The U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Energy Resources Program, conducts systematic, geology-based, regional assessments of significant coal beds in major coal basins in the United States. These assessments detail the quantity, quality, location, and economic potential of the Nation’s remaining coal resources and reserves and provide objective scientific information that assists in the formulation of energy strategies, environmental policies, land-use management practices, and economic projections.
Overview
To read details regarding this project, see FS-2017-3067
The coal industry in the United States has undergone fundamental changes over the past several years that have resulted in a reduction in the number of operating coal mines, the merging or consolidation of numerous coal companies, and a drastic decrease in coal production. Since 2008, when a record of more than 1.17 billion short tons of coal were produced in the U.S., annual coal production volumes have dropped precipitously. In 2018, nearly 756 million short tons of coal were produced, according to estimates by the Energy Information Agency (EIA). Despite this reduction in annual production, the EIA projects that coal will continue to provide fuel to generate approximately 25 percent of the electricity used in the U.S. The generation of electricity continues to account for the consumption of over 92 percent of coal mined in the U.S. The use of coal to produce coke for steel making, as well as other industrial, commercial, and institutional uses, accounts for the remainder of U.S. coal consumption.
There are numerous coal beds, of varying thickness, extent, and quality, in coal fields and basins spread throughout the U. S. - these compose the total coal resources of the nation. However, not all the total coal resources can be extracted. The portion of the total coal resources that may be able to be extracted are defined as recoverable coal resources. Recoverable coal resources are calculated by subtracting coal resources lost due to previous mining activities, exposure to weathering along outcrops, geological conditions, environmental, land use, or societal restrictions, and mining technology limitations from the total coal resources.
Reserves are the portion of the recoverable coal resources that can be extracted economically at a time of classification. The portion of recoverable coal resources that can be defined as reserves will vary over time, based on fluctuations in mining costs, differences in mining methods, and the market value of the coal.
In energy assessments, it is important to estimate not only the total coal resources, but to inventory the recoverable coal resources and coal reserves as well. Estimating the available coal resources and reserves provides a more accurate appraisal of how much of the total U.S. coal resources are realistically available for extraction in the future.
There is often confusion in the use of the terms coal “resources” and “reserves”. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but there are significant differences in their definitions. The terms are defined, from USGS Circular 891, as follows:
Coal resources – include in-place tonnage estimates that are determined by summing the volumes for identified and undiscovered coal deposits, utilizing a specified minimum thickness.
Coal reserves – are a subset of coal resources that are classified as economically extractable at the time of classification, after considering environmental, legal, and technological constraints. The facilities for extraction do not need to be in place or operative at the time of classification.
To be classified as economically extractable, the current market value of the extracted coal must be greater than the total cost to extract it.
The task of the U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project is to conduct a systematic determination of recoverable coal resources and reserves, on a regional basis for all major coal provinces in the United States. This differentiates the current coal assessment project from previous generations of coal assessment projects, in which typically only total coal resources were calculated.
The Project is focused on defining coal resources and reserves in the Northern Great Plains and Rocky Mountain Coal Provinces, with an emphasis on determining coal resources and reserves on Federal lands. The first U.S. coal basin to be evaluated was the Powder River Basin (PRB) in Wyoming and Montana, because it has been the most productive coal basin in the United States over the past 25 years. The results of the PRB assessment were published in Professional Paper 1809 in 2015.
Currently, assessment studies in three separate areas of the Greater Green River Basin have been started – an assessment of the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert area (in south-central Wyoming) is nearly completed; an assessment of the Yampa coal field in northwest Colorado is ongoing; an assessment of the eastern portion of the Rock Springs Uplift coal field in Wyoming is also ongoing. The Greater Green River Basin was prioritized for assessment because it contains vast land areas controlled by the Federal government, large portions of the basin have not been formally assessed for coal resources, and previously proprietary drill hole data have become available for use in geologic modeling and economic evaluations.
Assessment priorities are being adjusted in response to changes in coal utilization patterns and markets. Metallurgical coal and export coal products are increasing their market share, while thermal coals, used for domestic electric power generation are decreasing. Areas under consideration for future assessment are the Raton Basin (metallurgical coal), Grand Staircase/Escalante (metallurgical coal), the Piceance Basin (thermal coal), and the Williston Basin (thermal coal).
As part of the USGS Energy Resources Program, the U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project research efforts yield state-of-the art, digitally-based assessments that detail the quantity, quality, location, and accessibility of the Nation’s coal resources and reserves. Recent software updates to state-of-the-art database and geologic modeling packages are enhancing the quality of current assessment studies.
Current Coal Assessment Studies Methodologies:
An External Peer Review of the U.S. Geological Survey Energy Resource Program’s Economically Recoverable Coal Resource Assessment Methodology was conducted in 2005, utilizing experts from industry, academia, and other government agencies. This peer review is available at: Open-File Report 2005-1076
The methodology currently utilized by the U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project can be divided into three distinct phases – data collection, data modeling, and calculation of resources and reserves. A generalized outline of the methodology utilized is shown below:
Phase I: Data collection
1. geologic–drill holes, measured sections, geophysical data – that show coal bed thicknesses, partings, interburden/overburden lithologies, or structure.
2. restrictions–data that define factors that affect extraction of coal – environmental, land use, legal, and/or technical restrictions.
3. societal–data defining state, county, and municipal boundaries, surface property ownership and usage, and coal and other mineral estate ownership.
4. coal quality–data points that provide information on coal quality parameters.
5. coal economics–data on coal market prices and costs related to equipment, operations, and facilities.
Phase II: Data modeling
1. correlation–establishing the stratigraphic position and lateral continuity of individual coal beds within the assessment area.
2. geologic models–incorporate the available geologic data, correlations, and structural features for each coal bed into a geologic model. Determine which coal beds have the thickness, extent, and lateral continuity to be designated as significant–for resources and reserves calculation purposes.
3. GIS models-utilize GIS capabilities to model restrictions and societal data to determine areas where coal extraction is not possible.
4. Composite model–combine geologic and GIS models to produce a composite model of the geology, restrictions, and societal features.
Phase III: Calculating resources and reserves
1. resources calculations-use composite model to: a. calculate original resources for all significant coal beds b. calculate recoverable resources for all significant coal beds
2. projected mine costs-utilize coal economics data to develop mining costs through economic studies.
3. cost curve graphs-utilize estimated mining costs and coal market pricing data to generate cost curve graphs.
4. reserves determination-interpreted from the cost curve graphs for all significant coal beds.
Related Links
USGS Links
USGS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Pertaining to "Coal"
External Links
ASTM Committee D05 on Coal and Coke
U.S. Department of Energy Clean Coal Initiative
U.S. Energy Information Administration
International Committee for Coal & Organic Petrology (ICCP)
The Society for Organic Petrology (TSOP)
Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME) – www.smenet.org
National Mining Association (NMA) – https://nma.org
Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming and Colorado Coal Assessment
The Greater Green River Basin (GGRB) is a large, irregularly shaped, intermontane desert basin in the Rocky Mountain coal region. The basin spans are large region encompassing southwestern and south-central Wyoming and northwestern Colorado. The GGRB contains several coal fields of economic importance and there are several active coal mines in the basin, utilizing both surface and underground mining methods. The structural geology is relatively complex, with intra-basin anticlinal features dividing the GGRB into several sub-basins. The coal beds in the GGRB were deposited in fluvial/deltaic and lacustrine paleoenvironments and are Late Cretaceous, Paleocene, and Eocene in Age.
Because of its areal extent, the Greater Green River Basin has been divided into three separate assessments – Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert area (WY), Yampa coal field (CO), and Rock Springs Uplift coal field (WY). The Greater Green River Basin was prioritized for assessment because it contains vast land areas controlled by the Federal government, large portions of the basin have not been formally assessed for coal resources, and previously proprietary drill hole data have become available for use in geologic modeling and economic evaluations.
The coal resources and reserves assessment of the GGRB is part of the current generation of U.S. coal assessments that not only define the total coal resources, but also systematically determine the available coal resources and reserves for a region or basin. The determination of available coal resources show what coal may be available for extraction after environmental, land use, and technological restrictions are applied to the total coal resources. The determination of reserves from the available coal resources shows what coal is currently available to be economically extracted, based on market conditions and projected mining costs. Determining available coal resources and reserves are important factors to be considered in the development of a national energy policy and for providing energy security for the United States.
Powder River Basin, Wyoming Coal Assessment
In 2009, the USGS completed the first digital National Coal Resource Assessment (NCRA) of in-place coal resources. The current generation of U.S. coal assessments will not only be a refinement of the coal resources, but also the systematic determination of the regional coal reserve base in all the major coal provinces in the U.S. The reserve base provides not only estimates of coal resources that are currently economic (reserves), but what may become economic with current technologies (recoverable resources), which is important from a national energy security and policy standpoint. The first U.S. coal basin to be evaluated in this new assessment phase is the Powder River Basin, WY (PRB). The PRB is the single most important coal basin in the U.S. production-wise, supplying over 42 percent of the total coal produced in the U.S. in 2012.
USGS Professional Paper 1809, Coal Geology and Assessment of Coal Resources and Reserves in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana, was published in 2015. It is the compilation of four USGS Open File Reports into a single publication, covering four different assessment areas in the PRB. Professional Paper 1809 provides an overview of the geology and reports the original resources for the entire PRB, as well as the available coal resources and reserves.
Coal Quality
The USGS Energy Resources Program researches and provides studies on the quantity, quality, and location of the Nation’s coal resources and has world class research facilities investigating coal petrology and coal quality. These studies address coal extraction, utilization and disposal issues, human health and environmental impact issues, and identify suitable resources for the Nation’s electric power generation.
Coal Databases
The U.S. Geological Survey Energy Resources Program has developed coal databases to monitor the location, quantity, and physical and chemical characteristics of U.S. coal and coal-related deposits.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Drill hole data for coal beds in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in McLean County, North Dakota
Drill hole data for coal beds in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in Mercer and Oliver Counties, North Dakota
Drill hole data for coal beds in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in Billings County, North Dakota
Drill hole data for coal beds in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in Dunn County, North Dakota
Drill hole data for coal beds in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in Golden Valley County, North Dakota
Cherokee coal bed drill hole data from the Fort Union Formation in the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert Area, Wyoming
Geospatial Data for Coal Beds in the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert area, Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming
Coal drill hole database for the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert area, Wyoming
Below are publications associated with this project.
Assessing U.S. coal resources and reserves
Probabilistic methodology for the assessment of original and recoverable coal resources, illustrated with an application to a coal bed in the Fort Union Formation, Wyoming
Coking coal of the United States—Modern and historical coking coal mining locations and chemical, rheological, petrographic, and other data from modern samples
An assessment of the economic potential of lignite and leonardite resources in the Williston Basin, North Dakota
Coal geology and assessment of resources and reserves in the Little Snake River Coal Field and Red Desert Assessment Area, Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming
Assessment of coal resources and reserves in the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert assessment area, Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming
Economic analysis for U.S. Geological Survey Coal Basin Assessments
Gas emissions, tars, and secondary minerals at the Ruth Mullins and Tiptop coal mine fires
Mapping of compositional properties of coal using isometric log-ratio transformation and sequential Gaussian simulation – A comparative study for spatial ultimate analyses data
Preliminary geologic mapping of Cretaceous and Tertiary formations in the eastern part of the Little Snake River coal field, Carbon County, Wyoming
GIS representation of coal-bearing areas in Antarctica
Coal geology and assessment of coal resources and reserves in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana
Geospatial data for coal beds in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana
Illinois Basin (NCRA Region 8) Datasets
Coal Assessment Data Sets
Colorado Plateau (NCRA Region 3) Data Sets
Colorado Plateau Data Sets from the Central Energy Resources Science Center Coal Assessment
Appalachian Basin (NCRA Region 9) Data Sets
Coal Assessment Data Download
Rocky Mountain/Great Plains (NCRA Region 4) Data Sets
Coal Assessment Data Download
Below are software products associated with this project.
Computer programs for the assessment of coal resources (ver. 2.0, April 2021)
Assessments Evolved: USGS Coal Research in the 21st Century
Although often associated with helping fuel the Nation’s growth during the Industrial Revolution, coal is very much part of our space-age present. In 2016, coal-fired power plants provided 30.4 percent of the country’s electricity, and it is an important source of employment in many states.
- Overview
The U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Energy Resources Program, conducts systematic, geology-based, regional assessments of significant coal beds in major coal basins in the United States. These assessments detail the quantity, quality, location, and economic potential of the Nation’s remaining coal resources and reserves and provide objective scientific information that assists in the formulation of energy strategies, environmental policies, land-use management practices, and economic projections.
Overview
To read details regarding this project, see FS-2017-3067
The coal industry in the United States has undergone fundamental changes over the past several years that have resulted in a reduction in the number of operating coal mines, the merging or consolidation of numerous coal companies, and a drastic decrease in coal production. Since 2008, when a record of more than 1.17 billion short tons of coal were produced in the U.S., annual coal production volumes have dropped precipitously. In 2018, nearly 756 million short tons of coal were produced, according to estimates by the Energy Information Agency (EIA). Despite this reduction in annual production, the EIA projects that coal will continue to provide fuel to generate approximately 25 percent of the electricity used in the U.S. The generation of electricity continues to account for the consumption of over 92 percent of coal mined in the U.S. The use of coal to produce coke for steel making, as well as other industrial, commercial, and institutional uses, accounts for the remainder of U.S. coal consumption.
There are numerous coal beds, of varying thickness, extent, and quality, in coal fields and basins spread throughout the U. S. - these compose the total coal resources of the nation. However, not all the total coal resources can be extracted. The portion of the total coal resources that may be able to be extracted are defined as recoverable coal resources. Recoverable coal resources are calculated by subtracting coal resources lost due to previous mining activities, exposure to weathering along outcrops, geological conditions, environmental, land use, or societal restrictions, and mining technology limitations from the total coal resources.
Reserves are the portion of the recoverable coal resources that can be extracted economically at a time of classification. The portion of recoverable coal resources that can be defined as reserves will vary over time, based on fluctuations in mining costs, differences in mining methods, and the market value of the coal.
In energy assessments, it is important to estimate not only the total coal resources, but to inventory the recoverable coal resources and coal reserves as well. Estimating the available coal resources and reserves provides a more accurate appraisal of how much of the total U.S. coal resources are realistically available for extraction in the future.
There is often confusion in the use of the terms coal “resources” and “reserves”. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but there are significant differences in their definitions. The terms are defined, from USGS Circular 891, as follows:
Coal resources – include in-place tonnage estimates that are determined by summing the volumes for identified and undiscovered coal deposits, utilizing a specified minimum thickness.
Coal reserves – are a subset of coal resources that are classified as economically extractable at the time of classification, after considering environmental, legal, and technological constraints. The facilities for extraction do not need to be in place or operative at the time of classification.
To be classified as economically extractable, the current market value of the extracted coal must be greater than the total cost to extract it.
The task of the U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project is to conduct a systematic determination of recoverable coal resources and reserves, on a regional basis for all major coal provinces in the United States. This differentiates the current coal assessment project from previous generations of coal assessment projects, in which typically only total coal resources were calculated.
The Project is focused on defining coal resources and reserves in the Northern Great Plains and Rocky Mountain Coal Provinces, with an emphasis on determining coal resources and reserves on Federal lands. The first U.S. coal basin to be evaluated was the Powder River Basin (PRB) in Wyoming and Montana, because it has been the most productive coal basin in the United States over the past 25 years. The results of the PRB assessment were published in Professional Paper 1809 in 2015.
Currently, assessment studies in three separate areas of the Greater Green River Basin have been started – an assessment of the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert area (in south-central Wyoming) is nearly completed; an assessment of the Yampa coal field in northwest Colorado is ongoing; an assessment of the eastern portion of the Rock Springs Uplift coal field in Wyoming is also ongoing. The Greater Green River Basin was prioritized for assessment because it contains vast land areas controlled by the Federal government, large portions of the basin have not been formally assessed for coal resources, and previously proprietary drill hole data have become available for use in geologic modeling and economic evaluations.
Assessment priorities are being adjusted in response to changes in coal utilization patterns and markets. Metallurgical coal and export coal products are increasing their market share, while thermal coals, used for domestic electric power generation are decreasing. Areas under consideration for future assessment are the Raton Basin (metallurgical coal), Grand Staircase/Escalante (metallurgical coal), the Piceance Basin (thermal coal), and the Williston Basin (thermal coal).
As part of the USGS Energy Resources Program, the U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project research efforts yield state-of-the art, digitally-based assessments that detail the quantity, quality, location, and accessibility of the Nation’s coal resources and reserves. Recent software updates to state-of-the-art database and geologic modeling packages are enhancing the quality of current assessment studies.
Current Coal Assessment Studies Methodologies:
An External Peer Review of the U.S. Geological Survey Energy Resource Program’s Economically Recoverable Coal Resource Assessment Methodology was conducted in 2005, utilizing experts from industry, academia, and other government agencies. This peer review is available at: Open-File Report 2005-1076
The methodology currently utilized by the U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project can be divided into three distinct phases – data collection, data modeling, and calculation of resources and reserves. A generalized outline of the methodology utilized is shown below:
Phase I: Data collection
1. geologic–drill holes, measured sections, geophysical data – that show coal bed thicknesses, partings, interburden/overburden lithologies, or structure.
2. restrictions–data that define factors that affect extraction of coal – environmental, land use, legal, and/or technical restrictions.
3. societal–data defining state, county, and municipal boundaries, surface property ownership and usage, and coal and other mineral estate ownership.
4. coal quality–data points that provide information on coal quality parameters.
5. coal economics–data on coal market prices and costs related to equipment, operations, and facilities.
Phase II: Data modeling
1. correlation–establishing the stratigraphic position and lateral continuity of individual coal beds within the assessment area.
2. geologic models–incorporate the available geologic data, correlations, and structural features for each coal bed into a geologic model. Determine which coal beds have the thickness, extent, and lateral continuity to be designated as significant–for resources and reserves calculation purposes.
3. GIS models-utilize GIS capabilities to model restrictions and societal data to determine areas where coal extraction is not possible.
4. Composite model–combine geologic and GIS models to produce a composite model of the geology, restrictions, and societal features.
Phase III: Calculating resources and reserves
1. resources calculations-use composite model to: a. calculate original resources for all significant coal beds b. calculate recoverable resources for all significant coal beds
2. projected mine costs-utilize coal economics data to develop mining costs through economic studies.
3. cost curve graphs-utilize estimated mining costs and coal market pricing data to generate cost curve graphs.
4. reserves determination-interpreted from the cost curve graphs for all significant coal beds.
Related Links
USGS Links
USGS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Pertaining to "Coal"
External Links
ASTM Committee D05 on Coal and Coke
U.S. Department of Energy Clean Coal Initiative
U.S. Energy Information Administration
International Committee for Coal & Organic Petrology (ICCP)
The Society for Organic Petrology (TSOP)
Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME) – www.smenet.org
National Mining Association (NMA) – https://nma.org
Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming and Colorado Coal Assessment
The Greater Green River Basin (GGRB) is a large, irregularly shaped, intermontane desert basin in the Rocky Mountain coal region. The basin spans are large region encompassing southwestern and south-central Wyoming and northwestern Colorado. The GGRB contains several coal fields of economic importance and there are several active coal mines in the basin, utilizing both surface and underground mining methods. The structural geology is relatively complex, with intra-basin anticlinal features dividing the GGRB into several sub-basins. The coal beds in the GGRB were deposited in fluvial/deltaic and lacustrine paleoenvironments and are Late Cretaceous, Paleocene, and Eocene in Age.
Because of its areal extent, the Greater Green River Basin has been divided into three separate assessments – Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert area (WY), Yampa coal field (CO), and Rock Springs Uplift coal field (WY). The Greater Green River Basin was prioritized for assessment because it contains vast land areas controlled by the Federal government, large portions of the basin have not been formally assessed for coal resources, and previously proprietary drill hole data have become available for use in geologic modeling and economic evaluations.
The coal resources and reserves assessment of the GGRB is part of the current generation of U.S. coal assessments that not only define the total coal resources, but also systematically determine the available coal resources and reserves for a region or basin. The determination of available coal resources show what coal may be available for extraction after environmental, land use, and technological restrictions are applied to the total coal resources. The determination of reserves from the available coal resources shows what coal is currently available to be economically extracted, based on market conditions and projected mining costs. Determining available coal resources and reserves are important factors to be considered in the development of a national energy policy and for providing energy security for the United States.
Powder River Basin, Wyoming Coal Assessment
In 2009, the USGS completed the first digital National Coal Resource Assessment (NCRA) of in-place coal resources. The current generation of U.S. coal assessments will not only be a refinement of the coal resources, but also the systematic determination of the regional coal reserve base in all the major coal provinces in the U.S. The reserve base provides not only estimates of coal resources that are currently economic (reserves), but what may become economic with current technologies (recoverable resources), which is important from a national energy security and policy standpoint. The first U.S. coal basin to be evaluated in this new assessment phase is the Powder River Basin, WY (PRB). The PRB is the single most important coal basin in the U.S. production-wise, supplying over 42 percent of the total coal produced in the U.S. in 2012.
USGS Professional Paper 1809, Coal Geology and Assessment of Coal Resources and Reserves in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana, was published in 2015. It is the compilation of four USGS Open File Reports into a single publication, covering four different assessment areas in the PRB. Professional Paper 1809 provides an overview of the geology and reports the original resources for the entire PRB, as well as the available coal resources and reserves.
Coal Quality
The USGS Energy Resources Program researches and provides studies on the quantity, quality, and location of the Nation’s coal resources and has world class research facilities investigating coal petrology and coal quality. These studies address coal extraction, utilization and disposal issues, human health and environmental impact issues, and identify suitable resources for the Nation’s electric power generation.
Coal Databases
The U.S. Geological Survey Energy Resources Program has developed coal databases to monitor the location, quantity, and physical and chemical characteristics of U.S. coal and coal-related deposits.
- Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Drill hole data for coal beds in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in McLean County, North Dakota
The data set contains location, depth, and geologic data from drill holes penetrating the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in McLean County in west-central North Dakota.Drill hole data for coal beds in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in Mercer and Oliver Counties, North Dakota
The data set contains location, depth, and geologic data from drill holes penetrating the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in Mercer and Oliver Counties in central North Dakota.Drill hole data for coal beds in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in Billings County, North Dakota
The data set contains location, depth, and geologic data from drill holes penetrating the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in Billings County in western North Dakota.Drill hole data for coal beds in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in Dunn County, North Dakota
The data set contains location, depth, and geologic data from drill holes penetrating the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in Dunn County in western North Dakota.Drill hole data for coal beds in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in Golden Valley County, North Dakota
The data set contains location, depth, and geologic data from drill holes penetrating the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Williston Basin in Golden Valley County in western North Dakota.Cherokee coal bed drill hole data from the Fort Union Formation in the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert Area, Wyoming
The data set contains geologic and mining engineering data from drill holes penetrating through the Cherokee coal bed interval of the Overland Member of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert area in south-central Wyoming.Geospatial Data for Coal Beds in the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert area, Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming
The data release encapsulates geospatial data in support of the regional scale study, Coal Geology and Assessment of Coal Resources and Reserves in the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert assessment area, Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming. The assessment area covers about 2,300 square miles of the Eastern portion of the 15,400 square mile Greater Green River Basin in Southwestern WyomingCoal drill hole database for the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert area, Wyoming
The U.S. Geological Survey conducted an assessment of coal resources and reserves in the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert area of the Greater Green River Basin in Southwest Wyoming. A comprehensive database was compiled to support this assessment that includes data points for drill-holes and measured sections. Associated with these resources are lithology descriptors, (focusing on coal - Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Assessing U.S. coal resources and reserves
The U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Energy Resources Program, conducts systematic, geology-based, regional assessments of significant coal beds in major coal basins in the United States. These assessments detail the quantity, quality, location, and economic potential of the Nation’s remaining coal resources and reserves and provideAuthorsBrian N. ShafferFilter Total Items: 36Probabilistic methodology for the assessment of original and recoverable coal resources, illustrated with an application to a coal bed in the Fort Union Formation, Wyoming
Executive SummaryThe U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been using its Circular 891 for evaluating uncertainty in coal resource assessments for more than 35 years. Calculated cell tonnages are assigned to four qualitative reliability classes depending exclusively on distance to the nearest drill hole. The main appeal of this methodology, simplicity, is also its main drawback. Reliability may dependAuthorsRicardo A. Olea, Brian N. Shaffer, Jon E. Haacke, James A. LuppensCoking coal of the United States—Modern and historical coking coal mining locations and chemical, rheological, petrographic, and other data from modern samples
Coking coal, or metallurgical coal, has been produced in the United States for nearly 200 years. Coking coal is primarily used in the production of coke for use in the steel industry, and for other uses (for example, foundries, blacksmithing, heating buildings, and brewing). Currently, U.S. coking coal is produced in Alabama, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Virginia , and West Virginia. Historically, cokiAuthorsMichael H. Trippi, Leslie F. Ruppert, Cortland F. Eble, James C. HowerAn assessment of the economic potential of lignite and leonardite resources in the Williston Basin, North Dakota
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requested assistance from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct an assessment study to identify areas that may have economic potential for the future extraction of lignite and leonardite resources in the Williston Basin in North Dakota. The study will be used by the BLM to assist with the preparation of a revised resource management plan for the WillistonAuthorsBrian N. ShafferCoal geology and assessment of resources and reserves in the Little Snake River Coal Field and Red Desert Assessment Area, Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming
The U.S. Geological Survey is studying regional-scale assessments of resources and reserves of primary coal beds in the major coal bed basins in the United States to help formulate policy for Federal, State, and local energy and land use. This report summarizes the geology and coal resources and reserves in the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert assessment area in the Greater Green RiverAuthorsDavid C. Scott, Brian N. Shaffer, Jon E. Haacke, Paul E. Pierce, Scott A. KinneyAssessment of coal resources and reserves in the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert assessment area, Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming
The assessment of the Little Snake River coal field and Red Desert area covers approximately 2,300 square miles in the eastern portion of the Greater Green River Basin in south-central Wyoming. Coal-bearing formations are present throughout the Eocene, Paleocene, and Cretaceous strata in the assessment area. Paleogene-age coal beds are present in the Eocene Wasatch Formation and Paleocene Fort UniAuthorsBrian N. Shaffer, Paul E. Pierce, Scott A. Kinney, Ricardo A. Olea, James A. LuppensEconomic analysis for U.S. Geological Survey Coal Basin Assessments
This report presents economic principles and applications as they pertain to the U.S. Geological Survey’s U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project. This report compares commercial and governmental applications of economic principles and evaluation techniques. Common practices are described for evaluating the commercial investment potential of coal properties and calculating the governmeAuthorsPaul E. PierceGas emissions, tars, and secondary minerals at the Ruth Mullins and Tiptop coal mine fires
Both the Tiptop and Ruth Mullins coal fires, Kentucky, were reinvestigated in 2009 and 2010. The Tiptop fire was not as active in 2009 and may have been on the path to burning out at the time of the 2009 visit. The Ruth Mullins coal mine fire, Perry County, Kentucky, has been the subject of several field investigations, including November 2009–February 2010 investigations in which we measured gasAuthorsJennifer M. K. O'Keefe, Erika R. Neace, Maxwell L. Hammond, James C. Hower, Mark A. Engle, Joseph A. East, Nicholas J. Geboy, Ricardo A. Olea, Kevin R. Henke, Gregory C. Copley, Edward W. Lemley, Rachel S. Hatch Nally, Antonia E. Hansen, Allison R. Richardson, Anne B. Satterwhite, Glenn B. Stracher, Larry F. Radke, Charles Smeltzer, Christopher Romanek, Donald R. Blake, Paul A. Schroeder, Stephen D. Emsbo-Mattingly, Scott A. StoutMapping of compositional properties of coal using isometric log-ratio transformation and sequential Gaussian simulation – A comparative study for spatial ultimate analyses data
Chemical properties of coal largely determine coal handling, processing, beneficiation methods, and design of coal-fired power plants. Furthermore, these properties impact coal strength, coal blending during mining, as well as coal's gas content, which is important for mining safety. In order for these processes and quantitative predictions to be successful, safer, and economically feasible, it isAuthorsC. Özgen Karacan, Ricardo A. OleaPreliminary geologic mapping of Cretaceous and Tertiary formations in the eastern part of the Little Snake River coal field, Carbon County, Wyoming
In the 1970s and 1980s, C.S. Venable Barclay conducted geologic mapping of areas primarily underlain by Cretaceous coals in the eastern part of the Little Snake River coal field (LSR) in Carbon County, southwest Wyoming. With some exceptions, most of the mapping data were never published. Subsequently, after his retirement from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), his field maps and field notebooksAuthorsJon E. Haacke, C. S. Venable Barclay, Robert D. HettingerGIS representation of coal-bearing areas in Antarctica
Understanding the distribution of coal-bearing geologic units in Antarctica provides information that can be used in sedimentary, geomorphological, paleontological, and climatological studies. This report is a digital compilation of information on Antarctica’s coal-bearing geologic units found in the literature. It is intended to be used in small-scale spatial geographic information system (GIS) iAuthorsMatthew D. MerrillCoal geology and assessment of coal resources and reserves in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana
This report presents the final results of the first assessment of both coal resources and reserves for all significant coal beds in the entire Powder River Basin, northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana. The basin covers about 19,500 square miles, exclusive of the part of the basin within the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations in Montana. The Powder River Basin, which contains thAuthorsJames A. Luppens, David C. Scott, Jon Haacke, Lee M. Osmonson, Paul E. PierceGeospatial data for coal beds in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana
The purpose of this report is to provide geospatial data for various layers and themes in a Geographic Information System (GIS) format for the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana. In 2015, as part of the U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of coal resources and reserves within the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and MontanaAuthorsScott A. Kinney, David C. Scott, Lee M. Osmonson, James A. Luppens - Web Tools
Illinois Basin (NCRA Region 8) Datasets
Coal Assessment Data Sets
Colorado Plateau (NCRA Region 3) Data Sets
Colorado Plateau Data Sets from the Central Energy Resources Science Center Coal Assessment
Appalachian Basin (NCRA Region 9) Data Sets
Coal Assessment Data Download
Rocky Mountain/Great Plains (NCRA Region 4) Data Sets
Coal Assessment Data Download
- Software
Below are software products associated with this project.
Computer programs for the assessment of coal resources (ver. 2.0, April 2021)
The USGS assessment and methodology reports cited within this software release require extensive processing using computational methods and modeling. The most demanding aspects of the modeling were performed using publicly available software: SGeMS and GSLIB. - News
Assessments Evolved: USGS Coal Research in the 21st Century
Although often associated with helping fuel the Nation’s growth during the Industrial Revolution, coal is very much part of our space-age present. In 2016, coal-fired power plants provided 30.4 percent of the country’s electricity, and it is an important source of employment in many states.