for magnets used in windmills. China doesn't have the only
deposits. It's because their metals are cheaper to exploit than
others. There are environmental issues. North Carolina has
some feldspar and quartz mining, but no one is looking for
rare earth metals here.
Q. From what I've read, North Carolina is a player in offshore
oil.
our coast, and sample wells off the Georgia and New Jersey
coasts were unproductive. The Gulf of Mexico is a known
hydrocarbon province, but it's not the Atlantic. The source
rock here is not thermally mature enough. It did not produce
enough heat to make large quantities of oil. I've heard
politicians talk about oil independence. They may be talking
about the oil sands in Canada. The only way to achieve this
in the U.S. is to decrease consumption. If gas was $10 a
gallon, we could balance supply and demand.
as long as it comes from somewhere else, it's not a problem
for them.
Q. Why is there natural gas in North Carolina? I'm surprised.
of natural gas in the Triassic Basin, which has been studied
for many years. There is gas there, but the question is how
much and can it be extracted safely. The legislature set aside
$100,000 to study fracking, which is currently illegal in the
state.
There is a formation in North Carolina from Durham to
Anson counties. It is a tear or rift in the earth's crust that filled
with organic sediment. Shale, a sedimentary rock, forms
there with gas in it.
They drill wells vertically, very deep, then horizontally into
the formations. A mixture of water, chemicals and sand is
pumped in to displace the gas. It creates fractures and the
gas bubbles up. The problems begin if there is too much
fracturing that allows the chemicals to contaminate water-
bearing rock. In some places, it is pretty close to the surface,
1,500 feet. The natural gas can bubble up into well water.
independent. The question is are we willing to compromise
the environment to get it?
own worst enemies. They put a cloak of secrecy over this to
protect themselves from competitors. The risks here are hard
to say.
Q. When did geologist become crime fighters?
State analyzes inorganic material, and we have formed a
partnership with the N.C. Geological Survey. They have
taken three to four cases from the district attorney's office to
identify the origin of dirt samples. This is truly CSI stuff, and
they've gotten convictions.
microprobe?
involving the microprobe. It's a great tool. On another
project, I've had four students working with me on a Carolina
bays research project. We are surveying area bays, and then
we'll drill into them to determine their age.
Q. Would you say an understanding of geology and
geography is important today?
education. There are also many interesting jobs in our fields.
The study of geology and geography are linked to things that
are important to us like water.
fields of study. For instance, North Carolina has a bigger
problem with leaking underground gas storage tanks than
with offshore drilling, the potential for which is overestimated
in my opinion. Just in this county, we are consuming ground
water faster than is sustainable.
a couple of geology and geography courses. This leads to
better stewardship of our resources. Fortunately, there is a
great deal of interest among our students. I agree with Martin.
Water is our most important resource. We can live without
oil and gas, but not without water.