The Energy Resources Section generates new, unbiased information on the geologic framework of frontier areas in Alaska that may host undiscovered oil, gas, coal, and geothermal resources. The section includes six full time geologists with expertise in depositional systems, sequence stratigraphy, structural geology, geochronology, petroleum geology, and coal geology. Bedrock geologic mapping at a scale of 1:63,360 is an important component of the section's work and most mapping projects are designed to answer key questions pertaining to the petroleum potential of the North Slope and Cook Inlet areas. The Energy Resources Section disseminates results of its work in public presentations and in high-quality, peer-reviewed publications that are available for free. A searchable ArcGIS database is under development that will serve as an archive of the section's energy-related data. This database, when ready for public use, will allow anyone with internet access to search for data related to the section's petroleum, coal, and geologic mapping projects in several sedimentary basins in Alaska.
The Energy Resources Section manages three major petroleum-focused basin analysis programs.
Members of the Energy Resources Section have expertise in the following areas: