More Learning Activities Petroleum Geology: Persian Gulf vs. Overthrust Belt by Richard Moye and Sandra A. Zicus

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Quantitative Map/Chart Production

Material Required and Prior Preparations 

This activity could serve as a group or individual project that could be done over a week or a few hours, depending on the quality of final product desired and accuracy of the estimate or analysis.  You may need to introduce basic concepts of statistical chart/map production and design as well as use of spreadsheets or other statistical tools. And review/practice how to describe or present data findings in a graphical manner with the aid of graphs, charts, time-series diagrams and so on including quantitative maps such as statistical, dot, choropleth and isoline maps. 
 
It is also recommended that you review the Suggested Prior Readings in the Instructors Integrator before doing this exercise.  You should also read some of the supplementary readings indicated in the print bibliography particularly as it relates to energy production, consumption and distribution patterns on a global scale. 

Problem #1 

Study the online resources from the EIA/DOE (Energy Information Agency/Department of Energy) as well as the USGS World Energy Project and other non-governmental sources of energy data.  See the many resources listed under WWW Resources.  Then calculate/estimate the following: 
 
• Create two choropleth or other statistical maps: one showing petroleum reserves on a global scale (by country) and the second, oil consumption by country for the most recent year available.
   
• Find historical maps/data/charts showing the same relationships/facts during the first "oil crisis" of 1973. 
   
• You might also create time-series charts/graphs for these two sets of data back to about 1950.  The data can be extracted from online sources listed under WWW Resources and input into a spreadsheet.  If you haven't used a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel or Corel Quattro Pro this is a good opportunity to learn how.

Post-Project Discussion 

Have students compare their maps/images/data and calculations.  Then consider the following questions: 

• How have things changed? How are they the same? 
   
• What have been the trends in oil consumption and availability over time (on a short and longer-term basis)?
   
• What were specialists and the press predicting about the oil situation on a global or local scale, i.e.the implications for the US in 1973 vs what is being said today? 
 
• Have there been any changes in technology, consumption patterns, production, distribution and exploration/extraction of petroleum (and in politics or culture) that might explain the changes you observe in the data and that explain differing perspectives on the "oil problem" as it is viewed today vs back in 19973?s.
   
• What are the inplications for "energy sufficiency" into the future? 
   
Write-up your findings and prepare your maps and charts for presentation to your class.

Other Problem Sets to be Added Later: