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Unconventional Energy Resources: 2007–2008 Review

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Abstract

This paper summarizes five 2007–2008 resource commodity committee reports prepared by the Energy Minerals Division (EMD) of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Current United States and global research and development activities related to gas hydrates, gas shales, geothermal resources, oil sands, and uranium resources are included in this review. These commodity reports were written to advise EMD leadership and membership of the current status of research and development of unconventional energy resources. Unconventional energy resources are defined as those resources other than conventional oil and natural gas that typically occur in sandstone and carbonate rocks. Gas hydrate resources are potentially enormous; however, production technologies are still under development. Gas shale, geothermal, oil sand, and uranium resources are now increasing targets of exploration and development, and are rapidly becoming important energy resources that will continue to be developed in the future.

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Notes

  1. U.S. Geological Survey, 956 National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, REston, VA 20192, USA,

  2. To whom correspondence should be addressed; e-mail: pwarwick@usgs.gov

  3. Geoscience Integrations, Missoula, MT 59806, USA.

  4. Hydrate Energy International, Kenner, LA 70065, USA.

  5. Oklahoma Geological Survey, Norman, OK 73019, USA.

  6. West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, Morgantown, WV 26508, USA.

  7. Bowker Petroleum LLC, The Woodlands, TX 77393, USA.

  8. Geological Survey of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84114, USA.

  9. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, USA.

  10. Petro-Canada, Calgary, AB T2P 3E3, Canada.

  11. Geological Survey of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84114, USA.

  12. Geological Survey of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84114, USA.

  13. Geothermal consultant, Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076, USA.

  14. Energy Resources Conservation Board, Calgary, AB T2P 3G4, Canada.

  15. M.D. Campbell and Associates, L.P., Houston, TX 77019, USA.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank two anonymous reviewers. Their comments greatly improved the quality of the paper.

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    American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Energy Minerals Division. Unconventional Energy Resources: 2007–2008 Review. Nat Resour Res 18, 65–83 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-009-9094-0

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