How to (Rapidly) Move a Drilling Rig

This speeded-up video shows how a natural-gas drilling rig, at a Range Resources site, can be quickly moved to drill a series of wells, each only a few feet apart. The specially designed, multi-ton rig “walks” from one well to the next, allowing Range to efficiently drill a half-dozen wells at the site.

Drilling for Shale Gas

Economically recovering natural gas from shale deposits depends on advanced drilling techniques. This video illustrates how horizontal drilling allows gas producers to follow a shale deposit for up to a mile, greatly increasing the productivity of the well. It also illustrates the technique of “fracturing,” in which large volumes of water are used to shatter the shale, allowing the natural gas to flow to the well.

Natural Gas Changes the Energy Map

Vast amounts of the clean-burning fossil fuel have been discovered in shale deposits, setting off a gas rush. But how it will affect our energy use is still uncertain.

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Solar Power Technology

Richard Swanson, founder of SunPower, in San Jose, CA, discusses his company’s solar-panel technology for building efficient solar plants.

Technologies to Concentrate the Sun's Energy

The federal government is about to spend billions of dollars on renewable energy.

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Chasing the Sun

The federal government is about to spend billions of dollars on renewable energy. In Part II of our series on the federal stimulus bill, we look at the impact the spending will have on the future of solar power.

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Technology and the Economy

Daron Acemoglu, a professor of applied economics at MIT, discusses whether the federal stimulus bill, which includes tens of billions for energy and information technology, can save the economy.

Can Technology Save the Economy?

Dale Jorgenson, a professor in the department of economics at Harvard University, talks about the pros and cons of the stimulus package.