Geologic Secrets Revealed

Geologic Secrets Revealed MMS U. S. Department of the Interior The New Millennium in the Gulf of Mexico MMS Science Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico ocS Region Deciphering Millions of Years of Deposition Hydrocarbons: the Search for Buried Treasure The Mississippi River has served as the major drainage basin for North America for millions of years, depositing layers upon layers of sediment. When they die, millions of tiny organisms such as nannoplankton and foraminifera can become trapped and buried in this sediment and become fossils. Geoscientists use these fossils to describe the original depositional environment, water depth, and when the sediment was deposited in geologic time. Oil and gas are known as "hydrocarbons" because their molecules are made of hydrogen and organic carbon. Hydrocarbons form when organic matter settles to the seafloor and becomes buried. After it is buried, heat and pressure cause it to break down, forming oil and gas. The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is the most prolific hydrocarbon basin in North America and provides a significant source of Federal revenue. Light Texas Crude South Texas Heavy Texas Crude Southwest Texas A basic geologic principle tells us that the older layers, or "strata," are found below younger layers. From this principle, we can determine the "relative age" of a fossil: a fossil found in deeply buried sediments is relatively older than a fossil found above it. Sophisticated dating techniques can tell us the "absolute age" of a fossil. For example, the fossil Globorotalia psedomiocenica became extinct 2.2 million years younger When oil is first extracted, it is referred to as "crude." These crude oils con look very different, depending upon where they are found. 100 microns = 0.1 mm water 5 microns 0005 mm Not all rocks are completely solid. Some rock units, like sandstones and limestones, contain spaces between the grains. The spaces, or "pores," are filled with fluids. Rock units that contain oil and gas are called "reservoir rocks." Nature separates the fluids by density. Gas, the lightest, floats on oil, which floats on water, the heaviest. Hydrocarbons move upward, or migrate, through the rock until they hit a barrier, such as impermeable rocks (like shales), salt bodies, or sometimes faults. These barriers are called "traps" because hydrocarbons are trapped against them, allowing oil and gas to collect: older 100 microns = 0.1 mm ago. Gas Hydrates: Future Energy on the Ocean Floor Methane gas and water can form frozen crystals deep on the ocean floor. These crystals are called gas hydrates and form under great pressures and cold temperatures. When these crystals mix with seafloor sediment, they can form thick, solid layers or mounds. How Do We Know Where to Explore? 3 miles plunes in witer colunn The first discoveries in the Gulf occurred around salt domes. seafleer Salt Salt Geoscientists use sound waves (seismic energy) to image the subsurface. Sound bounces off the many strata, allowing geoscientists to create maps and models of the layers below the earth's surface. Hydrate occumiulation medified efter Miov and Sessen (200z) Geologists travel the world to study rock outcrops to compare to the present-day GOM. This desert in the Guadalupe Mountains was once deep underwater during the Permian period (250 million years ago). Fieldwork all over the world enables geoscientists to examine rocks similar to those reservoir rocks now buried deep in the GOM. Here, a thin layer of sediment covers a huge salt canopy. Salt usually obscures a geoscientist's view of the geology below it, but recent advances in seismic data processing have enhanced oil and gas exploration and have made prospecting in these previously unknown areas more successful. Natural seeps are often visible owing to their release of hydrocarbons into the water column. MMS is conducting Engineers have not yet figured out how to transport safely a mapping project of the entire Gulf Exposed Hydrate Mound with Johnson Sea Link Submersible in Background this very unstable gas from the seafloor to the surface. to locate the hydrates. Deepwater & Deep Underground: A Technologic Challenge Gulf of Mexico Milestones In the GOM, "deepwater" is defined as water depths greater than 1,000 feet - and that is where some of the largest oil and gas fields are located. New computer imaging suggests potentially huge hydrocarbon reserves may be trapped deep underground. By combining the latest technology from geoscience and engineering, explorationists hope to reap the economic benefits of drilling to extreme depths and working in deepwater areas. Many of the deepwater prospects have been named by their discoverers. For example, one of the largest. Thunder Horse, was discovered in 1999. Other field nomes include Mad Dog. Popeye, Poseidon, and Metallica. 7Future Deepweter Shellow Water 2003 1975 Engineers have designed huge structures that enable geoscientists to explore in deeper and deeper water. Up to 120 people can live and work on the largest offshor structures. Computers allow us to process huge volumes of data in three dimensions. 3-D seismic data have been collected in progressively deeper waters since 1992, The geoscientists at MMS analyze over 7 terabytes of seismic data covering nearly the entire Gulf of Mexico. 20 Nansen Spar The development of the GOM has been driven by technology. As science has progressed, we have been able to drill deeper into the earth, farther from shore, and in greater water depths. Although some of our largest prospects may be in these hard-to-reach places, fewer than 2% of the over 42,000 wells in the GOM extend to greater than 18,000 feet below the surface. Fewer than 8% of all wells are located in deepwater. As the computer generation moves into exploration, they will meet the challenges of this expanding frontier with fresh ideas and innovations. 3 miles Holstein Spar For copies of this poster cal 1-800-200-GULF Intemet Site WWW.MMS GOV Geologic Secrets Revealed MMS U. S. Department of the Interior The New Millennium in the Gulf of Mexico MMS Science Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico ocS Region Deciphering Millions of Years of Deposition Hydrocarbons: the Search for Buried Treasure The Mississippi River has served as the major drainage basin for North America for millions of years, depositing layers upon layers of sediment. When they die, millions of tiny organisms such as nannoplankton and foraminifera can become trapped and buried in this sediment and become fossils. Geoscientists use these fossils to describe the original depositional environment, water depth, and when the sediment was deposited in geologic time. Oil and gas are known as "hydrocarbons" because their molecules are made of hydrogen and organic carbon. Hydrocarbons form when organic matter settles to the seafloor and becomes buried. After it is buried, heat and pressure cause it to break down, forming oil and gas. The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is the most prolific hydrocarbon basin in North America and provides a significant source of Federal revenue. Light Texas Crude South Texas Heavy Texas Crude Southwest Texas A basic geologic principle tells us that the older layers, or "strata," younger are found below younger layers. From this principle, we can determine the "relative age" of a fossil: a fossil found in deeply buried sediments is relatively older than a fossil found above it. Sophisticated dating techniques can tell us the "absolute age" of a fossil. For example, the fossil Globorotalia psedomiocenica became extinct 2.2 million years When oil is first extracted, it is referred to as "crude." These crude oils con look very different, depending upon where they are found. 100 microns = 0.1 mm water 5 microns 0005 mm Not all rocks are completely solid. Some rock units, like sandstones and limestones, contain spaces between the grains. The spaces, or "pores," are filled with fluids. Rock units that contain oil and gas are called "reservoir rocks." Nature separates the fluids by density. Gas, the lightest, floats on oil, which floats on water, the heaviest. Hydrocarbons move upward, or migrate, through the rock until they hit a barrier, such as impermeable rocks (like shales), salt bodies, or sometimes faults. These barriers are called "traps" because hydrocarbons are trapped against them, allowing oil and gas to collect: older 100 microns = 0.1 mm ago. Gas Hydrates: Future Energy on the Ocean Floor Methane gas and water can form frozen crystals deep on the ocean floor. These crystals are called gas hydrates and form under great pressures and cold temperatures. When these crystals mix with seafloor sediment, they can form thick, solid layers or mounds. How Do We Know Where to Explore? 3 miles plunes in witer colunn The first discoveries in the Gulf occurred around salt domes. seafleer Salt Salt Geoscientists use sound waves (seismic energy) to image the subsurface. Sound bounces off the many strata, allowing geoscientists to create maps and models of the layers below the earth's surface. Hydrate occumiulation medified efter Miov and Sessen (200z) Geologists travel the world to study rock outcrops to compare to the present-day GOM. This desert in the Guadalupe Mountains was once deep underwater during the Permian period (250 million years ago). Fieldwork all over the world enables geoscientists to examine rocks similar to those reservoir rocks now buried deep in the GOM. Here, a thin layer of sediment covers a huge salt canopy. Salt usually obscures a geoscientist's view of the geology below it, but recent advances in seismic data processing have enhanced oil and gas exploration and have made prospecting in these previously unknown areas more successful. Natural seeps are often visible owing to their release of hydrocarbons into the water column. MMS is conducting Engineers have not yet figured out how to transport safely a mapping project of the entire Gulf Exposed Hydrate Mound with Johnson Sea Link Submersible in Background this very unstable gas from the seafloor to the surface. to locate the hydrates. Deepwater & Deep Underground: A Technologic Challenge Gulf of Mexico Milestones In the GOM, "deepwater" is defined as water depths greater than 1,000 feet - and that is where some of the largest oil and gas fields are located. New computer imaging suggests potentially huge hydrocarbon reserves may be trapped deep underground. By combining the latest technology from geoscience and engineering, explorationists hope to reap the economic benefits of drilling to extreme depths and working in deepwater areas. Many of the deepwater prospects have been named by their discoverers. For example, one of the largest. Thunder Horse, was discovered in 1999. Other field nomes include Mad Dog. Popeye, Poseidon, and Metallica. 7Future Deepweter Shellow Water 2003 1975 47t O y Engineers have designed huge structures that enable geoscientists to explore in deeper and deeper water. Up to 120 people can live and work on the largest offshor structures. Computers allow us to process huge volumes of data in three dimensions. 3-D seismic data have been collected in progressively deeper waters since 1992, The geoscientists at MMS analyze over 7 terabytes of seismic data covering nearly the entire Gulf of Mexico. 20 Nansen Spar The development of the GOM has been driven by technology. As science has progressed, we have been able to drill deeper into the earth, farther from shore, and in greater water depths. Although some of our largest prospects may be in these hard-to-reach places, fewer than 2% of the over 42,000 wells in the GOM extend to greater than 18,000 feet below the surface. Fewer than 8% of all wells are located in deepwater. As the computer generation moves into exploration, they will meet the challenges of this expanding frontier with fresh ideas and innovations. 3 miles Holstein Spar For copies of this poster cal 1-800-200-GULF Intemet Site WWW.MMS GOV Geologic Secrets Revealed MMS U. S. Department of the Interior The New Millennium in the Gulf of Mexico MMS Science Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico ocS Region Deciphering Millions of Years of Deposition Hydrocarbons: the Search for Buried Treasure The Mississippi River has served as the major drainage basin for North America for millions of years, depositing layers upon layers of sediment. When they die, millions of tiny organisms such as nannoplankton and foraminifera can become trapped and buried in this sediment and become fossils. Geoscientists use these fossils to describe the original depositional environment, water depth, and when the sediment was deposited in geologic time. Oil and gas are known as "hydrocarbons" because their molecules are made of hydrogen and organic carbon. Hydrocarbons form when organic matter settles to the seafloor and becomes buried. After it is buried, heat and pressure cause it to break down, forming oil and gas. The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is the most prolific hydrocarbon basin in North America and provides a significant source of Federal revenue. Light Texas Crude South Texas Heavy Texas Crude Southwest Texas A basic geologic principle tells us that the older layers, or "strata," younger are found below younger layers. From this principle, we can determine the "relative age" of a fossil: a fossil found in deeply buried sediments is relatively older than a fossil found above it. Sophisticated dating techniques can tell us the "absolute age" of a fossil. For example, the fossil Globorotalia psedomiocenica became extinct 2.2 million years When oil is first extracted, it is referred to as "crude." These crude oils con look very different, depending upon where they are found. 100 microns = 0.1 mm water 5 microns 0005 mm Not all rocks are completely solid. Some rock units, like sandstones and limestones, contain spaces between the grains. The spaces, or "pores," are filled with fluids. Rock units that contain oil and gas are called "reservoir rocks." Nature separates the fluids by density. Gas, the lightest, floats on oil, which floats on water, the heaviest. Hydrocarbons move upward, or migrate, through the rock until they hit a barrier, such as impermeable rocks (like shales), salt bodies, or sometimes faults. These barriers are called "traps" because hydrocarbons are trapped against them, allowing oil and gas to collect: older 100 microns = 0.1 mm ago. Gas Hydrates: Future Energy on the Ocean Floor Methane gas and water can form frozen crystals deep on the ocean floor. These crystals are called gas hydrates and form under great pressures and cold temperatures. When these crystals mix with seafloor sediment, they can form thick, solid layers or mounds. How Do We Know Where to Explore? 3 miles plunes in witer colunn The first discoveries in the Gulf occurred around salt domes. seafleer Salt Salt Geoscientists use sound waves (seismic energy) to image the subsurface. Sound bounces off the many strata, allowing geoscientists to create maps and models of the layers below the earth's surface. Hydrate occumiulation medified efter Miov and Sessen (200z) Geologists travel the world to study rock outcrops to compare to the present-day GOM. This desert in the Guadalupe Mountains was once deep underwater during the Permian period (250 million years ago). Fieldwork all over the world enables geoscientists to examine rocks similar to those reservoir rocks now buried deep in the GOM. Here, a thin layer of sediment covers a huge salt canopy. Salt usually obscures a geoscientist's view of the geology below it, but recent advances in seismic data processing have enhanced oil and gas exploration and have made prospecting in these previously unknown areas more successful. Natural seeps are often visible owing to their release of hydrocarbons into the water column. MMS is conducting Engineers have not yet figured out how to transport safely a mapping project of the entire Gulf Exposed Hydrate Mound with Johnson Sea Link Submersible in Background this very unstable gas from the seafloor to the surface. to locate the hydrates. Deepwater & Deep Underground: A Technologic Challenge Gulf of Mexico Milestones In the GOM, "deepwater" is defined as water depths greater than 1,000 feet - and that is where some of the largest oil and gas fields are located. New computer imaging suggests potentially huge hydrocarbon reserves may be trapped deep underground. By combining the latest technology from geoscience and engineering, explorationists hope to reap the economic benefits of drilling to extreme depths and working in deepwater areas. Many of the deepwater prospects have been named by their discoverers. For example, one of the largest. Thunder Horse, was discovered in 1999. Other field nomes include Mad Dog. Popeye, Poseidon, and Metallica. 7Future Deepweter Shellow Water 2003 1975 47t O y Engineers have designed huge structures that enable geoscientists to explore in deeper and deeper water. Up to 120 people can live and work on the largest offshor structures. Computers allow us to process huge volumes of data in three dimensions. 3-D seismic data have been collected in progressively deeper waters since 1992, The geoscientists at MMS analyze over 7 terabytes of seismic data covering nearly the entire Gulf of Mexico. 20 Nansen Spar The development of the GOM has been driven by technology. As science has progressed, we have been able to drill deeper into the earth, farther from shore, and in greater water depths. Although some of our largest prospects may be in these hard-to-reach places, fewer than 2% of the over 42,000 wells in the GOM extend to greater than 18,000 feet below the surface. Fewer than 8% of all wells are located in deepwater. As the computer generation moves into exploration, they will meet the challenges of this expanding frontier with fresh ideas and innovations. 3 miles Holstein Spar For copies of this poster cal 1-800-200-GULF Intemet Site WWW.MMS GOV Geologic Secrets Revealed MMS U. S. Department of the Interior The New Millennium in the Gulf of Mexico MMS Science Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico ocS Region Deciphering Millions of Years of Deposition Hydrocarbons: the Search for Buried Treasure The Mississippi River has served as the major drainage basin for North America for millions of years, depositing layers upon layers of sediment. When they die, millions of tiny organisms such as nannoplankton and foraminifera can become trapped and buried in this sediment and become fossils. Geoscientists use these fossils to describe the original depositional environment, water depth, and when the sediment was deposited in geologic time. Oil and gas are known as "hydrocarbons" because their molecules are made of hydrogen and organic carbon. Hydrocarbons form when organic matter settles to the seafloor and becomes buried. After it is buried, heat and pressure cause it to break down, forming oil and gas. The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is the most prolific hydrocarbon basin in North America and provides a significant source of Federal revenue. Light Texas Crude South Texas Heavy Texas Crude Southwest Texas A basic geologic principle tells us that the older layers, or "strata," younger are found below younger layers. From this principle, we can determine the "relative age" of a fossil: a fossil found in deeply buried sediments is relatively older than a fossil found above it. Sophisticated dating techniques can tell us the "absolute age" of a fossil. For example, the fossil Globorotalia psedomiocenica became extinct 2.2 million years When oil is first extracted, it is referred to as "crude." These crude oils con look very different, depending upon where they are found. 100 microns = 0.1 mm water 5 microns 0005 mm Not all rocks are completely solid. Some rock units, like sandstones and limestones, contain spaces between the grains. The spaces, or "pores," are filled with fluids. Rock units that contain oil and gas are called "reservoir rocks." Nature separates the fluids by density. Gas, the lightest, floats on oil, which floats on water, the heaviest. Hydrocarbons move upward, or migrate, through the rock until they hit a barrier, such as impermeable rocks (like shales), salt bodies, or sometimes faults. These barriers are called "traps" because hydrocarbons are trapped against them, allowing oil and gas to collect: older 100 microns = 0.1 mm ago. Gas Hydrates: Future Energy on the Ocean Floor Methane gas and water can form frozen crystals deep on the ocean floor. These crystals are called gas hydrates and form under great pressures and cold temperatures. When these crystals mix with seafloor sediment, they can form thick, solid layers or mounds. How Do We Know Where to Explore? 3 miles plunes in witer colunn The first discoveries in the Gulf occurred around salt domes. seafleer Salt Salt Geoscientists use sound waves (seismic energy) to image the subsurface. Sound bounces off the many strata, allowing geoscientists to create maps and models of the layers below the earth's surface. Hydrate occumiulation medified efter Miov and Sessen (200z) Geologists travel the world to study rock outcrops to compare to the present-day GOM. This desert in the Guadalupe Mountains was once deep underwater during the Permian period (250 million years ago). Fieldwork all over the world enables geoscientists to examine rocks similar to those reservoir rocks now buried deep in the GOM. Here, a thin layer of sediment covers a huge salt canopy. Salt usually obscures a geoscientist's view of the geology below it, but recent advances in seismic data processing have enhanced oil and gas exploration and have made prospecting in these previously unknown areas more successful. Natural seeps are often visible owing to their release of hydrocarbons into the water column. MMS is conducting Engineers have not yet figured out how to transport safely a mapping project of the entire Gulf Exposed Hydrate Mound with Johnson Sea Link Submersible in Background this very unstable gas from the seafloor to the surface. to locate the hydrates. Deepwater & Deep Underground: A Technologic Challenge Gulf of Mexico Milestones In the GOM, "deepwater" is defined as water depths greater than 1,000 feet - and that is where some of the largest oil and gas fields are located. New computer imaging suggests potentially huge hydrocarbon reserves may be trapped deep underground. By combining the latest technology from geoscience and engineering, explorationists hope to reap the economic benefits of drilling to extreme depths and working in deepwater areas. Many of the deepwater prospects have been named by their discoverers. For example, one of the largest. Thunder Horse, was discovered in 1999. Other field nomes include Mad Dog. Popeye, Poseidon, and Metallica. 7Future Deepweter Shellow Water 2003 1975 47t O y Engineers have designed huge structures that enable geoscientists to explore in deeper and deeper water. Up to 120 people can live and work on the largest offshor structures. Computers allow us to process huge volumes of data in three dimensions. 3-D seismic data have been collected in progressively deeper waters since 1992, The geoscientists at MMS analyze over 7 terabytes of seismic data covering nearly the entire Gulf of Mexico. 20 Nansen Spar The development of the GOM has been driven by technology. As science has progressed, we have been able to drill deeper into the earth, farther from shore, and in greater water depths. Although some of our largest prospects may be in these hard-to-reach places, fewer than 2% of the over 42,000 wells in the GOM extend to greater than 18,000 feet below the surface. Fewer than 8% of all wells are located in deepwater. As the computer generation moves into exploration, they will meet the challenges of this expanding frontier with fresh ideas and innovations. 3 miles Holstein Spar For copies of this poster cal 1-800-200-GULF Intemet Site WWW.MMS GOV Geologic Secrets Revealed MMS U. S. Department of the Interior The New Millennium in the Gulf of Mexico MMS Science Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico ocS Region Deciphering Millions of Years of Deposition Hydrocarbons: the Search for Buried Treasure The Mississippi River has served as the major drainage basin for North America for millions of years, depositing layers upon layers of sediment. When they die, millions of tiny organisms such as nannoplankton and foraminifera can become trapped and buried in this sediment and become fossils. Geoscientists use these fossils to describe the original depositional environment, water depth, and when the sediment was deposited in geologic time. Oil and gas are known as "hydrocarbons" because their molecules are made of hydrogen and organic carbon. Hydrocarbons form when organic matter settles to the seafloor and becomes buried. After it is buried, heat and pressure cause it to break down, forming oil and gas. The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is the most prolific hydrocarbon basin in North America and provides a significant source of Federal revenue. Light Texas Crude South Texas Heavy Texas Crude Southwest Texas A basic geologic principle tells us that the older layers, or "strata," younger are found below younger layers. From this principle, we can determine the "relative age" of a fossil: a fossil found in deeply buried sediments is relatively older than a fossil found above it. Sophisticated dating techniques can tell us the "absolute age" of a fossil. For example, the fossil Globorotalia psedomiocenica became extinct 2.2 million years When oil is first extracted, it is referred to as "crude." These crude oils con look very different, depending upon where they are found. 100 microns = 0.1 mm water 5 microns 0005 mm Not all rocks are completely solid. Some rock units, like sandstones and limestones, contain spaces between the grains. The spaces, or "pores," are filled with fluids. Rock units that contain oil and gas are called "reservoir rocks." Nature separates the fluids by density. Gas, the lightest, floats on oil, which floats on water, the heaviest. Hydrocarbons move upward, or migrate, through the rock until they hit a barrier, such as impermeable rocks (like shales), salt bodies, or sometimes faults. These barriers are called "traps" because hydrocarbons are trapped against them, allowing oil and gas to collect: older 100 microns = 0.1 mm ago. Gas Hydrates: Future Energy on the Ocean Floor Methane gas and water can form frozen crystals deep on the ocean floor. These crystals are called gas hydrates and form under great pressures and cold temperatures. When these crystals mix with seafloor sediment, they can form thick, solid layers or mounds. How Do We Know Where to Explore? 3 miles plunes in witer colunn The first discoveries in the Gulf occurred around salt domes. seafleer Salt Salt Geoscientists use sound waves (seismic energy) to image the subsurface. Sound bounces off the many strata, allowing geoscientists to create maps and models of the layers below the earth's surface. Hydrate occumiulation medified efter Miov and Sessen (200z) Geologists travel the world to study rock outcrops to compare to the present-day GOM. This desert in the Guadalupe Mountains was once deep underwater during the Permian period (250 million years ago). Fieldwork all over the world enables geoscientists to examine rocks similar to those reservoir rocks now buried deep in the GOM. Here, a thin layer of sediment covers a huge salt canopy. Salt usually obscures a geoscientist's view of the geology below it, but recent advances in seismic data processing have enhanced oil and gas exploration and have made prospecting in these previously unknown areas more successful. Natural seeps are often visible owing to their release of hydrocarbons into the water column. MMS is conducting Engineers have not yet figured out how to transport safely a mapping project of the entire Gulf Exposed Hydrate Mound with Johnson Sea Link Submersible in Background this very unstable gas from the seafloor to the surface. to locate the hydrates. Deepwater & Deep Underground: A Technologic Challenge Gulf of Mexico Milestones In the GOM, "deepwater" is defined as water depths greater than 1,000 feet - and that is where some of the largest oil and gas fields are located. New computer imaging suggests potentially huge hydrocarbon reserves may be trapped deep underground. By combining the latest technology from geoscience and engineering, explorationists hope to reap the economic benefits of drilling to extreme depths and working in deepwater areas. Many of the deepwater prospects have been named by their discoverers. For example, one of the largest. Thunder Horse, was discovered in 1999. Other field nomes include Mad Dog. Popeye, Poseidon, and Metallica. 7Future Deepweter Shellow Water 2003 1975 47t O y Engineers have designed huge structures that enable geoscientists to explore in deeper and deeper water. Up to 120 people can live and work on the largest offshor structures. Computers allow us to process huge volumes of data in three dimensions. 3-D seismic data have been collected in progressively deeper waters since 1992, The geoscientists at MMS analyze over 7 terabytes of seismic data covering nearly the entire Gulf of Mexico. 20 Nansen Spar The development of the GOM has been driven by technology. As science has progressed, we have been able to drill deeper into the earth, farther from shore, and in greater water depths. Although some of our largest prospects may be in these hard-to-reach places, fewer than 2% of the over 42,000 wells in the GOM extend to greater than 18,000 feet below the surface. Fewer than 8% of all wells are located in deepwater. As the computer generation moves into exploration, they will meet the challenges of this expanding frontier with fresh ideas and innovations. 3 miles Holstein Spar For copies of this poster cal 1-800-200-GULF Intemet Site WWW.MMS GOV Geologic Secrets Revealed MMS U. S. Department of the Interior The New Millennium in the Gulf of Mexico MMS Science Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico ocS Region Deciphering Millions of Years of Deposition Hydrocarbons: the Search for Buried Treasure The Mississippi River has served as the major drainage basin for North America for millions of years, depositing layers upon layers of sediment. When they die, millions of tiny organisms such as nannoplankton and foraminifera can become trapped and buried in this sediment and become fossils. Geoscientists use these fossils to describe the original depositional environment, water depth, and when the sediment was deposited in geologic time. Oil and gas are known as "hydrocarbons" because their molecules are made of hydrogen and organic carbon. Hydrocarbons form when organic matter settles to the seafloor and becomes buried. After it is buried, heat and pressure cause it to break down, forming oil and gas. The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is the most prolific hydrocarbon basin in North America and provides a significant source of Federal revenue. Light Texas Crude South Texas Heavy Texas Crude Southwest Texas A basic geologic principle tells us that the older layers, or "strata," younger are found below younger layers. From this principle, we can determine the "relative age" of a fossil: a fossil found in deeply buried sediments is relatively older than a fossil found above it. Sophisticated dating techniques can tell us the "absolute age" of a fossil. For example, the fossil Globorotalia psedomiocenica became extinct 2.2 million years When oil is first extracted, it is referred to as "crude." These crude oils con look very different, depending upon where they are found. 100 microns = 0.1 mm water 5 microns 0005 mm Not all rocks are completely solid. Some rock units, like sandstones and limestones, contain spaces between the grains. The spaces, or "pores," are filled with fluids. Rock units that contain oil and gas are called "reservoir rocks." Nature separates the fluids by density. Gas, the lightest, floats on oil, which floats on water, the heaviest. Hydrocarbons move upward, or migrate, through the rock until they hit a barrier, such as impermeable rocks (like shales), salt bodies, or sometimes faults. These barriers are called "traps" because hydrocarbons are trapped against them, allowing oil and gas to collect: older 100 microns = 0.1 mm ago. Gas Hydrates: Future Energy on the Ocean Floor Methane gas and water can form frozen crystals deep on the ocean floor. These crystals are called gas hydrates and form under great pressures and cold temperatures. When these crystals mix with seafloor sediment, they can form thick, solid layers or mounds. How Do We Know Where to Explore? 3 miles plunes in witer colunn The first discoveries in the Gulf occurred around salt domes. seafleer Salt Salt Geoscientists use sound waves (seismic energy) to image the subsurface. Sound bounces off the many strata, allowing geoscientists to create maps and models of the layers below the earth's surface. Hydrate occumiulation medified efter Miov and Sessen (200z) Geologists travel the world to study rock outcrops to compare to the present-day GOM. This desert in the Guadalupe Mountains was once deep underwater during the Permian period (250 million years ago). Fieldwork all over the world enables geoscientists to examine rocks similar to those reservoir rocks now buried deep in the GOM. Here, a thin layer of sediment covers a huge salt canopy. Salt usually obscures a geoscientist's view of the geology below it, but recent advances in seismic data processing have enhanced oil and gas exploration and have made prospecting in these previously unknown areas more successful. Natural seeps are often visible owing to their release of hydrocarbons into the water column. MMS is conducting Engineers have not yet figured out how to transport safely a mapping project of the entire Gulf Exposed Hydrate Mound with Johnson Sea Link Submersible in Background this very unstable gas from the seafloor to the surface. to locate the hydrates. Deepwater & Deep Underground: A Technologic Challenge Gulf of Mexico Milestones In the GOM, "deepwater" is defined as water depths greater than 1,000 feet - and that is where some of the largest oil and gas fields are located. New computer imaging suggests potentially huge hydrocarbon reserves may be trapped deep underground. By combining the latest technology from geoscience and engineering, explorationists hope to reap the economic benefits of drilling to extreme depths and working in deepwater areas. Many of the deepwater prospects have been named by their discoverers. For example, one of the largest. Thunder Horse, was discovered in 1999. Other field nomes include Mad Dog. Popeye, Poseidon, and Metallica. 7Future Deepweter Shellow Water 2003 1975 47t O y Engineers have designed huge structures that enable geoscientists to explore in deeper and deeper water. Up to 120 people can live and work on the largest offshor structures. Computers allow us to process huge volumes of data in three dimensions. 3-D seismic data have been collected in progressively deeper waters since 1992, The geoscientists at MMS analyze over 7 terabytes of seismic data covering nearly the entire Gulf of Mexico. 20 Nansen Spar The development of the GOM has been driven by technology. As science has progressed, we have been able to drill deeper into the earth, farther from shore, and in greater water depths. Although some of our largest prospects may be in these hard-to-reach places, fewer than 2% of the over 42,000 wells in the GOM extend to greater than 18,000 feet below the surface. Fewer than 8% of all wells are located in deepwater. As the computer generation moves into exploration, they will meet the challenges of this expanding frontier with fresh ideas and innovations. 3 miles Holstein Spar For copies of this poster cal 1-800-200-GULF Intemet Site WWW.MMS GOV