Natural energy resources aren’t spread evenly because they form from specific geologic processes that happened in particular places and times. Fossil fuels and ores concentrate in sedimentary basins where organic matter was buried, heated, and trapped (examples: Permian, Powder River, Bakken, Athabasca oil sands, Niger Delta, North Sea). Plate tectonics, past climates, burial depth, and presence of impermeable rock (reservoir + cap rock) control where deposits form—so geology, not politics, largely sets the pattern (EK ENG-3.D.1). Access also varies: some reserves are onshore vs. offshore or in protected areas (ANWR), and technology/economics (hydraulic fracturing, offshore drilling, proven reserves, peak oil) determine whether deposits are exploitable (EK ENG-3.D.2). For AP prep, you should be able to name examples and explain the geologic reasons—see the Topic 6.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT) and Unit 6 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6) for practice.

Good question—because oil and gas form from very specific geologic events, they’re unevenly distributed. Fossil fuels need lots of buried organic material, rapid burial in sedimentary basins, heat and pressure over millions of years (maturation), plus porous reservoir rock and structural/stratigraphic traps so the hydrocarbons can accumulate. Regions with the right tectonic and depositional history (e.g., Permian Basin, Niger Delta, North Sea, Bakken, Athabasca oil sands) have large proven reserves; places without those sedimentary basins or with different geologic histories simply won’t have fossil fuels. Access, technology (fracking, offshore drilling), and politics/economics also control whether resources are exploited. This fits EK ENG-3.D in the CED—the distribution depends on geologic history and access to resources. For a focused review, see the Topic 6.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT) and unit overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6). Practice Qs: (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

A region’s geologic history controls what energy resources form and where they’re concentrated. Long-lived environments like sedimentary basins (e.g., Permian, Powder River, Bakken, Appalachian) collected organic-rich sediments millions of years ago; under heat and pressure those sediments became coal, oil, or gas. Tectonic settings matter too: river deltas and offshore basins (Niger Delta, North Sea) trap organic material and later produce large crude oil and gas fields, while bitumen-rich deposits form where glacial and fluvial action left sand and clay (Athabasca oil sands). Past burial, uplift, and erosion determine whether resources are buried (proven reserves) or exposed. That’s why distribution is uneven and access varies globally—some places need hydraulic fracturing for shale gas or offshore drilling for deepwater oil. For AP review, focus on sedimentary basins, shale gas/fracking, coal seam methane, and examples in the CED (ENG-3.D). More details: Fiveable topic study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT). For extra practice, try Fiveable’s APES practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Renewable vs. nonrenewable distributions differ mainly in why and where they occur. Renewables (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass) are tied to current environmental conditions: solar and wind are widespread but strongest in certain climates/latitudes; hydro needs rivers and topography; geothermal is concentrated near plate boundaries/volcanic zones. Nonrenewables (coal, oil, natural gas, ores) reflect geologic history—they form in specific sedimentary basins and are highly unevenly distributed (Permian Basin, Powder River, Bakken, Athabasca oil sands, Niger Delta, North Sea, etc.). That’s why “proven reserves” and access vary so much by region. Technology and politics (offshore drilling, hydraulic fracturing, pipeline access) can change who can use a deposit, but the underlying distribution stays geologic (EK ENG-3.D.1, ENG-3.D.2). For AP review, study Topic 6.4 in the Fiveable guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT) and practice more at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Short version: coal isn’t random—it forms where ancient plant swamps were buried, compacted, and heated in sedimentary basins over millions of years. If a region had lots of peat-forming wetlands during the right geologic periods (like the Carboniferous), then burial and pressure turned that peat into coal seams. Tectonics and geologic history matter: basins that collected sediments (Appalachian Basin, Powder River Basin) tend to have coal; areas that were uplifted, eroded, or were never swampy don’t. Human access matters too—proven reserves depend on seam thickness, depth, and mining tech (strip vs. underground), so some coal exists but isn’t economically recoverable. This is exactly what ENG-3.D in the CED expects you to know: distribution depends on geologic history and access. For a quick topic review, see the Topic 6.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT) and Unit 6 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6).

Most of the world’s proven crude-oil reserves sit in sedimentary basins formed by ancient seas and river deltas—places that collected lots of organic material, then buried it, heated it, and converted it to oil and gas. Major reservoir regions: the Middle East/Persian Gulf (largest reserves), Russia, Venezuela, Canada (Athabasca oil sands), the U.S. (Permian Basin, Bakken, Gulf of Mexico, Arctic/ANWR prospects), the North Sea, and the Niger Delta. They’re there because of geologic history: thick organic-rich source rocks, sufficient burial and heat to “mature” hydrocarbons, porous reservoir rocks, and structural/stratigraphic traps that let oil accumulate. Accessibility varies—some reserves are offshore, in tar sands, or in sensitive Arctic areas, affecting extraction method (offshore drilling, oil sands mining, fracking) and policy. This links directly to EK ENG-3.D (distribution depends on geologic history)—good to review the Topic 6.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT) and Unit 6 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6). For practice, try problems at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Because resources form over millions of years, they’re unevenly scattered—geology and geologic history control where oil, gas, coal, ores, and tar sands concentrate. Sedimentary basins (like the Permian, Powder River, Bakken, Athabasca oil sands, or the Niger Delta) and past conditions (burial, heat, pressure) create fossil-fuel deposits; other places never had those conditions, so they have little or none (EK ENG-3.D.1). Access also depends on proven reserves, technology (offshore drilling, hydraulic fracturing for shale gas, mining methods), economics, and politics—a country might sit on resources but lack tech, money, or stable policy to extract them (EK ENG-3.D.2). For AP prep, remember examples named in the CED and link distribution to human factors on the exam. Review Topic 6.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT) and Unit 6 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6). For practice, see Fiveable’s problem set (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Ores are concentrated deposits of metal-bearing minerals (like bauxite, iron, copper, gold) that form by geological processes—magma cooling, hydrothermal fluids, metamorphism, or weathering—and are found as discrete veins, lenses, or ore bodies in the crust. Because ores form from specific tectonic and igneous/metamorphic events, their global distribution is patchy and tied to a region’s geologic history (mountain belts, ancient volcanic arcs, cratons). Crude oil and natural gas, by contrast, form from buried organic-rich sediments and accumulate in sedimentary basins. That makes oil and gas more regionally continuous (layered reservoirs across basins like the Permian, Bakken, Niger Delta, North Sea) and predictable along basin structures. Practically, ores require targeted mining where deposits occur; oil/gas extraction targets basin-scale reservoirs (onshore/offshore, shale fracking). This difference is exactly what EK ENG-3.D covers—resource location depends on geologic history and affects access and proven reserves (see the Topic 6.4 study guide for more: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT). For more unit review or practice problems, check Unit 6 (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6) and practice question bank (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Crude oil’s locations are set by geology over millions of years. Organic-rich sediments (tiny plankton, plants) were buried in sedimentary basins like the Permian, Bakken, Niger Delta, or North Sea. Buried under more sediments, heat and pressure converted that organic matter into oil and gas in a source rock. Oil then migrated into porous reservoir rocks (sandstone, limestone). Where a reservoir is capped by an impermeable seal (shale, salt) and structural or stratigraphic traps exist (folds, faults, salt domes), hydrocarbons accumulate and form an extractable field. Plate tectonics and past sea levels controlled where basins, source rocks, and traps formed—so oil’s distribution isn’t uniform but tied to that ancient geologic history. Proven reserves reflect where all these factors align. For AP review, focus on “source rock → migration → reservoir + trap + seal” and study examples in the CED (Permian Basin, Athabasca, Bakken). See the Topic 6.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT) and Unit 6 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6). For practice Qs, use Fiveable practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Natural gas isn’t spread evenly because it forms and gets trapped by specific geologic conditions. You need organic-rich sediments that were buried in sedimentary basins, then the right heat and pressure to turn that organic matter into hydrocarbons. After formation, gas migrates into porous rock (reservoir rock) and accumulates where a sealing layer (caprock) and structural traps (anticlines, faults) keep it from escaping. That’s why major deposits cluster in places with the right geologic history—Permian Basin, Bakken Formation, Powder River Basin, North Sea, Niger Delta, Athabasca oil sands fringe, etc. Some gas is in shale (shale gas) or coal seams (coal-seam methane), which need hydraulic fracturing or special drilling to access. Access and proven reserves depend on technology, economics, and politics, so distribution of usable gas varies regionally (EK ENG-3.D.1/3.D.2). For AP review, see the Topic 6.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT) and Unit 6 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6). Practice questions: (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Coal’s global pattern is set mostly by geologic history and where thick peat formed, was buried, and later altered in sedimentary basins. Key factors: - Long-term peat accumulation in ancient wetlands (high plant productivity + low oxygen to prevent decay). - Burial depth, heat and pressure (higher rank coal from deeper burial/metamorphism). - Age and paleoclimate: big coal beds formed in warm, humid periods (e.g., Carboniferous) and in regions that were low-lying then. - Tectonics and basin development: sedimentary basins (Appalachian Basin, Powder River Basin) trap peat and sediments; mountain-building, sea-level changes, and erosion expose or bury deposits. - Preservation and accessibility: erosion, uplift, and later human discovery determine proven reserves and where coal is mined. This ties directly to EK ENG-3.D: distribution isn’t uniform—it follows each region’s geologic history. For a focused review see the Topic 6.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT) and more Unit 6 resources (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6). For practice, check Fiveable’s APES problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Because energy resources form from specific geologic processes, they’re unevenly located—things like crude oil and gas concentrate in sedimentary basins (Permian, Bakken, Niger Delta, North Sea, Athabasca oil sands), coal in ancient peat-forming basins (Appalachian, Powder River), and ore deposits in distinct tectonic settings. That’s EK ENG-3.D. Access then depends on more than geology: proven reserves and whether a country has the tech (offshore drilling, hydraulic fracturing, tar-sands extraction), capital, infrastructure, and political stability to develop them. Economics and policy (trade, subsidies, nationalization, sanctions) also shape who actually benefits. Environmental limits and social resistance (e.g., Arctic National Wildlife Refuge protections) further restrict access. For the AP exam, link this to ENG-3.D and examples named in the CED; you might see questions asking you to identify causes or consequences of unequal access. For a concise study review, see the Topic 6.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT) and more unit resources (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6). For extra practice, try the APES question bank (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Plate tectonics controls where energy resources form and accumulate. Most oil, gas, coal, and many sediment-hosted ores are tied to sedimentary basins created by plate movements (e.g., Permian Basin, Bakken, Powder River, Niger Delta, North Sea). Where plates rift or continental margins subside, thick sediment and organic matter build up, get buried, heated, and form crude oil and natural gas (also forming places like the Athabasca oil sands where burial + heat altered organic matter). Subduction zones and volcanic arcs concentrate hydrothermal metals (ore deposits) and cause earthquakes that shape basins. Continental collisions can fold and bury coal-forming swamps (Appalachian-type basins). That’s why resource distribution isn’t uniform—it reflects each region’s geologic history (EK ENG-3.D). For exam prep, know examples (Permian, Bakken, Athabasca, Niger Delta, North Sea) and that access/proven reserves vary by region (ENG-3.D, EKs). Review the Topic 6.4 study guide on Fiveable for examples and practice (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT). For broader unit review and practice questions, see the Unit 6 page (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6) and the practice bank (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Coal forms when large amounts of plant material in ancient swamps were buried in sediment, compressed, and heated over millions of years into peat and then coal. Because that process needs low-oxygen, swampy conditions and rapid burial, coal seams show up today where those ancient swamps existed and where sedimentary basins preserved the layers—e.g., the Appalachian Basin and Powder River Basin. So the global distribution of coal isn’t random; it reflects geologic history (EK ENG-3.D.1). On the exam you might see maps or basin names and should link coal deposits to past environments and sedimentary basins (use terms like coal seam, sedimentary basin, coal seam methane). For a quick Topic 6.4 review, check the Fiveable study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Geologists predict oil and gas by looking for the right geologic “ingredients” in sedimentary basins: a source rock (organic-rich shale), reservoir rock (porous sandstone or limestone), a trap/cover (anticline, fault, or salt dome) and a migration pathway. They map basin histories (where heat and burial created hydrocarbons) and use seismic reflection surveys to image subsurface layers, plus gravity/magnetic data and well logs from nearby wells. Geochemistry (biomarkers) helps confirm source rock maturity; exploratory drilling and well logging confirm reservoirs and estimate proven reserves. Modern plays also target shale gas and tight oil using knowledge of formations like the Bakken, Permian, or Powder River Basin and techniques like hydraulic fracturing. For AP exam focus, know the role of sedimentary basins, traps, proven reserves, and how exploration reduces uncertainty (practice analyzing maps/diagrams on the exam). Review Topic 6.4 on Fiveable for a focused study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-6/distribution-natural-resources/study-guide/P940kT02r4y2mwxbhPRT) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).