1. Research Brief: A Drill on Oil Offshore Drilling Photo courtesy Phillips Petroleum Co. Prepared by Marie Palmeri, April 17, 2007

2. Topic statement: This project will serve as a guide to those researching about oil offshore drilling. As the debate on climate and environmental crisis continues, the focus of this subject matter is to understand how oil drilling works, how the process can affect the surroundings, what are the legal ramifications of energy law in the U.S., and what other energy alternatives are available for a cleaner and better environment.

3. Possible research questions to search for: What is offshore drilling exactly, and how does the method work? In the United States, what is the law on oil offshore drilling and are they effective? What are the pros and cons of offshore drilling? What kinds of environmental consequences does it cause? In terms of drilling in the United States, which locations are currently leasing, available for leasing, or are off-limits? What attempts are made to protect Americas coastal waters? By whom? If gas and oil drilling were banned altogether, what substitutes or other options are available to us?

4. Subject headings to use for finding information on this topic are: Underwater Drilling Oil Pollution of the Sea Oil Wells Offshore Oil Well Drilling

5. Reference works on this topic are: Los Angeles Public Library Mackenthun, Kenneth and Jacob Bregman. Environmental Regulations Handbook. Lewis, 1992. Rio Hondo College Hosansky, David. The Environment A to Z. CQ Press, 2001. Note: References cited in MLA style

6. Relevant books on this topic are: Palos Verdes Library District Holing, Dwight. Coastal Alert : Ecosystems, Energy, and Offshore Oil Drilling. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 1990. Rio Hondo College Library Deffeyes, Kenneth. Hubbert's Peak : The Impending World Oil Shortage. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2001. Rio Hondo College Library Kruger, Paul. Alternative Energy Resources : The Quest for Sustainable Energy. Hoboken: John Wiley, 2006. Note: References cited in MLA style

7. Online databases to use on this topic are: ProQuest SIRS Researcher

8. Articles from online databases on this topic are: Hornstein, Michael and J S Gebhart Stoermer. The Energy Policy Act Of 2005: Purpa Reform, The Amendments And Their Implications Energy Law Journal 27 (2006): 25. ProQuest Newsstand. ProQuest. Los Angeles Public Lib., Los Angeles, CA. 02 Apr. 2007. Millhollon, Michelle. Blanco Settles Lawsuit. Deal Requires U.S. to Study Impact of Oil, Gas. Advocate. (2006): 1. ProQuest Newsstand. ProQuest. Los Angeles Public Lib., Los Angeles, CA. 02 Apr. 2007. Note: References cited in MLA style

9. Articles from online databases on this topic are: Foss, Brad. U.S. Oil Drillers' Strategy: Today ANWR, Tomorrow the Coastlines?. The Seattle Times (2005): A3. SIRS Researcher. ProQuest. Rio Hondo Coll. Lib., Whitter, CA. 05 Apr. 2007. Note: References cited in MLA style

10. Search engines to use for researching this topic are: Google - http://www.google.com Yahoo - http://www.yahoo.com

11. Search strategies to use with preceding search engines are: intitle:steps "offshore drilling" "United States" AND energy law "oil drilling" environmental impact AND "United States

12. Relevant web sites for this topic are: Freudenrich, Craig. How Oil Drilling Works. HowStuffWorks. 12 Apr. 2007 <http://science.howstuffworks.com/oil- drilling1.htm>. HowStuffWorks is the primary source of realistic, balanced, and easy-to-understand explanations of how the world actually works. The article How Oil Drilling Works goes through the process of offshore oil drilling: oil exploration, preparing to drill, drilling, extracting the oil, and other useful information. Note: References cited in MLA style

13. Relevant web sites for this topic are: Electricity from Oil. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 19 Jul. 2006. 3 Apr 2007. The goal of the Environmental Protection Agency is to safeguard human health and strive for a cleaner, healthier environment. The article titled Electricity from Oil stresses how oil is used in our daily lives and what environmental impacts it causes or releases. Note: References cited in MLA style

14. Relevant web sites for this topic are: Energy Policy of the United States." Answers.com. 03 Apr. 2007 <http://www.answers.com/energy%20policy%20of%20the%20united%20 states>. Answers.com is a free, advertising-supported website. It is one of the major information portals on the Internet. The article Energy Policy of the United States explains what energy policy is, shows the various Energy acts, the economics of energy, other energy alternatives to avoid offshore oil drilling, major issues with the oil supply, and energy usage statistics. Note: References cited in MLA style

15. Government and Statistical documents for this topic are: Government document: Clean Water Action Plan. Cleanwater.gov. 02 Feb. 2002. 17 Apr 2007. Statistical source: Current Facts & Figures in the Pacific OCS Region as of May 1, 2006. Minerals Management Service. Pacific OCS Region. 20 Sep. 2006. 2 Apr 2007. Note: References cited in MLA style

16. United States Oil Offshore Drilling Locations and Status