Important oil and gas fields continue to be found in unusual and surprising geologic environments. Each discovery improves the petroleum geologist's understanding of the habitat of oil, and sharpens his oil-finding ability. An adequate supply of domestic petroleum in the future depends on unique discoveries to a greater extent than in the past.

The existence of many more unusual accumulations and others at customary or greater depths in both the less explored and more thoroughly explored areas is not doubted by the authors of the Association's Memoir 15, "Future Petroleum Provinces of the United States." They have approached the problems of the country's petroleum potential positively, not negatively, and have expressed their opinions qualitatively and generally quantitatively. An enormous amount of old and new geologic and other exploratory data has been assembled which should provoke alternate opinions lending to additional discoveries.

The extent to which the vast proved reserves of petroleum resources are reduced depends on the impact of ever-changing economic and political events on the rising tide of technologic competence and knowledge. The role of the petroleum geologist as earth scientist, explorer, and salesman is destined to grow in importance, particularly onshore in the conterminous United States where a significant percentage of the visualized undiscovered crude oil and natural gas is in stratigraphic traps, combination stratigraphic and structural traps, reefs, and complex structural situations.

Clearly, a great deal more exploratory drilling is needed, not only to explore such traps, but to provide much needed geologic and production data for the large undrilled areas. To the extent industry and government policies militate against expanded exploration, particularly drilling, a large part of the petroleum resources will lie uselessly in the ground.

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