republished from a December, 2010 "Energy in Brief" by the Energy Information Administration Map of Shale Gas Plays in the Lower 48 States Map of the major shale gas plays in the lower 48 states, including the sedimentary basins which contain them. Click for a larger view. What Is Shale Gas and Why Is It Important?