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Gulf of Mexico: A Geography of Offshore Oil

Gulf of Mexico: A Geography of Offshore Oil

This map, from the September 2010 issue of National Geographic magazine, shows the extensive network of oil and gas wells, pipelines, and platforms found in the Gulf of Mexico. This map is one side of a double-sided supplement from National Geographic magazine. Click here to see the other side. 

Grades

7 - 12+

Subjects

Earth Science, Geology, Geography, Human Geography

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    Sources

    Supplement to National Geographic magazine, October 2010

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  • The Gulf of Mexico: Layers of Life

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    The environmental hazards you face depend on where you live. For example, if you live in northern California you are more likely to be impacted by a wildfire, landslide, or earthquake than if you live in Charleston, South Carolina, but less likely to be hit by a hurricane. This is because the physical conditions in each place are different. The active San Andreas fault runs through California and causes regular earthquakes, while the warm waters transported by the Gulf Stream can intensify a storm heading for South Carolina. These environmental hazards shape human activity regionally. Building codes in California require builders to meet standards set to minimize structural damage in an earthquake and coastal cities have building code to reinforce roofs and walls to resist a storm’s high winds. Learn more about environmental hazards with this curated resource collection.

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