Resource Assessment Overview

	Overview
	2011 Alaska Assessment Results
	2006 Assessment Results
	2006 Assessment Maps
	Historic Review and Table
	Methodology
	Reports to Congress

Overview

The objective of this component of the RE program is to identify geologic plays on the OCS that offer the highest potential for the occurrence of oil and natural gas development and production. Following the identification of hydrocarbon plays, RED carries out thorough analysis of the play’s hydrocarbon potential and its economic viability with the help of complex computer models and methodologies. The assessment process incorporates specific geologic information, mathematical and statistical analyses, risk and probability theories, economic scenarios, petroleum engineering data, and a variety of additional technical assumptions. (See Resource Assessment Methodology) Besides the estimation of the undiscovered hydrocarbon resources, these studies help identify environmental and operational constraints as well as assist in making leasing decisions. Resource estimates must also be developed to support critical analyses of potential impacts of policy options, legislative proposals, EIS’s, and industry activities affecting OCS natural gas and oil activities — both current and future.

The Geosciences aspect of the resource assessment work involves the study of the geology of an area; its geologic history, regional stratigraphy and geologic trends; major structural features; exploration history; study of source rocks, reservoir rocks, seals and trapping mechanism; and, the identification of the most prospective portions of a planning area in terms of hydrocarbon potential. Long lead times are often required to determine whether a basin may be oil- or gas-prone, to identify the presence of reservoir rocks, source rocks, and traps necessary for natural gas and oil accumulation. The results of this work are updated as new data and information are generated and acquired.

As previously mentioned, the scale of the assessment activities range from large (i.e. regional or OCS-wide) to sale-specific, i.e., individual prospects. In the early stages, the focus is on regional areas, but as more data and information are acquired, the focus shifts to lease sales and prospect-specific areas to be offered for lease, or which are related to a specific issue, (i.e., moratoria, marine sanctuaries, quantitative analysis of legislative proposal, etc.). Once a sale area has been identified, the RE Program produces more detailed mapping and analyses needed to estimate the resource potential of individual prospects within that area. These prospect-specific data, maps, and analyses are also used to determine parameters for post-sale bid analyses.