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“Cloaking” Buildings from Earthquake Waves
February 16, 2012 | CNET

Researchers at the University of Manchester have proposed a structure that would protect a building by making it “invisible” to seismic waves.


El Hierro Submarine Volcano Eruption Continues
February 16, 2012 | Earth Observatory

“Four months after it began, the underwater volcanic eruption off El Hierro Island persists [...] measurements of the sea floor by the Instituto Oceanográfico Español showed that the volcano’s summit is now only 120 meters beneath the ocean surface—10 meters higher than it was in mid January.


Challenges Faced by LNG Export
February 16, 2012 | Bloomberg.com

An article on the Bloomberg.com website explores how political pressures and uncertainty about the long-term availability of inexpensive shale gas may hinder the development of a liquefied natural gas export industry in the United States.


North Dakota Sets Records for Oil and Natural Gas in 2011
February 15, 2012 | Grand Forks Herald

Oil and natural gas production in North Dakota is at all-time highs, fueled by intense drilling activity in the Bakken Formation, Three Forks Formations and other rock units.


Yemen Oil and Natural Gas Summary
February 15, 2012 | Energy Information Administration

“In 2011, Yemen’s total oil production averaged about 170,000 barrels per day, down from 259,000 bbl/d estimated for 2010. Production has been declining steadily since reaching a peak of 440,000 bbl/d in 2001 due to a lack of sufficient new investment in exploration and inadequate maintenance of facilities.” Quoted from the Energy Information Administration country analysis report.


United States Energy Self-Sufficiency
February 15, 2012 | Bloomberg.com

An article on the Bloomberg.com website explores how the United States is starting to approach energy self-sufficiency with rising oil output, developing shale gas fields and growth in renewable sources.


Methane Hydrate Production Using CO2 / CH4 Exchange
February 15, 2012 | United States Department of Energy

“The goal of this project is to define, plan, and conduct a field trial of a methane hydrate production methodology whereby carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules are exchanged in situ for the methane (CH4) molecules within a hydrate structure, releasing the methane for production.” Quote from the DOE press release.


How Much Snow is on the Ground?
February 14, 2012 | National Science Foundation

Sometimes the amount of snow on the ground in a drainage basin is a measure of flood threat. At other times it is a measure of water supply opportunity. Researchers are working to find rapid and accurate ways to estimate the amount of water tied up in drainage basin snow cover.


NGWA Position on Hydraulic Fracturing
February 14, 2012 | National Ground Water Association

The National Ground Water Association has published a position paper titled: “Hydraulic Fracturing: Meeting the Nation’s Energy Needs While Protecting Groundwater Resources.”


The President’s 2013 USGS Budget Proposal
February 13, 2012 | USGS

“The President’s 2013 budget request for the U.S. Geological Survey is $1.1 billion, $34.5 million above the 2012 enacted level. The 2013 proposal reflects administrative efficiencies and research priorities to respond to nationally relevant issues, including water quantity and quality, ecosystem restoration, hydraulic fracturing, natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, and support for the National Ocean Policy.” Quoted from the USGS press release.


How Some Drillers Are Responding to Low Natural Gas Prices
February 13, 2012 | The Advocate

An article in The Advocate explores who Encana Corporation and other natural gas drillers are responding to natural gas falling nearly $10 per thousand cubic feet since 2008.


Oil and Natural Gas in the Arctic
February 13, 2012 |

The area above the Arctic Circle is underlain by sedimentary basins and continental shelves that hold enormous oil and natural gas resources. The United States Geological Survey estimates that the Arctic contains approximately 13 percent of the world’s undiscovered conventional oil resources and about 30 percent of its undiscovered conventional natural gas resources.


Geothermal Data Centers in Iceland
February 13, 2012 | UPI

A computer data center needs enormous amounts of electricity and heavy-duty air conditioning. Iceland has a great climate for obtaining free cool air and lots of geothermal electricity.


Darwin on Geology
February 13, 2012 | Scientific American

An article on the Scientific American website reviews a few of Charles Darwin’s interesting experiences with geology.


Dry Shale Gas Production Trends
February 13, 2012 | Energy Information Administration

The EIA Natural Gas Weekly Update has an interesting graph that tracks the month-by-month dry gas production growth from various shale gas fields in the United States. For example, it shows that production from the Haynesville Shale started to increase significantly in early 2009 and continued until today the Haynesville is the most prolific dry gas producer.


Natural Gas Graphing Program
February 13, 2012 | Energy Information Administration

The Energy Information Administration has a beta program that produces on-demand graphs of natural gas production, price, storage, import and export data. Make a few graphs – its free.


Mapping How Earthquakes Change a Landscape
February 12, 2012 | National Science Foundation

“Geologists have a new tool to study how earthquakes change the landscape–down to a few inches. It’s giving scientists insights into how earthquake faults behave.”


Rate of the Pacific Carbon Pump
February 12, 2012 | Hawaii.edu

An international team of scientists has documented a regular, significant and unexpected increase in the amount of particulate matter exported to the deep sea in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre that may be related to day length.


Barrick Gold’s Cortez Mine
February 12, 2012 | CNN Money

In this video, CNN Money takes you on a short visit to Barrick Gold’s Cortez Mine near Elko, Nevada.


Black Smokers on Land
February 10, 2012 | Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin

Scientists have discovered a new type of hot spring along the banks of a volcanic lake in the Philippines. These “terrestrial smokers” are cousins to submarine black smokers, hydrothermal vents on the seafloor that spew plumes of hot, nutrient-rich water and often support rich communities of life.


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