美国地质调查局评估：阿拉斯加北坡未发现天然气约96万亿立方英尺，接近已探明储量三倍
美国内政部（Department of the Interior）发布新闻稿说，美国地质调查局（U.S. Geological Survey, USGS）发布了一项评估，估算阿拉斯加北坡（North Slope）蕴藏约96万亿立方英尺技术上可采的未发现天然气资源。
这一数字接近北坡已探明天然气储量的三倍。新闻稿说，北坡已探明的天然气储量约为35万亿立方英尺。
内政部长 Doug Burgum 说：「阿拉斯加是美国最伟大的能源前沿之一，特朗普总统致力于释放其非凡潜力。阿拉斯加的天然气储量可以为美国人以及我们在南太平洋的盟友提供几代人负担得起、可靠、安全的能源。这项评估有助于印证，了解这片土地之下丰富的资源、并以世界级的美国科学把这种潜力转化为机遇，是多么重要。通过推进负责任的能源开发，我们可以强化美国能源主导地位，创造就业，为阿拉斯加人和整个国家带来持久的经济利益。」
内政部助理部长 Andrea Travnicek 说，这项由 USGS 世界级科学支撑的北坡评估，支持特朗普总统在本届政府上任第一天签署的第14153号行政令《释放阿拉斯加的非凡资源潜力》；阿拉斯加未开发的丰富能源与矿产资源对美国的经济与国家安全、以及阿拉斯加人的利益都不可或缺；在部长第3422号命令下，内政部将继续优先调查阿拉斯加的能源与矿产资源。
USGS 局长 Ned Mamula 说：「美国经济和我们的生活方式依赖能源，USGS 的天然气评估指向业界尚未发现的资源。就这一次而言，我们估算北坡蕴藏着可观的未发现天然气资源。」
新闻稿说，USGS 的油气评估始于50年前：当时美国遭遇石油禁运，凸显了了解未发现资源的分布与潜在规模的必要性，USGS 因此受命以地质科学与数据评估未发现的油气资源，这项工作延续至今。评估结果为政策制定者提供资源潜力的信息，也为土地管理局（Bureau of Land Management）等土地管理机构的土地利用与资源管理规划、以及私营部门的勘探规划提供依据。有关这项北坡天然气评估的概况说明书已在 USGS 网站发布。
USGS Estimates 96 Trillion Cubic Feet of Undiscovered Natural Gas on Alaska's North Slope, Nearly Three Times Proven Reserves
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has released an assessment estimating 96 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable, undiscovered natural gas resources on Alaska's North Slope, the Department of the Interior said in a news release.
The figure is nearly three times the roughly 35 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves on the North Slope, according to the release.
"Alaska is one of America's greatest energy frontiers, and President Trump is committed to unlocking its extraordinary potential," said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. "Alaska's natural gas reserves can supply affordable, reliable, secure energy to Americans and our South Pacific allies for generations, and this assessment helps underscore the importance of understanding these vast resources beneath the North Slope and using world-class American science to turn that potential into opportunity. By advancing responsible energy development, we can strengthen American Energy Dominance, create jobs and deliver lasting economic benefits for Alaskans and the entire nation."
Assistant Secretary of the Interior Andrea Travnicek said the North Slope assessment, backed by the world-class science of the USGS, supports President Trump's Executive Order 14153, "Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential," signed on the first day of this administration. Alaska's untapped, abundant energy and mineral resources are needed for U.S. economic and national security and for the benefit of Alaskans, she said, adding that under Secretary Burgum's Order 3422, the department will continue to prioritize investigation of Alaska's energy and mineral resources.
"The U.S. economy and our way of life depend on energy, and USGS natural gas assessments point to resources that industry hasn't discovered yet. In this case, we estimate there are significant undiscovered gas resources in the North Slope of Alaska," said USGS Director Ned Mamula.
The release said USGS oil and gas assessments began 50 years ago, following an oil embargo against the United States that signaled a need to understand the occurrence, distribution and potential volumes of undiscovered resources. The assessments provide information to policymakers on resource potential, feed into land-use and resource management plans for land-management agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management, and give the private sector context for planning detailed exploration. A fact sheet on the Alaska North Slope Gas Assessment is available from the USGS.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：图：阿拉斯加北坡 Brooks Range 山麓、输油管道线路附近的冰川湖（资料图）。美国国家档案馆（NARA）藏，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons
