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Bighorn Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

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By Central Energy Resources Science Center November 29, 2018

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Bighorn Basin Province 5034.

 

  • 2019 Continuous oil and gas resources in the niobrara internal of the Cody Shale (FS 2019-3045)
  • 2008 Conventional and Continuous Assessment (DDS 69-V)
  • 1995 Assessment (DDS 30)
link
Application to explore US Oil and Gas Assessments

United States Assessments of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources

USGS Energy Resources Program provides periodic assessments of the oil and natural gas endowment of the United States and the World. This website provides access to new, prioritized, assessment results and supporting data for the United States, as part of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA).
By
Energy and Minerals Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

United States Assessments of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources

USGS Energy Resources Program provides periodic assessments of the oil and natural gas endowment of the United States and the World. This website provides access to new, prioritized, assessment results and supporting data for the United States, as part of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA).
Learn More

New Source Rock Data for the Niobrara and Sage Breaks intervals of the lower Cody Shale in the Wyoming part of the Bighorn Basin

In 2019 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) quantitively assessed the potential for undiscovered, technically recoverable continuous (unconventional) oil and gas resources in the Niobrara interval of the Cody Shale in the Bighorn Basin Province (Finn and others, 2019). Leading up to the assessment, in 2017, the USGS collected samples from the Niobrara and underlying Sage Breaks intervals (Finn, 2019
By
Central Energy Resources Science Center

USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project-Bighorn Basin Province, Niobrara Formation Assessment Units and Input Data Forms

This data release contains the boundaries of assessment units and input data for the assessment of continuous oil and gas resources of the Niobrara interval of the Cody Shale in the Bighorn Basin Province of Wyoming and Montana. The Assessment Unit is the fundamental unit used in the National Assessment Project for the assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources. The Assessment Unit is define
By
Central Energy Resources Science Center

Below are publications associated with this project.

Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the niobrara interval of the Cody Shale, Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana, 2019

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 534 million barrels of oil and 939 billion cubic feet of gas in the Niobrara interval of the Cody Shale in the Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana.
Authors
Thomas M. Finn, Christopher J. Schenk, Tracey J. Mercier, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Phuong A. Le, Michael E. Brownfield, Kristen R. Marra, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Ronald M. Drake, Cheryl A. Woodall, Janet K. Pitman, Geoffrey S. Ellis, Scott A. Kinney
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey assessments of continuous (unconventional) oil and gas resources, 2000 to 2011

From 2000 to 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted 139 quantitative assessments of continuous (unconventional) oil and gas accumulations within the United States. This report documents those assessments more fully than previously done by providing detailed documentation of both the assessment input and output. This report also compiles the data into spreadsheet tables that can be more readily
Authors
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Map of assessed coalbed-gas resources in the United States, 2014

This report presents a digital map of coalbed-gas resource assessments in the United States as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Assessment of Oil and Gas Project. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the USGS quantitatively estimated potential volumes of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas resources within coalbed-gas assessment units (AUs). This is the t
Authors
Laura R. H. Biewick
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Vitrinite reflectance data for Cretaceous marine shales and coals in 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 square miles in north-central Wyoming and south-central Montana. The purpose of this report is to present new vitrinite reflectance data collected from Cretaceous marine shales and coals in the Bighorn Basin to better characterize the thermal maturity and petroleum
Authors
Mark J. Pawlewicz, Thomas M. Finn
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Bighorn Basin Province, which encompasses about 6.7 million acres in north-central Wyoming and southern Montana. The assessment is based on the geologic elements of each total petroleum system defined in the province, including petroleum source rocks (source-rock maturation, petroleu
Authors

Outcrops, fossils, geophysical logs, and tectonic interpretations of the Upper Cretaceous Frontier Formation and contiguous strata in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming and Montana

In the Bighorn Basin of north-central Wyoming and south-central Montana, the Frontier Formation of early Late Cretaceous age consists of siliciclastic, bentonitic, and carbonaceous beds that were deposited in marine, brackish-water, and continental environments. Most lithologic units are laterally discontinuous. The Frontier Formation conformably overlies the Mowry Shale and is conformably overlai
Authors
E. A. Merewether, W. A. Cobban, R. W. Tillman
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana, 2008

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a mean of 989 billion cubic feet of undiscovered natural gas, a mean of 72 million barrels of undiscovered oil, and a mean of 13 million barrels of undiscovered natural gas liquids in the Bighorn Basin Providence of Wyoming and Montana.
Authors
Mark A. Kirschbaum, Steven M. Condon, Thomas M. Finn, Ronald C. Johnson, Paul G. Lillis, Philip H. Nelson, Laura N.R. Roberts, Stephen B. Roberts, Ronald Charpentier, Troy Cook, Timothy R. Klett, Richard M. Pollastro, Christopher J. Schenk
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Burial History, Thermal Maturity, and Oil and Gas Generation History of Source Rocks in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming and Montana

Burial history, thermal maturity, and timing of oil and gas generation were modeled for seven key source-rock units at eight well locations throughout the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming and Montana. Also modeled was the timing of cracking to gas of Phosphoria Formation-sourced oil in the Permian Park City Formation reservoirs at two well locations. Within the basin boundary, the Phosphoria is thin and o
Authors
Laura N.R. Roberts, Thomas M. Finn, Michael D. Lewan, Mark A. Kirschbaum

Areas of historical oil and gas exploration and production in the United States

This report contains maps and associated spatial data showing historical oil and gas exploration and production in the United States. Because of the proprietary nature of many oil and gas well databases, the United States was divided into cells one-quarter square mile and the production status of all wells in a given cell was aggregated. Base-map reference data are included, using the U.S. Geologi
Authors
Laura Biewick
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

1995 National Assessment of United States oil and gas resources: Results, methodology, and supporting data

This revised CD-ROM summarizes the results, released in 1995, of the 3-year study of the oil and gas resources of the onshore and state waters of the United States. Minor errors in the original DDS-30 (listed in DDS-35 and DDS-36) are corrected in this revised version and in the data files now released in DDS-35 and DDS-36. Estimates are made of technically recoverable oil, including measured (pro
Authors
Donald L. Gautier, Gordon Dolton, Kenneth I. Takahashi, Katharine L. Varnes
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Bighorn Basin Province 5034.

 

  • 2019 Continuous oil and gas resources in the niobrara internal of the Cody Shale (FS 2019-3045)
  • 2008 Conventional and Continuous Assessment (DDS 69-V)
  • 1995 Assessment (DDS 30)
link
Application to explore US Oil and Gas Assessments

United States Assessments of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources

USGS Energy Resources Program provides periodic assessments of the oil and natural gas endowment of the United States and the World. This website provides access to new, prioritized, assessment results and supporting data for the United States, as part of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA).
By
Energy and Minerals Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

United States Assessments of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources

USGS Energy Resources Program provides periodic assessments of the oil and natural gas endowment of the United States and the World. This website provides access to new, prioritized, assessment results and supporting data for the United States, as part of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA).
Learn More

New Source Rock Data for the Niobrara and Sage Breaks intervals of the lower Cody Shale in the Wyoming part of the Bighorn Basin

In 2019 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) quantitively assessed the potential for undiscovered, technically recoverable continuous (unconventional) oil and gas resources in the Niobrara interval of the Cody Shale in the Bighorn Basin Province (Finn and others, 2019). Leading up to the assessment, in 2017, the USGS collected samples from the Niobrara and underlying Sage Breaks intervals (Finn, 2019
By
Central Energy Resources Science Center

USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project-Bighorn Basin Province, Niobrara Formation Assessment Units and Input Data Forms

This data release contains the boundaries of assessment units and input data for the assessment of continuous oil and gas resources of the Niobrara interval of the Cody Shale in the Bighorn Basin Province of Wyoming and Montana. The Assessment Unit is the fundamental unit used in the National Assessment Project for the assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources. The Assessment Unit is define
By
Central Energy Resources Science Center

Below are publications associated with this project.

Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the niobrara interval of the Cody Shale, Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana, 2019

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 534 million barrels of oil and 939 billion cubic feet of gas in the Niobrara interval of the Cody Shale in the Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana.
Authors
Thomas M. Finn, Christopher J. Schenk, Tracey J. Mercier, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Phuong A. Le, Michael E. Brownfield, Kristen R. Marra, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Ronald M. Drake, Cheryl A. Woodall, Janet K. Pitman, Geoffrey S. Ellis, Scott A. Kinney
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey assessments of continuous (unconventional) oil and gas resources, 2000 to 2011

From 2000 to 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted 139 quantitative assessments of continuous (unconventional) oil and gas accumulations within the United States. This report documents those assessments more fully than previously done by providing detailed documentation of both the assessment input and output. This report also compiles the data into spreadsheet tables that can be more readily
Authors
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Map of assessed coalbed-gas resources in the United States, 2014

This report presents a digital map of coalbed-gas resource assessments in the United States as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Assessment of Oil and Gas Project. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the USGS quantitatively estimated potential volumes of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas resources within coalbed-gas assessment units (AUs). This is the t
Authors
Laura R. H. Biewick
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Vitrinite reflectance data for Cretaceous marine shales and coals in 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 square miles in north-central Wyoming and south-central Montana. The purpose of this report is to present new vitrinite reflectance data collected from Cretaceous marine shales and coals in the Bighorn Basin to better characterize the thermal maturity and petroleum
Authors
Mark J. Pawlewicz, Thomas M. Finn
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Bighorn Basin Province, which encompasses about 6.7 million acres in north-central Wyoming and southern Montana. The assessment is based on the geologic elements of each total petroleum system defined in the province, including petroleum source rocks (source-rock maturation, petroleu
Authors

Outcrops, fossils, geophysical logs, and tectonic interpretations of the Upper Cretaceous Frontier Formation and contiguous strata in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming and Montana

In the Bighorn Basin of north-central Wyoming and south-central Montana, the Frontier Formation of early Late Cretaceous age consists of siliciclastic, bentonitic, and carbonaceous beds that were deposited in marine, brackish-water, and continental environments. Most lithologic units are laterally discontinuous. The Frontier Formation conformably overlies the Mowry Shale and is conformably overlai
Authors
E. A. Merewether, W. A. Cobban, R. W. Tillman
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana, 2008

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a mean of 989 billion cubic feet of undiscovered natural gas, a mean of 72 million barrels of undiscovered oil, and a mean of 13 million barrels of undiscovered natural gas liquids in the Bighorn Basin Providence of Wyoming and Montana.
Authors
Mark A. Kirschbaum, Steven M. Condon, Thomas M. Finn, Ronald C. Johnson, Paul G. Lillis, Philip H. Nelson, Laura N.R. Roberts, Stephen B. Roberts, Ronald Charpentier, Troy Cook, Timothy R. Klett, Richard M. Pollastro, Christopher J. Schenk
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Burial History, Thermal Maturity, and Oil and Gas Generation History of Source Rocks in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming and Montana

Burial history, thermal maturity, and timing of oil and gas generation were modeled for seven key source-rock units at eight well locations throughout the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming and Montana. Also modeled was the timing of cracking to gas of Phosphoria Formation-sourced oil in the Permian Park City Formation reservoirs at two well locations. Within the basin boundary, the Phosphoria is thin and o
Authors
Laura N.R. Roberts, Thomas M. Finn, Michael D. Lewan, Mark A. Kirschbaum

Areas of historical oil and gas exploration and production in the United States

This report contains maps and associated spatial data showing historical oil and gas exploration and production in the United States. Because of the proprietary nature of many oil and gas well databases, the United States was divided into cells one-quarter square mile and the production status of all wells in a given cell was aggregated. Base-map reference data are included, using the U.S. Geologi
Authors
Laura Biewick
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

1995 National Assessment of United States oil and gas resources: Results, methodology, and supporting data

This revised CD-ROM summarizes the results, released in 1995, of the 3-year study of the oil and gas resources of the onshore and state waters of the United States. Minor errors in the original DDS-30 (listed in DDS-35 and DDS-36) are corrected in this revised version and in the data files now released in DDS-35 and DDS-36. Estimates are made of technically recoverable oil, including measured (pro
Authors
Donald L. Gautier, Gordon Dolton, Kenneth I. Takahashi, Katharine L. Varnes
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
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