United States Assessments of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources
Explore US Undiscovered Oil and Gas Assessment Provinces
Assessment results, publications, data and more are available
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
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.
Recent Assessments
Below are the latest US Assessments:
- 2024 Santa Maria Basin Province
- Phosphoria Total Petroleum System of the Southwestern Wyoming Province, 2024
- 2025 Federal Lands of the Onshore United States
- 2024 Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Formation
- 2024 Mowry Composite Total Petroleum Systems
- 2024 Hosston and Travis Peak Formations
- 2023 Escondido, Olmos, and San Miguel Formations of the Western Gulf Basin Prov…
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
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
Below are a list of recent assessment areas. You can also use the National Oil and Gas Assessment Map to browse these assessments.
Cincinnati Arch Oil and Gas Assessments
Arkoma Basin Oil and Gas Assessments
Southern Oklahoma Oil and Gas Assessments
Forest City Basin Oil and Gas Assessments
Sedgwick Basin Oil and Gas Assessments
Ozark Uplift Oil and Gas Assessments
Nemaha Uplift Province Oil and Gas Assessment
Cambridge Arch-Central Kansas Uplift Oil and Gas Assessment
Iowa Shelf Oil and Gas Assessments
Marathon Thrust Belt Oil and Gas Assessments
Superior Oil and Gas Assessments
Palo Duro Basin Oil and Gas Assessments
Below are datasets related to the National Oil and Gas Assessments.
USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project- Gulf Coast Smackover Conventional Oil and Gas Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project- Gulf Coast Smackover Conventional Oil and Gas Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables
New Source Rock Data for the Niobrara and Sage Breaks intervals of the lower Cody Shale in the Wyoming part of the Bighorn Basin New Source Rock Data for the Niobrara and Sage Breaks intervals of the lower Cody Shale in the Wyoming part of the Bighorn Basin
New Source Rock Data for the Lewis Shale from the eastern part of the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming and Colorado New Source Rock Data for the Lewis Shale from the eastern part of the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming and Colorado
USGS Gulf Coast Geologic Energy Assessments and Research Project-Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation Continuous Resources: Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables USGS Gulf Coast Geologic Energy Assessments and Research Project-Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation Continuous Resources: Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables
Compilation of total organic carbon and pyrolysis analysis data for Cretaceous marine shales in the Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province, Colorado and New Mexico Compilation of total organic carbon and pyrolysis analysis data for Cretaceous marine shales in the Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province, Colorado and New Mexico
USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project - Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province: Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project - Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province: Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables
USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project—Northwest Montana Bakken Formation: Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project—Northwest Montana Bakken Formation: Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables
Data release for the 3D petroleum systems model of the Williston Basin, USA Data release for the 3D petroleum systems model of the Williston Basin, USA
New source rock data for the Mowry and Thermopolis Shales in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming New source rock data for the Mowry and Thermopolis Shales in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming
Total organic carbon and pyrolysis analysis data for the Rock Well Petroleum core #8, southern Casper arch, Natrona County, Wyoming Total organic carbon and pyrolysis analysis data for the Rock Well Petroleum core #8, southern Casper arch, Natrona County, Wyoming
USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project-U.S. Gulf Coast, Deep Tuscaloosa Conventional Gas: Assessment Unit Boundary, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project-U.S. Gulf Coast, Deep Tuscaloosa Conventional Gas: Assessment Unit Boundary, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables
Aggregated Oil and Natural Gas Drilling and Production History of the United States (ver. 1.1, April 2023) Aggregated Oil and Natural Gas Drilling and Production History of the United States (ver. 1.1, April 2023)
Below are publications associated with this project.
Assessment of coalbed gas resources in the Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province, Colorado and New Mexico, 2022 Assessment of coalbed gas resources in the Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province, Colorado and New Mexico, 2022
Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the Bakken Formation of northwest Montana, 2022 Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the Bakken Formation of northwest Montana, 2022
Assessment of undiscovered conventional gas resources in the Deep Tuscaloosa Group Sandstones of the Western Gulf Basin Province, U.S. Gulf Coast region, 2021 Assessment of undiscovered conventional gas resources in the Deep Tuscaloosa Group Sandstones of the Western Gulf Basin Province, U.S. Gulf Coast region, 2021
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources of the Montana Thrust Belt Province, 2021 Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources of the Montana Thrust Belt Province, 2021
Assessment of undiscovered continuous oil resources in the Bakken and Three Forks Formations of the Williston Basin Province, North Dakota and Montana, 2021 Assessment of undiscovered continuous oil resources in the Bakken and Three Forks Formations of the Williston Basin Province, North Dakota and Montana, 2021
Assessment of undiscovered gas resources in the Williston Basin Province, 2020 Assessment of undiscovered gas resources in the Williston Basin Province, 2020
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the lower Paleozoic of the Williston Basin Province, 2020 Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the lower Paleozoic of the Williston Basin Province, 2020
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Pennsylvanian Tyler Formation of the Williston Basin Province, 2020 Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Pennsylvanian Tyler Formation of the Williston Basin Province, 2020
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources of upper Paleozoic strata in the Williston Basin Province, 2020 Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources of upper Paleozoic strata in the Williston Basin Province, 2020
Assessment of undiscovered gas resources in Upper Devonian to Lower Cretaceous strata of the western North Slope, Alaska, 2021 Assessment of undiscovered gas resources in Upper Devonian to Lower Cretaceous strata of the western North Slope, Alaska, 2021
Assessment of continuous gas resources in the Horn River Basin, Cordova Embayment, and Liard Basin, Canada, 2019 Assessment of continuous gas resources in the Horn River Basin, Cordova Embayment, and Liard Basin, Canada, 2019
Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the Mowry Shale, Wind River Basin Province, Wyoming, 2020 Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the Mowry Shale, Wind River Basin Province, Wyoming, 2020
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.
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
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.
Recent Assessments
Below are the latest US Assessments:
- 2024 Santa Maria Basin Province
- Phosphoria Total Petroleum System of the Southwestern Wyoming Province, 2024
- 2025 Federal Lands of the Onshore United States
- 2024 Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Formation
- 2024 Mowry Composite Total Petroleum Systems
- 2024 Hosston and Travis Peak Formations
- 2023 Escondido, Olmos, and San Miguel Formations of the Western Gulf Basin Prov…
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
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
Below are a list of recent assessment areas. You can also use the National Oil and Gas Assessment Map to browse these assessments.
Cincinnati Arch Oil and Gas Assessments
Arkoma Basin Oil and Gas Assessments
Southern Oklahoma Oil and Gas Assessments
Forest City Basin Oil and Gas Assessments
Sedgwick Basin Oil and Gas Assessments
Ozark Uplift Oil and Gas Assessments
Nemaha Uplift Province Oil and Gas Assessment
Cambridge Arch-Central Kansas Uplift Oil and Gas Assessment
Iowa Shelf Oil and Gas Assessments
Marathon Thrust Belt Oil and Gas Assessments
Superior Oil and Gas Assessments
Palo Duro Basin Oil and Gas Assessments
Below are datasets related to the National Oil and Gas Assessments.
USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project- Gulf Coast Smackover Conventional Oil and Gas Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project- Gulf Coast Smackover Conventional Oil and Gas Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables
New Source Rock Data for the Niobrara and Sage Breaks intervals of the lower Cody Shale in the Wyoming part of the Bighorn Basin New Source Rock Data for the Niobrara and Sage Breaks intervals of the lower Cody Shale in the Wyoming part of the Bighorn Basin
New Source Rock Data for the Lewis Shale from the eastern part of the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming and Colorado New Source Rock Data for the Lewis Shale from the eastern part of the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming and Colorado
USGS Gulf Coast Geologic Energy Assessments and Research Project-Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation Continuous Resources: Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables USGS Gulf Coast Geologic Energy Assessments and Research Project-Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation Continuous Resources: Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables
Compilation of total organic carbon and pyrolysis analysis data for Cretaceous marine shales in the Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province, Colorado and New Mexico Compilation of total organic carbon and pyrolysis analysis data for Cretaceous marine shales in the Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province, Colorado and New Mexico
USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project - Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province: Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project - Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province: Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables
USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project—Northwest Montana Bakken Formation: Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project—Northwest Montana Bakken Formation: Assessment Unit Boundaries, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables
Data release for the 3D petroleum systems model of the Williston Basin, USA Data release for the 3D petroleum systems model of the Williston Basin, USA
New source rock data for the Mowry and Thermopolis Shales in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming New source rock data for the Mowry and Thermopolis Shales in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming
Total organic carbon and pyrolysis analysis data for the Rock Well Petroleum core #8, southern Casper arch, Natrona County, Wyoming Total organic carbon and pyrolysis analysis data for the Rock Well Petroleum core #8, southern Casper arch, Natrona County, Wyoming
USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project-U.S. Gulf Coast, Deep Tuscaloosa Conventional Gas: Assessment Unit Boundary, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables USGS National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Project-U.S. Gulf Coast, Deep Tuscaloosa Conventional Gas: Assessment Unit Boundary, Assessment Input Data, and Fact Sheet Data Tables
Aggregated Oil and Natural Gas Drilling and Production History of the United States (ver. 1.1, April 2023) Aggregated Oil and Natural Gas Drilling and Production History of the United States (ver. 1.1, April 2023)
Below are publications associated with this project.
Assessment of coalbed gas resources in the Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province, Colorado and New Mexico, 2022 Assessment of coalbed gas resources in the Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province, Colorado and New Mexico, 2022
Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the Bakken Formation of northwest Montana, 2022 Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the Bakken Formation of northwest Montana, 2022
Assessment of undiscovered conventional gas resources in the Deep Tuscaloosa Group Sandstones of the Western Gulf Basin Province, U.S. Gulf Coast region, 2021 Assessment of undiscovered conventional gas resources in the Deep Tuscaloosa Group Sandstones of the Western Gulf Basin Province, U.S. Gulf Coast region, 2021
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources of the Montana Thrust Belt Province, 2021 Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources of the Montana Thrust Belt Province, 2021
Assessment of undiscovered continuous oil resources in the Bakken and Three Forks Formations of the Williston Basin Province, North Dakota and Montana, 2021 Assessment of undiscovered continuous oil resources in the Bakken and Three Forks Formations of the Williston Basin Province, North Dakota and Montana, 2021
Assessment of undiscovered gas resources in the Williston Basin Province, 2020 Assessment of undiscovered gas resources in the Williston Basin Province, 2020
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the lower Paleozoic of the Williston Basin Province, 2020 Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the lower Paleozoic of the Williston Basin Province, 2020
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Pennsylvanian Tyler Formation of the Williston Basin Province, 2020 Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Pennsylvanian Tyler Formation of the Williston Basin Province, 2020
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources of upper Paleozoic strata in the Williston Basin Province, 2020 Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources of upper Paleozoic strata in the Williston Basin Province, 2020
Assessment of undiscovered gas resources in Upper Devonian to Lower Cretaceous strata of the western North Slope, Alaska, 2021 Assessment of undiscovered gas resources in Upper Devonian to Lower Cretaceous strata of the western North Slope, Alaska, 2021
Assessment of continuous gas resources in the Horn River Basin, Cordova Embayment, and Liard Basin, Canada, 2019 Assessment of continuous gas resources in the Horn River Basin, Cordova Embayment, and Liard Basin, Canada, 2019
Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the Mowry Shale, Wind River Basin Province, Wyoming, 2020 Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the Mowry Shale, Wind River Basin Province, Wyoming, 2020
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.