Click here to go to the oil and gas animation page. This animation shows a colored shaded-relief map of the US, then overlays a geologic map of the US for comparison. You can easily see them on this spinning globe shown at night. Begins by showing greenhouse effect, then ties this into increasing concentrations of atmospheric methane. Layers gradually compact, then fold, then fault.
Oil migrates into traps created by the folds from layers below.
Porosity and vein formation. Shows ship collecting seismic reflection information from sea floor. Seismic profile is generated that is used to make a cross section of rock layers and oil hidden beneath the subsurface. Oil rigs drill and remove hydrocarbons. This site is a cooperative endeavor of the US Geological Survey Western Earth Surface Processes Team and the National Park Service .