Challenge of Exploration for Natural Gas: ABSTRACT

Abstract

During the year 1959, more than 11.44 trillion cubic feet of natural gas was marketed in the United States. This is equivalent in energy on a British Thermal basis to approximately 5,300,000 barrels of oil daily. More than six times as much natural gas will be delivered to consumers in 1960 than was delivered in 1935. The current oil production in the United States is approximately 6,800,000 barrels daily. The impact of this tremendous growth of natural-gas consumption on the market for crude oil is obvious. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists published a symposium, Geology of Gas, in 1935. During the 25 intervening years, gas transmission systems have been constructed to all of the heavily populated areas in the United States. Consumers have recognized natural gas as a premium source of energy, not only because of its ease of handling and its cleanliness, but because natural gas is so grossly underpriced when compared with other sources of energy. The executive committee of A.A.P.G., recognizing the importance of natural gas, has authorized a new multi-volume symposium, Natural Gases of North America, now in preparation. This massive authoritative work will be by far the most comprehensive documentation of all of the facets of the natural-gas industry which has e er been attempted. The greatest source of natural gas in the past has been the so-called Appalachian geosyncline province. For the immediate future, Tertiary rocks of the Gulf Coast embayment will continue to be major sources of natural gas. However, as the reserves of the Permian basin of West Texas and the immense Hugoton-Panhandle field of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas are depleted, it appears that the huge intermountain basins of the Rocky Mountain area will become increasingly important as sources of natural gas. Recent discoveries in Tertiary and upper Cretaceous strata in this immense, relatively End_Page 419------------------------------ unexplored area suggest a shift in major sources of supply. Thus in the future, the Tertiary Gulf Coast embayment and the Rocky Mountain area will be the major source of new gas reserves in the United States, excluding Alaska. The importance of Alaska, this great new frontier, as a source of natural gas can not be predicted at this time, but tremendous physical obstacles, both in exploration and transmission must be surmounted before Alaska can be exploited for the benefit of our ever increasing demands. Vast untapped reserves exist in both Canada and Mexico, but only a small fraction of these reserves will be available to consumers in the United States. The ever increasing demand in our own country must depend on new discoveries within the contiguous 48 states of our country. The geologist responsible for discovering the necessary reserves to satiate an ever increasing demand faces a unique and unprecedented challenge. Not only must he deal with and understand the problems and risks inherent in all exploration, but he is beset by the series of confusing and contradictory economic conditions which often appear to defy solution. End_of_Article - Last_Page 420------------