Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

United States Assessments of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources Active

By Central Energy Resources Science Center April 19, 2019

Explore US Undiscovered Oil and Gas Assessment Provinces

Assessment results, publications, data and more are available

click here to launch

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).

Assessment Overview

Image shows a map of the assessment units of the 2018 Delaware Basin oil and gas assessment

The USGS assesses potential for undiscovered oil and gas resources in priority geologic provinces in the United States.  This website highlights conventional and unconventional (continuous) oil and gas assessments.

Summary of Continuous Assessments

Interactive map and chart highlighting USGS Domestic Continuous (Unconventional) Oil & Gas Assessments, 2000-Present

This applications shows maps and tables of all continuous assessments in the United States.

Click here to launch

Recent Assessments

Below are the latest US Assessments:

Browse Assessments

National Oil and Gas Assessment Methodology

The U.S. Geological Survey Energy Resources Program assesses the potential for undiscovered oil and gas resources in priority geologic provinces in the United States and around the world (click here for information about World Oil and Gas Assessments). Two methodologies are used by the USGS; one for assessing conventional oil and gas resources and one for assessing unconventional (continuous) oil and gas resources (such as shale gas and coalbed gas).  USGS publications detailing and explaining the conventional and continuous assessment methodologies are provided below.  These methodologies have been subjected to rigorous peer reviews by non federal panels, and the two panel reports are provided on this page.

 

Conventional Resources

USGS Reports

U.S. Geological Survey Assessment Concepts for Conventional Petroleum Accumulations
By James W. Schmoker and T.R. Klett

U.S. Geological Survey Input-Data Form and Operational Procedure for the Assessment of Conventional Petroleum Accumulations
By T.R. Klett, James W. Schmoker, and Ronald R. Charpentier

A Monte Carlo Simulation Method for the Assessment of Undiscovered, Conventional Oil and Gas
By Ronald R. Charpentier and T.R. Klett

 

Continuous Resources

USGS Reports

U.S. Geological Survey Assessment Concepts for Continuous Petroleum Accumulations
By James W. Schmoker

U.S. Geological Survey Input-Data Form and Operational Procedure for the Assessment Of Continuous Petroleum Accumulations, 2002
By T.R. Klett and James W. Schmoker

Analytic Resource Assessment Method for Continuous Petroleum Accumulations—The ACCESS Assessment Method
By Robert A. Crovelli

FORSPAN Model Users Guide
By T.R. Klett, and Ronald R. Charpentier
 

Methodology Revisions

Improved USGS methodology for assessing continuous petroleum resources.
Charpentier, R.R., and Cook, T.A.

Applying Probabilistic Well-Performance Parameters to Assessments of Shale-Gas Resources
By Ronald R. Charpentier and Troy Cook

Assembling Probabilistic Performance Parameters of Shale-Gas Wells
By Cook, Troy, and Charpentier, R.R.

USGS Methodology for Assessing Continuous Petroleum Resources
By Ronald R. Charpentier and Troy Cook

New U.S. Geological Survey Method for the Assessment of Reserve Growth
By Timothy R. Klett, Emil D. Attanasi, Ronald R. Charpentier, Troy A. Cook, Philip A. Freeman, Donald L. Gautier, Phuong A. Le, Robert T. Ryder, Christopher J. Schenk, Marilyn E. Tennyson, and Mahendra K. Verma (Reserve Growth Assessment Team)

Variability of Distributions of Well-Scale Estimated Ultimate Recovery for Continuous (Unconventional) Oil and Gas Resources in the United States 
By U.S. Geological Survey Oil and Gas Assessment Team

Peer Review

American Association of Petroleum Geologists Committee on Resource Evaluation (CORE) Subcommittee to review the United States Onshore Continuous (Unconventional) Gas Assessment Methodology Used by the USGS

 

Reserve Growth Methodology

USGS Reports

New U.S. Geological Survey Method for the Assessment of Reserve Growth
By Reserve Growth Assessment Team

Reserve Growth of Oil and Gas Fields - Investigations and Applications
By Troy Cook

Peer Review

American Association of Petroleum Geologists Committee on Resource Evaluation (CORE) Subcommittee to review the Growth-to-Known Reserves

 

Below are a list of recent assessment areas.  You can also use the National Oil and Gas Assessment Map to browse these assessments.

Filter Total Items: 59
link
Province 5045 Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin

Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin Province 5045, north-central Texas and southwestern Oklahoma.
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin Province 5045, north-central Texas and southwestern Oklahoma.
Learn More
link
Province 5041 Raton Basin-Sierra Grand Uplift National Oil and Gas Assessments

Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Raton Basin–Sierra Grande Uplift Province 5041 of northeastern New Mexico and southeastern Colorado.
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Raton Basin–Sierra Grande Uplift Province 5041 of northeastern New Mexico and southeastern Colorado.
Learn More
link
Province 5039 Denver Basin National Oil and Gas Assessments

Denver Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Denver Basin Province 5039 in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

Denver Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Denver Basin Province 5039 in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Learn More
link
Province 5036 Wyoming Thrust Belt National Oil and Gas Assessments

Wyoming Thrust Belt Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Wyoming Thrust Belt Province 5036 in Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah.
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

Wyoming Thrust Belt Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Wyoming Thrust Belt Province 5036 in Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah.
Learn More
link
Province 5037 Southwestern Wyoming National Oil and Gas Assessments

Southwestern Wyoming Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas potentional of the Southwestern Wyoming Province 5037 of southwestern Wyoming, northwestern Colorado, and northeastern Utah.
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

Southwestern Wyoming Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas potentional of the Southwestern Wyoming Province 5037 of southwestern Wyoming, northwestern Colorado, and northeastern Utah.
Learn More
link
Province 5035 Wind River Basin National Oil and Gas Assessments

Wind River Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Wind River Basin Province 5035 in central Wyoming.
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

Wind River Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Wind River Basin Province 5035 in central Wyoming.
Learn More
link
Province 5034 Bighorn Basin National Oil and Gas Assessments

Bighorn Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Bighorn Basin Province 5034.
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

Bighorn Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Bighorn Basin Province 5034.
Learn More
link
Province 5028 North Central Montana National Oil and Gas Assessments

North-Central Montana Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the North-Central Montana and Williston Basin Provinces 5028 of central Montana and western North Dakota.
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

North-Central Montana Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the North-Central Montana and Williston Basin Provinces 5028 of central Montana and western North Dakota.
Learn More
link
Province 5030, Hanna Laramie and Shirley Basins, National Oil and Gas Assessments

Hanna, Laramie, Shirley Basins Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resource potential of the Hanna, Laramie, and Shirley Basins Province 5030 in Wyoming and northeastern Colorado.
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

Hanna, Laramie, Shirley Basins Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resource potential of the Hanna, Laramie, and Shirley Basins Province 5030 in Wyoming and northeastern Colorado.
Learn More
link
Province 5027 Montana Thrust Belt National Oil and Gas Assessments

Montana Thrust Belt Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Montana Thrust Belt Province 5027 of northwestern Montana.
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

Montana Thrust Belt Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Montana Thrust Belt Province 5027 of northwestern Montana.
Learn More
link
Province 5022 San Juan Basin National Oil and Gas Assessment

San Juan Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the San Juan Basin Province of northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado 5022.
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

San Juan Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the San Juan Basin Province of northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado 5022.
Learn More
link
Province 5021 Paradox Basin National Oil and Gas Assessment

Paradox Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Paradox Basin Province of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona 5021.
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
link

Paradox Basin Oil and Gas Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey completed the following assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Paradox Basin Province of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona 5021.
Learn More

Below are datasets related to the National Oil and Gas Assessments.  

Legacy downloadable data
Filter Total Items: 34
No Result Found

Below are publications associated with this project.

Filter Total Items: 93

Assessment of undiscovered continuous gas resources in Upper Devonian Shales of the Appalachian Basin Province, 2017

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable continuous resources of 10.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in Upper Devonian shales of the Appalachian Basin Province.
By
Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Assessment of continuous gas resources in the Phosphoria Formation of the Wyoming Thrust Belt Province, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah, 2017

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable resources of 198 billion cubic feet of continuous gas in the Phosphoria Formation of the Wyoming Thrust Belt Province, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah.
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the Wyoming Thrust Belt Province, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah, 2017

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable resources of 26 million barrels of oil and 700 billion cubic feet of gas in the Wyoming Thrust Belt Province, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah.
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the North-Central Montana Province, 2017

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable resources of 55 million barrels of oil and 846 billion cubic feet of gas in the North-Central Montana Province.
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Cretaceous Nanushuk and Torok Formations, Alaska North Slope, and summary of resource potential of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, 2017

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable resources of 8.7 billion barrels of oil and 25 trillion cubic feet of natural gas (associated and nonassociated) in conventional accumulations in the Cretaceous Nanushuk and Torok Formations in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, adjacent State and Native lands, and State waters. The estimated undiscovered oil re
By
Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Procedure for calculating estimated ultimate recoveries of wells in the Mississippian Barnett Shale, Bend Arch–Fort Worth Basin Province of north-central Texas

In 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey published an assessment of technically recoverable continuous oil and gas resources of the Mississippian Barnett Shale in the Bend Arch–Fort Worth Basin Province of north-central Texas. Of the two assessment units involved in the overall assessment, one included a roughly equal number of oil wells and gas wells as classified by the U.S. Geological Survey’s stand
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey input-data forms for the assessment of the Spraberry Formation of the Midland Basin, Permian Basin Province, Texas, 2017

In 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an updated assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in the Spraberry Formation of the Midland Basin (Permian Basin Province) in southwestern Texas (Marra and others, 2017). The Spraberry Formation was assessed using both the standard continuous (unconventional) and conventional methodologies established by the US
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Ventura Basin Province, California, 2016

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed a geology-based assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable conventional and continuous oil and gas resources in the part of the Ventura Basin Province that lies onshore or within State waters (within 3 miles of the shoreline) of California (fig. 1). Conventional oil and gas resources are those that have migrated upward into structural or stratig
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Geologic assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the Lower Paleogene Midway and Wilcox Groups, and the Carrizo Sand of the Claiborne Group, of the Northern Gulf coast region

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently conducted an assessment of the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas potential of Tertiary strata underlying the onshore areas and State waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico coastal region. The assessment was based on a number of geologic elements including an evaluation of hydrocarbon source rocks, suitable reservoir rocks, and hydrocarbon t
By
Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Characterization and origin of brines from the Bakken-Three Forks petroleum system in the Williston Basin, USA

Brine (also referred to as ‘produced water’) samples were collected from 28 wells producing oil from the Late Devonian-Early Mississippian Bakken and Three Forks Formations in the Williston Basin of eastern Montana and western North Dakota. The samples were analyzed for major ions, trace metals, stable isotopes, and strontium isotopes. The brines in these formations are highly saline with total di
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of water and proppant quantities associated with petroleum production from the Bakken and Three Forks Formations, Williston Basin Province, Montana and North Dakota, 2016

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has completed an assessment of water and proppant requirements and water production associated with the possible future production of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Three Forks and Bakken Formations (Late Devonian to Early Mississippian) of the Williston Basin Province in Montana and North Dakota. This water and proppant assessment is directly linked to
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of undiscovered continuous oil and gas resources in the Heath Formation, central Montana and western North Dakota, 2016

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 884 million barrels of oil and 106 billion cubic feet of gas in the North-Central Montana and Williston Basin Provinces of central Montana and western North Dakota.
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Below are datasets related to the National Oil and Gas Assessments.  

Below are news stories associated with this project.

Below are FAQ associated with this project.

Below are partners associated with this project.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)