National Petroleum Council Urges Subsurface Mapping of U.S.
The council says fragmented subsurface data is slowing resource planning and urges a federally coordinated program to modernize maps and preserve legacy records.
- On Monday, the National Petroleum Council urged Congress to authorize a National Cooperative Subsurface Assessment Program to map domestic energy and mineral resources beneath U.S. soil, a proposal requested by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
- Resources beneath U.S. soil provide more than 80% of the nation's energy needs, yet much of the subsurface remains under-characterized; extractive industries contributed roughly $384 billion to GDP in 2025, underscoring the economic stakes.
- Dr. Berry H. 'Nick' Tew, Jr., State Geologist of Alabama, emphasized that no state can characterize geologic basins crossing borders alone, advocating for a cooperative model anchored by the U.S. Geological Survey , Tribal partners, and federal agencies.
- Recommendations include reviving the U.S. Bureau of Mines, closed since 1995, and establishing a National Data Portal to centralize fragmented subsurface data while funding geologic hydrogen exploration and converting orphaned oil wells into geothermal laboratories.
- Secretary Wright described the subsurface as the nation's "balance sheet" essential for economic and national security, as the NPC prepares to release the next Future Energy Systems components addressing Produced Water and Natural Gas Storage on December 7, 2026.
34 Articles
34 Articles
National Petroleum Council urges subsurface mapping of U.S. - Regional Media News
(The Center Square) - A new report by the National Petroleum Council urges Congress to authorize a coordinated national program to map the country's resources deep underground as part of a broader effort to secure domestic supply chains for energy and critical minerals. The study, [...]
National Petroleum Council urges subsurface mapping of U.S. - The Daily Bo Snerdley
(The Center Square) – A new report by the National Petroleum Council urges Congress to authorize a coordinated national program to map the country’s resources deep underground as part of a broader effort to secure domestic supply chains for energy and critical minerals. The study, requested by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, provides a sweeping blueprint that would transform data collected by state governments and federal agencies on what …
Pacific Daily News
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National Petroleum Council urges subsurface mapping of U.S.
(The Center Square) – A new report by the National Petroleum Council urges Congress to authorize a coordinated national program to map the country's resources deep underground as part of a broader effort to secure domestic supply chains for energy…
National Petroleum Council urges subsurface mapping of U.S. - BIZ Magazine
By Alton Wallace | The Center Square (The Center Square) – A new report by the National Petroleum Council urges Congress to authorize a coordinated national program to map the country’s resources deep underground as part of a broader effort …
NPC Report Recommends Integrated National Assessment of Subsurface Energy and Mineral Resources
The National Petroleum Council (NPC) released a report on August 31, 2026, calling for a comprehensive, integrated assessment of the United States’ subsurface resources to maintain national competitiveness. Requested by Energy Secretary Wright, the report outlines a strategy to evaluate a broad spectrum of domestic assets, including oil, natural gas, coal, critical minerals, geothermal energy, geologic hydrogen, and underground storage capacity.…
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