Case 3 Pedagogical Background
Petroleum Geology: Persian Gulf vs. Overthrust Belt
by Richard Moye and Sandra A. Zicus

Overview

This website contains a series of Virtual Tours and related Learning Resources that supplement an introductory Printed Case Study found in the book: Ford, R. E. and J.D. Hipple. 1998. GeoSystems Today: An Interactive Casebook. This material was designed as a supplement to geoscience, earth systems science, geology, geography and environmental science textbooks published by John Wiley and Sons.

The Virtual Tours explore graphically and interactively the geospatial and environmental processes that are related to floods and other fluvial geological processes around the world.  Each virtual tour focuses on a specific sub-region, geoscience process, or human dimensions issue related to floods and rivers. 


How to Use the Materials and Time Requirements 

After reading the Printed Case Study available from John Wiley & Sons take a Virtual Tour (preferably in the order they are presented online) and then test your knowledge by doing the Self-Test Exercises.

Each virtual tour should take no more than 25 - 40 minutes to do and the self-test exercise about 10-20 minutes. Your instructor may ask you to print-off the exercise page and fill-in the answers to be handed-in.


Key Geoscience and Earth Systems Concepts Addressed
 

  • Spatial/geographical, geological, ecological and environmental characteristics of the North American Overthrust Belt as compared to the Persian Gulf Region as a producer of energy resources, e.g. petroleum, natural gas, coal, tar sands and other fossil fuels.
  • Current energy production and consumption patterns of the US and its relation to global energy patterns, particularly focusing on the Persian Gulf.
  • Technological and environmental problems associated with petroleum exploitation, extraction, transportation and processing--the policy issues. 
  • Political and socioeconomic parameters of energy issues in the US..

Learning Resources 

The website also contains supplementary learning resources for use by students or instructors as a starting point for specialized projects, classroom presentations, home-work assignments or supplementary reading. The learning resources are organized under the following categories: 


Contact an Expert

Names and contact information on researchers, policy-analysts and other experts or organizations involved with the topics discussed in the case.


Find the Facts

Online sources of data and statistical information of various types.


Glossary and Key Terms

This includes links to existing online glossaries; it also includes an extensive list of geoscience key terms used in the case study both in the print and online sites. 


Graphics Gallery

Online sources of photos and graphics related to the region and processes discussed. 


Instructors Integrator

Provides pedagogical notes to instructors, including: information on how to promote active learning in the classroom, recommended prior readings, pointers on adaptation of the materials to specific courses or curricula, correlation with the national science standards or benchmarks, answer keys to the self-test exercises, and a mechanism for feedback to the case study contributors and for possible material contribution by the users. 


Join a Discussion Group

Links to electronic discussion groups on related topics from the region. 


Read More About It

Supplementary reference sources and bibliographies.


Videos and Films

A short list of videos and films on topics related to petroleum geology of the Persian Gulf and Overthrust Belt in the Intermountain West as well as information on where and how to get them. 


WWW Links to Related Resources

URLs on energy production, consumption, transportation, processing and related links with a focus on the western/central US and the Persian Gulf. 

Created 30 August 1998. Last updated 7 November 1998.