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Finding oil in the sea

Journal Article · · Offshore; (United States)
OSTI ID:5002377
The results are reviewed of extensive studies of the petroleum resources of the immediate off shore, those that underlie the continental shelves. Depending on the geologic factors, oil occurrence varies from less than 1,000 to millions of barrels per cubic mile of sediment. Based on the fundamentals, many estimates have been made over the past 30 yr. The most recent worldwide study included the off shore to 1,000 ft of water depth. This worldwide offshore area is 10.8 million sq miles. Of this, 37%, or 6.2 million sq miles, is sedimentary basin, where petroleum possibilities can be considered favorable. Offshore developments around the world are illustrated by a base map showing the continental shelf areas. Of the 6.2 million sq miles of world offshore basin area, roughly 70% is considered commercially sub-marginal as a source of petroleum. This leaves as commercially attractive 30% of the total offshore basin area, or 17% of the total area of the world's shelves. Tabular data show the conservative estimates of alternate potential offshore petroleum resources. A brief review of worldwide developments of significant interest concerning many of the offshore areas is given.
OSTI ID:
5002377
Journal Information:
Offshore; (United States), Journal Name: Offshore; (United States) Vol. 30:7; ISSN OFSHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
42 ENGINEERING
423000 -- Engineering-- Marine Engineering-- (1980-)
AFRICA
ALASKA
ASIA
ATLANTIC OCEAN
AUSTRALASIA
AUSTRALIA
CALIFORNIA
CENTRAL AMERICA
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
CONTINENTAL SHELF
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DRILLING
EASTERN EUROPE
ECONOMICS
ECUADOR
ENERGY SOURCES
EUROPE
FEDERAL REGION IX
FEDERAL REGION X
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
INDONESIA
ISLANDS
JAPAN
LATIN AMERICA
MIDDLE EAST
NEW ZEALAND
NIGERIA
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH SEA
OFFSHORE DRILLING
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL
SEAS
SEDIMENTS
SOUTH AMERICA
SURFACE WATERS
USA
USSR
VENEZUELA
WELLS