“Stalagmites are the ice cores of the tropics,” says Jess Adkins, professor [...] at the California Institute of Technology. He and Kim Cobb of the Georgia Institute of Technology led a team that collected samples from stalagmites in caves in northern Borneo and measured their levels of oxygen isotopes to reconstruct a history of the tropical West Pacific’s climate over four glacial cycles during the late Pleistocene era.
“A new study, funded by the National Science Foundation, shows that the residents of [the Sumatra] region are at risk from yet another potentially deadly natural phenomenon – major volcanic eruptions.” Quoted from the Oregon State press release.
USGS is working on a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide. Their publication: Geologic Framework for the National Assessment of Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources─Bighorn Basin, Wyoming and Montana is part of that effort.
“Last year, images from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured sand dunes and ripples moving across the surface of Mars — observations that challenged previously held beliefs that there was not a lot of movement on the red planet’s surface. Now, technology developed by a team at the California Institute of Technology has allowed scientists to measure these activities for the very first time.” Quoted from the Caltech press release.
“NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope has detected light emanating from a “super-Earth” planet beyond our solar system for the first time. While the planet is not habitable, the detection is a historic step toward the eventual search for signs of life on other planets.” Quoted from the NASA press release.
Researchers monitored the response of wildlife and plants in parts of New Mexico where there is significant human activity and noise related to natural gas production.
The Oil On My Shoes website provides an introduction to petroleum geology and information about career opportunities in the oil and gas industry. Check it out.
“The Ouarkziz Impact Crater is located in northwestern Algeria, close to the border with Morocco. The crater was formed by a meteor impact less than 70 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era, or Age of Dinosaurs.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.
Four geologic provinces along the east coast of Africa recently were assessed for undiscovered, technically recoverable oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids resources as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) World Oil and Gas Assessment. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the USGS estimated mean volumes of 27.6 billion barrels of oil, 441.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 13.77 billion barrels of natural gas liquids.
The Energy Information Administration expects electricity generation from coal to decline by about 15 percent in 2012 as generation from natural gas increases by about 24 percent.
A massive sunspot cluster over 60,000 miles across has been identified on the sun’s surface. Sunspots sometimes erupt into solar flares that emit high-energy radiation.
Science on MSNBC.com has an article that explains some of the impacts of the 2010 Magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck off the cost of Chile. The earthquake made significant changes to the intertidal environment.
Power companies are using record amounts of natural gas to produce electricity. In February 2012, 34% more gas was used than in February 2011. Even with that level of use, natural gas prices remain low.
An AP article reports that drillers produced about $4.7 billion worth of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania and West Virginia during 2011.
USGS has published: “Lineament Analysis of Mineral Areas of Interest in Afghanistan“. The report provides lineament maps that identify areas that warrant further investigation for optimal bedrock water-well placement within 24 target areas for mineral resources. The data may also support the identification of faults related to modern seismic hazards and support studies attempting to understand the relationship between tectonic and structural controls on hydrothermal fluid flow, subsequent mineralization, and water-quality issues near mined and unmined mineral deposits.
In the late 16th century over 100 English colonists vanished without a trace from what was hoped to become a permanent English settlement in present-day North Carolina. The use of technology to examine a 16th century map may have revealed clues of their fate.
“In March, the US, European Union, and Japan formally requested that the World Trade Organization (WTO) launch an investigation into China’s rare earth export policy.” Quoted from the Rare Earth Investing News.
Numerous landslides have plagued a project to straighten a section of Oregon’s Highway 20 through a part of the Coast Range that receives over 100 inches of rain per year. Landslide damage will force the state to demolish four new bridges.
The Nevada Geodetic Laboratory has a map showing the displacement of Earth’s surface as measured by GPS stations during the March 11, 2011 Sendai M9.0 Earthquake. “Japan’s coastline has moved up to 5 meters (>16 feet), and the location of the North Pole has been estimated to have moved about 10 cm (4 inches).” Quote from the NGL blog post.
Every person uses products made from minerals every day. Salt, antacid tablets, pencils, cell phones, jewelry, glass, paint, shingles fertilizer, vehicles, highways, buildings and much more are made from minerals.
“Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated volumes of undiscovered, technically recoverable, conventional petroleum resources for the North Sakhalin Basin Province of Russia. The mean volumes were estimated at 5.3 billion barrels of crude oil, 43.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 0.8 billion barrels of natural gas liquids.”
The leading states for natural gas production during 2011 were: Texas, Louisiana, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Together they produced 65% of US natural gas.
Start planning now to submit an application for the GeoCorps Program. Applications are due on July 2, 2012. Consult with your academic advisor on how a GeoCorps experience might contribute to your educational program.
“This brief report, drawing from a multi-year effort by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), examines recent trends in March-June, June-September, and March-September rainfall and temperature, identifying significant reductions in rainfall and increases in temperature over time in many areas of Ethiopia.” Quoted from the USGS Fact Sheet.
Natural gas from shale currently costs half as much as coal per BTU. Producing electricity with natural gas from shale is more efficient than coal. Natural gas from shale produces less CO2 than coal when it is used to generate electricity. What’s the problem?
An article on the MSNBC website explores the possible threats presented by activity at Mexico’s Popocatepetl Volcano. At the top of the list are lahars, speedy flows of water, mud, ash, rocks, plants and other debris that flow down the flanks of the volcano.
Travis Gibson tells about his experience working in the Student Career Experience Program with the USGS Utah Water Science Center and then taking a full time job as a hydrologic technician. Here’s a quote from Travis: ” I loved getting paid to ride in a helicopter and wade in streams in beautiful locations!”
Civilian nuclear power plant owners in the United States purchased 55 million pounds U3O8e in 2011 at an average price of $55.64 per pound U3O8e. Foreign-origin uranium accounted for 91% of the purchases and was sourced mainly from Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Brazil, China, Malawi, Namibia, Niger, South Africa, and Ukraine. Prices were up sharply.
In their Natural Gas Weekly Update, the Energy Information Administration reports that “the natural gas rotary rig count, as reported by Baker Hughes Incorporated on April 27, decreased by 18 to 613 active units. Meanwhile, oil-directed rigs decreased by 9 to 1,328 units.” Rig counts are approaching their lowest levels since the shale gas boom began.
“The South Africa Coastal Province along the South Africa coast recently was assessed for undiscovered, technically recoverable oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids resources as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s World Oil and Gas Assessment. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the USGS estimated mean volumes of 2.13 billion barrels of oil, 35.96 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 1,115 million barrels of natural gas liquids.”
Royal Dutch Shell’s Chief Financial Officer, Simon Henry, reports that Chinese gas shales can be more challenging than shales in the United States, however, they can produce gas at well below the liquefied natural gas import price.
Chesapeake Energy has ten rigs focusing on the wet gas window of the Utica Shale in Ohio. “On a post-processing basis, peak rates from the wet gas window of the play have averaged approximately 415 bbls of oil, 260 bbls of NGL and 3.9 mmcf of natural gas per day, or approximately 1,325 boe per day.’ In their first quarter summary they report details on several Utica wells.
PBS NewsHour examines the challenge of teaching climate change in K-12 schools. In this blog post several teachers share their perspective and approach.
“Although most Caribbean countries are energy importers, the Caribbean has important centers for oil refining and storage, and Trinidad and Tobago is one of the largest LNG exporters in the world.” Quote from the Energy Information Administration country analysis brief.
“Peru is currently a net oil importer and a natural gas exporter, but rising exploration and development may lead to increased production and exports of both oil and gas in the next few years.” Quoted from the Energy Information Administration country analysis brief.
On Saturday the distance between the Moon and the Earth will be at a minimum at about 11:35 PM as the Moon makes its elliptical orbit around the earth. The moon will appear bigger and brighter than normal.
Several major natural gas drillers have developed a set of standards for hydraulic fracturing in the Appalachian Basin. The standards recommend practices for drilling, well design, water use, equipment use and public outreach.
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