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Geochemical signatures of thermochemical sulfate reduction in controlled hydrous pyrolysis experiments Geochemical signatures of thermochemical sulfate reduction in controlled hydrous pyrolysis experiments

A series of gold tube hydrous pyrolysis experiments was conducted in order to investigate the effect of thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) on gas generation, residual saturated hydrocarbon compositional alteration, and solid pyrobitumen formation. The intensity of TSR significantly depends on the H2O/MgSO4 mole ratio, the smaller the ratio, the stronger the oxidizing conditions...
Authors
T. Zhang, G.S. Ellis, C.C. Walters, S.R. Kelemen, Kang-shi Wang, Y. Tang

Geologic model for oil and gas assessment of the Kemik-Thomson Play, central North Slope, Alaska Geologic model for oil and gas assessment of the Kemik-Thomson Play, central North Slope, Alaska

A geologic model was developed to assess undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Kemik-Thomson Play of the Central North Slope, Alaska. In this model, regional erosion during the Early Cretaceous produced an incised valley system on the flanks and crest of the Mikkelsen High and formed the Lower Cretaceous unconformity. Locally derived, coarse-grained siliciclastic and carbonate...
Authors
Christopher J. Schenk, David W. Houseknecht

Microbial and chemical factors influencing methane production in laboratory incubations of low-rank subsurface coals Microbial and chemical factors influencing methane production in laboratory incubations of low-rank subsurface coals

Lignite and subbituminous coals were investigated for their ability to support microbial methane production in laboratory incubations. Results show that naturally-occurring microorganisms associated with the coals produced substantial quantities of methane, although the factors influencing this process were variable among different samples tested. Methanogenic microbes in two coals from...
Authors
Stephen H. Harris, Richard L. Smith, Charles E. Barker

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Tertiary strata of the Gulf Coast, 2007 Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Tertiary strata of the Gulf Coast, 2007

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a mean of 113.7 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered natural gas, a mean of 690 million barrels of undiscovered oil, and a mean of 3.7 billion barrels of undiscovered natural gas liquids in onshore lands and State waters of the Gulf Coast.
Authors
Russell F. Dubiel, Janet K. Pitman, Ofori N. Pearson, Peter D. Warwick, Alexander W. Karlsen, James L. Coleman, Paul C. Hackley, Daniel O. Hayba, Sharon M. Swanson, Ronald R. Charpentier, Troy A Cook, Timothy R. Klett, Richard M. Pollastro, Christopher J. Schenk

New vitrinite reflectance data for the Bighorn Basin, north-central Wyoming and south-central Montana New vitrinite reflectance data for the Bighorn Basin, north-central Wyoming and south-central Montana

The Bighorn Basin is a large Laramide (Late Cretaceous through Eocene) structural and sedimentary basin that encompasses about 10,400 mi2 in north-central Wyoming and south-central Montana (fig. 1). Important conventional oil and gas resources have been discovered and produced from reservoirs ranging in age from Cambrian through Tertiary (Fox and Dolton, 1989, 1996a, b; De Bruin, 1993)...
Authors
Thomas M. Finn, Mark J. Pawlewicz

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Cretaceous-Tertiary coal beds of the Gulf Coast region, 2007 Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Cretaceous-Tertiary coal beds of the Gulf Coast region, 2007

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a mean of 4.06 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas in Cretaceous-Tertiary coal beds of the onshore lands and State waters of the Gulf Coast.
Authors
Peter D. Warwick

Coal quality and major, minor, and trace elements in the Powder River, Green River, and Williston basins, Wyoming and North Dakota Coal quality and major, minor, and trace elements in the Powder River, Green River, and Williston basins, Wyoming and North Dakota

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Wyoming Reservoir Management Group (RMG) of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and nineteen independent coalbed methane (CBM) gas operators in the Powder River and Green River Basins in Wyoming and the Williston Basin in North Dakota, collected 963 coal samples from 37 core holes (fig. 1; table 1) between 1999 and 2005. The...
Authors
Gary D. Stricker, Romeo M. Flores, Michael H. Trippi, Margaret S. Ellis, Carol M. Olson, Jonah E. Sullivan, Kenneth I. Takahashi

Total Petroleum Systems of the Carpathian - Balkanian Basin Province of Romania and Bulgaria Total Petroleum Systems of the Carpathian - Balkanian Basin Province of Romania and Bulgaria

The U.S. Geological Survey defined the Moesian Platform Composite Total Petroleum System and the Dysodile Schist-Tertiary Total Petroleum System, which contain three assessment units, in the Carpathian-Balkanian Basin Province of Romania and Bulgaria. The Moesian Platform Assessment Unit, contained within the Moesian Platform Composite Total Petroleum System, is composed of Mesozoic and...
Authors
Mark Pawlewicz

Petroleum systems and assessment of undiscovered oil and gas in the Raton Basin – Sierra Grande Uplift Province, Colorado and New Mexico — USGS Province 41 Petroleum systems and assessment of undiscovered oil and gas in the Raton Basin – Sierra Grande Uplift Province, Colorado and New Mexico — USGS Province 41

Introduction The purpose of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Oil and Gas Assessment is to develop geologically based hypotheses regarding the potential for additions to oil and gas reserves in priority areas of the United States. The USGS recently completed an assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province of southeastern...
Authors
Debra K. Higley

U.S. Geological Survey Assessment of Undiscovered Petroleum Resources of the Hamra Basin, Libya, 2006 U.S. Geological Survey Assessment of Undiscovered Petroleum Resources of the Hamra Basin, Libya, 2006

The Hamra Basin Province encompasses approximately 244,100 square kilometers (94,250 square miles) and is entirely within Libya. One composite total petroleum system (TPS) was defined for this assessment; it extends from Libya westward into adjacent parts of Algeria and southern Tunisia. The Hamra Basin part of the TPS was subdivided into four assessment units for the purpose of resource
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey

Upper cretaceous microbial petroleum systems in north-central Montana Upper cretaceous microbial petroleum systems in north-central Montana

Cenomanian to Campanian rocks of north-central Montana contain shallow economic accumulations of dry natural gas derived from microbial methanogenesis. The methanogens utilized carbon dioxide derived from organic matter in the marginal marine sediments and hydrogen from in situ pore water to generate methane. The most recent USGS assessment of the shallow gas resources of eastern Montana...
Authors
Paul G. Lillis
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