Friday, November 9, 2012

Database Highlight: American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Datapages



Although one would think that this database contains only information for people working in the oil and gas industry, this is untrue.  The database contains information on many more topics of interest to the specialist and non-specialist alike.

The AAPG datapages were a gift to Monmouth College, given “.. through the AAPG Foundation Digital Products Fund, by an endowment established by Lee and Robert Ardell (B.A. 1962) in memory of Donald L. Wills, Department of Geology, 1951-1984.”  Although Monmouth College has not a Department of Geology for a number of years, this database contains information on other topics appealing to people interested in environmental science, fossils and general geological information.   

For example, a search on “fossils” turns up over 12,000 documents relating to fossils.  The first result returned is the book “Drawings and Descriptions of Outstanding Fossils of the United States that contains detailed descriptions and drawings of fossils of many different plants and animals sketched throughout a lifetime of fossil hunting by the author.

One can also find information on the status of the oil and gas industry in the United States.  For instance, this statement appeared in a recent column by the President of the AAPG:
“Five years ago, the United States imported approximately 65 percent of the oil it consumed. Today, the United States imports approximately 45 percent of the oil it consumes – a difference of 20 percent. That 20 percent is more than $125 billion per year that stays in the U.S. economy (assuming $100/BO and 12 MM BOPD imported in 2007, EIA, 2012).”

Most items returned by the database are available full-text with images, maps and sketches.  Here are some other articles that would be of interest to environmentalists as well as people interested in the oil and gas industry:

-A Power Point presentation on what the oil and gas industry is doing today to enhance the discovery of natural resources.

-Treatise Handbook 2: The Business of Petroleum Exploration.  Allows those interested to familiarize themselves with the concerns, strategies, terminology and research efforts used by the oil and gas industry. 

-a presentation on building local trust and protecting ground water during a fracking operation. (Fracking is a somewhat controversial method of obtaining trapped oil and natural gas)

When should I use this database?  If you are looking for information on the energy industry from the inside or if you have ever been curious as to what goes into producing the gasoline you use in your automobile this is a good place to start.  Much of the information presented is very technical, but there are documents that explain the oil and gas industry and related topics in a non-technical way.

No comments:

Post a Comment