Post Carbon Fellow David Hughes was quoted in this article on downward a revision in expected recoverable oil from the Monterey Shale Formation by the U.S. Geological Survey.

From the article:

A new U.S. Geological Survey says there is less than expected recoverable oil in the Monterey Shale. A formation underlying much of California.

Just four years ago the EIA estimated there were 15.4 billion barrels of recoverable oil in the Monterey Shale Formation. Two years later, the EIA downgraded its estimate to 13.7 billion barrels.

David Hughes, an independent consulting geologist in Canada has done extensive research on the Monterey and told 17 news two years ago the government’s estimates were grossly exaggerated. “The EIA agreed with me and downgraded their estimate to 600 million barrels in May of 2013,” said Hughes. The new U.S.G.S. assessment says just 21 million barrels of recoverable oil exist in the Monterey. “Just to put that into perspective if you look at 21 million barrels recoverable oil which is their estimate that is enough oil to fuel the us for about 30 hours, so that is a little over a day,” said Hughes.