THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGISTS
Distinguished Lecture Tour

Abstract: Exploration and Development for Future Energy Resources

By

Daniel N. Miller, Jr.

As unprecedented market demands for fuel and electrical power develop in the more densely populated eastern and western parts of the country, Rocky Mountain states are tooling-up to provide the necessary energy resources. Rates of energy consumption are known and forecasted needs appear realistic. Unmarketable products of the 1950's and 60's are now in demand. Oil exploration methods for petroleum, natural gas, coal, uranium and water are now outweighed by new combinations of exploration effort.

Cooperative exploration and development programs by petroleum, mining and power companies are developing in the intermontane basins. The activity in Wyoming provides a broad view and serves as an example of the benefits from total resource exploration. Production records over the past ten years of operation illustrate their success and the remarkable changes that are taking place. Production forecasts based on proven reserves, on advances in technology and on ideas to reduce exploration costs are described and illustrated. New geological data from Wyoming's basins have changed exploration concepts that provide incentives applicable to other areas.

Color slides of Wyoming's rather unique sub-bituminous coal and uranium geology, and maps showing recent oil and gas developments serve to illustrate current activities. New electrical power generation sites, coal gasification and proposed plans for development of oil shale deposits in the Green River Formation are presented in brief.

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