A New Approach to Assessing Gas and Oil Resources in the Intermountain West
The authors propose that comprehensive resource assessment focus not on land access restrictions but on determining what resources are recoverable.
Tom LaTourrette is a senior physical scientist at RAND. With over 25 years of experience in critical mineral supply chains, energy, and infrastructure, his research covers seabed mining technology and policy, critical minerals supply chains, Chinese foreign investment in infrastructure, hydrogen and other storage technologies in the electricity grid, renewable, nuclear, and fossil energy resources and technologies, worker safety and health, and risks and mitigation to infrastructure related to natural disasters and terrorism. His commentaries have appeared in Modern Diplomacy, Barron’s, RealClearWorld, U.S. News & World Report, and local newspapers. He has been quoted in Foreign Policy, the Financial Times, Bloomberg, the South China Morning Post, Alhurra, Voice of America, and more. His work has been cited in House and Senate hearings and floor debates, and he has testified before the Secretary of Energy's Blue-Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future and the California State Assembly and Senate. He holds a Ph.D. in geology from the California Institute of Technology.
Education
Ph.D. in geology, California Institute of Technology; B.A. in geology, University of California, Berkeley
Selected Work
- LaTourrette, Tom, Fabian Villalobos, Elisa Yoshiara, and Zohan Hasan Tariq, The Potential Impact of Seabed Mining on Critical Mineral Supply Chains and Global Geopolitics, RAND Corporation (RR-A3560-1), 2025
- Star A, LaTourrette T, Klima K, Krovetz A, Charan S, Dolan F, Allendorf E, Assessing the Role of Hydrogen in California’s Decarbonizing Electric System, California Energy Commission, 2025 (forthcoming)
- LaTourrette, Tom, Todd C. Helmus, and Irina A. Chindea, China's Role in the Global Development of Critical Resources: Case Studies in Coal Power, Electricity Transmission, and Seabed Mining, RAND Corporation (RR-A2096-1), 2022
- Miller, Benjamin M., Tom LaTourrette, Drake Warren, and David Metz, The National Institute of Standards and Technology's Impact on Fire Safety Standards, RAND Corporation (RR-A1100-1), 2022
- LaTourrette, Tom, Benjamin M. Miller, Teddy Ulin, Kristin Van Abel, Krista Langeland, and Nupur Nanda, Public Buildings in Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria: Prestorm Challenges, Hurricane Damage, and Suggested Courses of Action for Recovery, RAND Corporation (RR-2606-DHS), 2020
- Preston, Benjamin Lee, Tom LaTourrette, James R. Broyles, R. J. Briggs, David Catt, Christopher D. Nelson, Jeanne S. Ringel, and Daniel A. Waxman, Updating the Costs of Compliance for California's Hospital Seismic Safety Standards, RAND Corporation (RR-3059-CHA), 2019
- LaTourrette T, Lauland A, Fischbach J, Berg N, Stelzner C, Assessing Vulnerability and Improving Resilience of Critical Emergency Management Infrastructure in California in a Changing Climate, California Natural Resources Agency, 2018
- Dixon, Lloyd, Tom LaTourrette, David A. Galvan, Charles A. Goldman, Nidhi Kalra, Christopher D. Nelson, Flavia Tsang, Paul S. Steinberg, James Lyons, Jerry Bowers, and Bob Katin, Process and Outcome Evaluation of the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, California Energy Commission (RR-1948-CEC), 2017