The work is part of a joint venture led by Shell (40% stake), Saudi Aramco and Total, which will explore 81, 000 square miles of desert, half the size of California.

FORBES: Magazine Article

As of Thursday, 157 U.S. and British troops had died in the war, less than half the 358 coalition deaths in Desert Storm.

CNN: Coalition deaths fewer than in 1991

Around half of these died in the Sonora desert.

ECONOMIST: Mexico's northern border

One winter morning, Robbins and I drove four and a half hours north from Las Vegas, through the desert, to the Tonopah Conservation Camp, a minimum-security prison, where a pickpocket named Gary Scott was serving time.

NEWYORKER: A Pickpocket��s Tale

This desert is far from worthless: Catellus is in talks to sell half to a conservation group.

FORBES: Acreage plays

One of the Middle East's most scenic and ancient routes, the 280km-long highway is often overlooked in favour of the modern Desert Highway, which marches through Jordan's flat and sandy core in a speedy three and a half hours from the capital, Amman.

BBC: Travelling the slow route to Petra