Typing a paper about HydroCarbon

I have to type a 10 page paper for my Geology/Earth Science class that poses the question "How much Hydrocarbon is in the Gulf of Mexico?" This topic was specifically given to me in my honors geology class. The paper does not have to be super specific though, as the class is actually intro level and there were no specific guidelines to follow. Can anyone offer assistance with Hydrocarbon and the history of the Gulf? I'm having difficulty explaining it in a reasonable way, much less stretching the subject out several pages. Links and videos would be reasonable for me as long as I can cite it. Thanks for input, if I even get any that is.