Back to the Basics

The world energy demand is increasing every day and fossil fuels are a large portion of the resource to supply the demand.  Fossil fuels will be used to support the energy demand for multiple years, yet alternative energy will continue to rise and help support the energy demand.  Below is a figure that shows a forecast model for energy demand and what will help support that demand. 

As you look at the graph, you will notice that we are not at a peak demand in fossil fuels yet.  So how are we going to obtain a large enough supply for this large demand?  Geologist in the petroleum industry have already started on this problem.  Just like there is multiple different forms of energy; there are multiple different systems that hold fossil fuels.  The question for the development of all these different types of petroleum systems is political and environmental issues.  It is true, "the easy oil is or has been produced."  To supply the world with future fossil fuels, it is going to take into account good geology, good petroleum engineering, and good environmental controls.  The figure below shows the multiple different types of petroleum systems (conventional: structural and stratigraphic & unconventional: coalbed methane, shale gas, tight sand/carbonate, shallow basin methane, oil shale, tar sands, and hydrates) out there, and the positive aspect of this is that the United States has most of these present in the land which we live.