Oil and Gas Gateway

From Open Energy Information

Oil Basics

Oil, also known as petroleum or crude oil, is the preserved remains of prehistoric zooplankton and algae that settled to the bottoms of seas and lakes millions of years ago. Under anoxic conditions (meaning no oxygen was present), this organic matter combined with mud and became buried by layers of sediment. As the layers began to accumulate, they grew increasingly heavy, generating intense heat and pressure. This heat and pressure caused the zooplankton and algae to change: first forming kerogen (an organic compound that is found in various oil shales around the world), and then, with increased time, temperature and pressure, producing oil and natural gas through a process called catagenesis (a term used to describe the breaking down of complex organic molecules into simpler ones).

To recover this oil and natural gas from deep within the earth, drilling is required. Once brought to the surface, it is refined and separated, and can then be used to make many of the products we rely on today.

Oil and Gas Datasets on OpenEI

Region	Agency/Organization	Dataset	URL	Date
Alabama	Alabama Oil and Gas Board	Oil Well Records	OpenEI Dataset	2/9/11 - 3/18/11
Alaska	Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission	Drilling & Permit Records	OpenEI Dataset	February 2011
United States	United States Geological Survey	National Oil and Gas Assessment: GIS Data	OpenEI Dataset	March 26th, 1996
United States	U.S. Energy Information Administration	United States Oil and Gas Supply	OpenEI Dataset	2011

This Week in Petroleum from EIA

This Week in Petroleum (Report of 5/23/2012): TWIP includes recent analysis of current petroleum issues as well as prices and volumes of major petroleum products. [?]
West Coast Gasoline Markets: Price Relief Should be Coming Soon (5/23/2012): While the price for gasoline this year has remained below $4 per gallon for most of the country, prices on the West Coast (PADD 5) have been holding above that level since late February. Since the national average price for regular gasoline peaked this year at $3.94 per gallon on April 2, prices across the country generally have been trending downward on the back of decreasing crude oil prices, with the national average falling to $3.71 per gallon on May 21. In contrast, the average West Coast retail gasoline price remained at $4.24 per gallon on May 21, only two cents below its 2012 peak from a week earlier (Figure 1). While refinery issues have hit the West Coast particularly hard over the past few months, the imminent return of BP's Cherry Point, Washington refinery should bring lower prices to gasoline consumers in the region. .... [?]
Historical Analysis Text: Chronological list of TWIP articles. [?]

Federal Oil and Gas Statutes

This is a list of major United States Federal Oil and Gas Statutes. These have been key to shaping how the oil and gas industry operates in the United States. Any other major states can be added to this timeline.

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	Year Founded
Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Simplification and Fairness Act of 1996	2450083.51996
Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act of 1987 (FOOGLRA)	2446796.51987
Indian Mineral Development Act of 1982	2444970.51982
Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982	2444970.51982
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976	2442778.51976
Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970	2440587.51970
Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of 1947	2432186.51947
Indian Mineral Leasing Act of 1938	2428899.51938
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920	2422324.51920
General Mining Act of 1872	2411368.51890

Federal Environmental Statutes

This is a list of major United States Federal environmental statutes. These have been key to shaping how the oil and gas industry operates in the United States. Environmental statutes can be added to this timeline.

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	Year Founded
Oil Pollution Act	2447892.51990
CERCLA	2444239.51980
Safe Drinking Water Act	2442048.51974
Clean Water Act	2441317.51972
Clean Air Act	2440587.51970
National Environmental Policy Act	2440222.51969

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Hydraulic Fracturing

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Natural Gas Basics

Natural gas, commonly referred to simply as gas, consists chiefly of methane. It is frequently found with other hydrocarbon fuels such as oil, in coal beds, and as methane clathrates (ice-like solids in which a large amount of methane is trapped within a crystal structure of water). There are two main mechanisms by which the majority of natural gas forms: biogenic and thermogenic. Biogenic gas is released as a metabolic byproduct of microorganisms that live in anoxic (without oxygen) conditions, such as in bogs, landfills, marshes, and shallow sediments. Thermogenic gas is created by the decomposition of buried organic material deep within the earth at high temperatures and pressures.

Natural gas requires processing before it can be used as a fuel. The processing strips away nearly all other materials associated with the gas, leaving behind primarily methane. Byproducts removed include ethane, propane, butanes, pentanes, and higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, as well as elemental sulfur, carbon dioxide, and water. Helium and nitrogen are also sometimes present and must be removed.

Oil and Gas Companies

The oil and gas industry is the largest energy industry in the world, with companies spanning the globe. The map below depicts the top oil companies. Anyone can add another company to this list.

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United States Oil and Gas Boards

In the United States, oil and gas boards and commissions are the place for finding data related to oil and gas activities. These activities include well records, permitting, and production records. The list below covers nearly every state. You can add another state organization to this list.

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International Oil and Gas Boards

International oil and gas boards operate similarly to United States oil and gas boards and commissions. This is the place to find information and data about oil activities in a particular country. You can add oil and gas board websites to this list.

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