Chemistry of Burning Activity Source: The University of Texas at Austin Bureau of Economic Geology. Provided by Association of American State Geologists. Adapted with permission. Why is CO2 increasing in the atmosphere? Who is doing it? Many people think that CO2 is “pollution,” so that clean burning should be a way to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. In this demonstration, we review basic chemistry (see illustration) to realize that producing CO2 is an inevitable product of burning any fossil fuel. [Read More]

Drill Site Dilemma Activity Source: Consortium for Ocean Leadership. Adapted with permission. For teacher: The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) is an international research program that explores the history and structure of Earth as recorded in seafloor sediments and rocks. It seeks to expand the reach of several previous programs by a collaborative union between the United States, Japan, and the European Union. The JOIDES Resolution is the research vessel that is operated by the United States. [Read More]

Energy and Population Activity Source: The NEED Project. Adapted with permission. Just as your GPS helps you make sure you’re getting from point “a” to point “b” correctly, maps help scientists draw important conclusions and visualize important concepts they study. The right map can help a petroleum engineer find the best drilling site, or help a meteorologist make the best prediction. This interactive mapping activity will help you understand the relationship between the population of a given state and the amount of energy consumed there. [Read More]

Energy Consumption and CO2: Analyzing Trends Activity Source: Earth Science Information Partners Grade Levels: 6-12 Background Human beings rely on energy. We heat and cool our homes, move ourselves from place to place, transport supplies overseas, land, and through air, and produce the things we need to live and work around the world. The sources of energy we use (e.g. fossil fuels, renewables, nuclear) play a key role in how CO2 emissions change over time. [Read More]

Exploring Energy with GIS Activity Source: ESRI. Adapted with permission. Locating crucial energy resources involves examining phenomena under, on, and above Earth’s surface. Some of these phenomena change frequently, such as winds. Others, such as oil and coal deposits, are products of long series of geologic processes. Yet all are geographic in nature — they occur in specific places for specific reasons. To determine the best regions to explore for new natural gas deposits, to determine the ideal places for wind farms, or to locate the best rooftops for solar panels in a city, Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and methods are vital. [Read More]

Exploring for Petroleum - Modeling an Oil Reserve Activity Source: Adapted from “Earth System Science in the Community,” American Geosciences Institute, 2005 Background Since 1970, oil and natural gas have provided more than half of the energy used each year in the United States to produce electricity, heat, transportation fuels, and many everyday products from balloons to vitamins. Oil and natural gas are forms of petroleum, a word that literally means “oily rock. [Read More]

Exploring Low-Temperature Geothermal Energy Activity Source: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Background Geothermal energy harnesses Earth’s internal heat to generate power. Typically, it involves tapping into high-temperature reservoirs of hot water deep beneath Earth’s surface. However, as the demand for clean energy grows, researchers are developing innovative techniques to access common low-temperature geothermal sources found closer to Earth’s surface. New technologies broaden the geographic reach of geothermal energy, making it a more accessible and sustainable energy option. [Read More]

Exploring Porosity Activity Source: The NEED Project. Adapted with permission. Earth scientists play a vital role in harvesting the energy resources on which we all rely. When preparing to drill for oil, for example, geoscientists must assess many aspects of a rock stratum (layer). For example, they must figure out the volume of the rock’s pores, or empty spaces, as compared with the rock’s total volume. This is called the rock’s porosity. [Read More]

Geoscience and Petroleum Careers Activity Source: SEED (SLB Excellence in Educational Development). Adapted with permission. What adventures await you as a student of the Earth sciences? How about a career as a scientist or engineer working for the world’s largest oilfield services company? SLB employees invent, design, engineer, and apply technologies to help customers find and produce oil and gas more efficiently and safely — often in remote and challenging locations. [Read More]

Geothermal Exchange Activity Source: The Geological Society of America Grade Levels: 6-10 Background If you were to dig a few feet into the ground, you would find that the temperature remains relatively constant, even on the hottest and coldest days of the year. People have learned how to harness the heat underground— called geothermal energy— to heat and cool homes. In this activity, you will model a geothermal exchange system to show how heat can be transferred to help control the temperature in buildings and homes. [Read More]