The Boundary Between Conventional And Unconventional Resources Essay

Approximately 17 meters thick, Unit A defines the lowest third of the Juniata Formation. Fragments of marine fossils, including bryozoans, brachiopods, and gastropods, are commonly found in the bottom-most portion of this unit of structureless mudstone and quartz arenite. Quartz grains in the sandstone beds of Unit A are typically immature and fine-grained, though the sandstone packages tend to coarsen upwards. Though typically structureless, intermittent bedding of the sandstone and shale packages is observed in this unit, and some areas display

With our observation of the Shawangunk formation, we see a sedimentary rock formation containing a range of grain size. Such sizes range from pebbles (3cm-5cm), fine-grain sand, and medium-grain sand. There is some grading towards the bottom left of the outcrop known as a reverse grading with some small cross beds present (Figure 2). The grading occurs towards a slight part of the outcrop where we see the grading beginning as fine grain sediments and working up to coarser grain. With moderate sorting we see variations of degree of sorting per bed. As the degree of sorting varies as does the sphericity. The sediment bedding is well seen ranging in sizes of +/--20 cm to 40 cm. This outcrop has thick beds as one can see the basic units with cracks in between each (Figure 3). With mostly tabular beds consisting of sub-angular, and sub-rounded sediments, this outcrop also consists of some ventricular beds (Figure 4). When looking at figure 4, we have a small space of a ventricular bed present. This is because the bed comes in, pinches thicker bedding,

There are several types of shale that are drilled in which include: Bakken shale, Barnett shale, Eagle Ford shale, Haynesville shale, Marcellus shale, and Utica shale. Bakken shale is a formation of oil deposits that can be found in parts of Montana, North Dakota, and parts of Saskatchewan which is located in Canada (“What is Fracking”). Barnett shale contains large amounts of natural gas, and sometimes oil and can be found in North Texas (“What is

When one thinks of natural resources, probably the first things that come to mind are fossil fuels. If you bring the state of Texas into the equation, you think of the big oil wells. Texas tea, black gold, swamp juice, whatever you want to call it, oil is a big part of people's perception of Texan natural resources. But there are a lot more natural resources in Texas than you might think. The natural soils make for good farming and ranching conditions, we've got great rock deposits for a variety of industrial uses, and we have a number of different mineral deposits scattered through the state. It's time we took a look at some of the many natural resources Texas has to offer.

First, we must examine the sedimentary formations; when they were formed, how they were formed, and what materials they consist of. About ninety-three to one hundred million years ago, the Western Interior Seaway rolled through the North American continent, eventually reaching the geographical area of today’s Mesa Verde National Park (National Park Service 2005). This sea deposited a thick, hard sandstone base that is called Dakota Sandstone, although this layer is not exposed in the park

Sedimentary rocks interpret dinosaur habitats through encased environmental structures of the past. Through sedimentary rocks, paleoecologists’ can examine the arranged formation of sedimentary structures to specify what type of environment the dinosaurs’ lived in. An example of a specific sedimentary rock structure can be seen through formed weathering and ripple marks by how wind and sand formed distinct patterns in the past layered sediment. These arrangements provide interpretations on the structure of the sediment and the habitat of encased fossils, through modern day comparisons

Klare argues that discovery of a natural resource, for instance, oil, result to producers seeking and exploiting the most desirable, best quality and those closest to markets. Over time, these resources become scarce, of poorer quality, harder to extract and extend into the further away area from the market hence need for discovery of other means of obtaining the resource. These means may cause several problems, which may include;

Weathering, geologic processes such as erosion, and climatic shifts allow for this immense desert ecosystem to continually evolve and change which has taken place for millions of years. This geologically wealthy environment is composed of alternating flat-lying layers of soft and hard deposits of mostly sedimentary rocks. Interchanging slopes and cliffs along the landscape helped form these layers of rock which can be seen fully exposed in areas of the mesa. Deposition of this landscape mainly occurred during the Permian, Pennsylvanian, Triassic and Jurassic time periods. The assortment of warm hues of sandstone were produced by varying levels of iron oxide minerals during formation.

The Freeman-Jewett shale formation is a strong indicator of a low-energy/quiet depositional environment. It is likely this layer was originally deposited offshore in a marine environment. This is further supported by the following Bena Gravel formation, which is emblematic of a transitional beach-type environment with pebble size sand and gravel. This coarser layer of sand and gravel overlying the silty and sandy shale could be evidence for a regressive cycle and receding sea levels. The Bena Gravel formation is eroded by Kern River Gravel which creates a disconformity in the stratigraphy. The Kern River Gravel has stream like deposits but since it cuts through the Bena Gravel Formation it is suggestive the Kern River Gravel formation has a delta depositional environment. The Terrace formation suggests a stream depositional environment. If terracing is present, it indicates a decrease in discharge over time. The next formation, Alluvium, is evidence of an alluvial fan deposition, a glacial deposition that has been reworked by meltwater, or of a dried lake bed. (Levin p.86). Regardless of which, the Alluvium formation gives away easily to mass wasting to from the landslide formation.

* Most of unconventional gas, such as shale and tight sand, is too deep in the ground to have the fluid reach aquifer.

The amount of a natural resource that a region or deposit has is classified either as a reserve or as a resource. Reserves of natural resources are the volume of natural resource that is economically and commercially exploitable with available technology. Resources are the total volume of natural resources present in the system or region, but may not be exploitable with current technology or economic evaluations. Resources may turn into reserves and reserves may turn into resources, dependent upon current market prices. (Owen, Inderwildi & King, 2010).

Environmental worldviews are how people think the world works, where they fit, and how they think ethically and morally. These views can be human centred, earth-centered or a combination of the two(Tucker and Grim, 1994).

By testing sediment and recording whether it was deposited under conditions of normal polarity and then measuring successive layers, we can build a time chart. By matching different charts from different areas with similar fossils, a more global correlation can be made.

Renewable resources are also known as alternative energy sources. Alternative Energy is any source of energy that can be renewed (Issit). Renewable Energies include hydrogen fuel, biomass fuel, hydropower, solar power, geothermic energy, and nuclear power. Hydrogen fuel is an amalgamation of hydrogen and oxygen which is used to produce electricity (Issit). Biomass fuel is made from materials which have already been used, such as compost, and can be used to generate electricity (Issit). Hydropower can be created through moving water or wind to generate electricity (Issit). Using sunlight to produce electricity is called solar power (Issit). Geothermic energy is energy made by the heat under the earth’s mantle (Issit). Nuclear power is

imagine living in a world in which there are infinite amounts of goods and resources to satisfy every human desire. People will not find need to budget their limited incomes, businesses will not worry about the cost of labor, and governments will not have reason to tax its citizens, or give importance to environmental issues. People living in this society will be equal to one another and everything would be free, like water in the ocean and sand in the desert. All prices would be zero and society will not find need for markets or financial institutions. Unfortunately we do not live in a utopia of limitless possibilities; we live in a scarce world of unlimited wants. Given unlimited wants, we must make the best use of our limited resources, a science our ancestors have developed and named economics. This study measures how societies use scarce resources to produce valuable commodities and distribute them efficiently among different people.