Geochemistry of Energy Fuels Project Active
Since its establishment in 1879, USGS geoscientists have investigated the geochemistry of energy resources. Research conducted in the Geochemistry of Energy Fuels project continues this tradition. Goals include 1) understanding the geologic, geochemical, microbiological, and other factors that control production, quality, and composition of coal, petroleum, and nuclear fuels, and 2) predicting the impacts of fuel use and possible uses of fuel by-products generated. Project geoscientists have expertise in coal geology, trace element, organic, molecular and isotope geochemistry, microbiology, and GIS applications. The research supports USGS energy resource assessments and provides critical information to land managers and decision makers.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Carbon and oxygen isotopic composition of coal and carbon dioxide derived from laboratory coal combustion: A preliminary study
Notes on the origin of copromacrinite based on nitrogen functionalities and δ13C and δ15N determined on samples from the Peach Orchard coal bed, southern Magoffin County, Kentucky
Radiometric dating of marine-influenced coal using Re–Os geochronology
Re–Os age for the Lower–Middle Pennsylvanian Boundary and comparison with associated palynoflora
Using ground and intact coal Samples to evaluate hydrocarbon fate during supercritical CO2 injection into coal beds: effects of particle size and coal moisture
Divisions of Geologic Time—Major Chronostratigraphic and Geochronologic Units
- Overview
Since its establishment in 1879, USGS geoscientists have investigated the geochemistry of energy resources. Research conducted in the Geochemistry of Energy Fuels project continues this tradition. Goals include 1) understanding the geologic, geochemical, microbiological, and other factors that control production, quality, and composition of coal, petroleum, and nuclear fuels, and 2) predicting the impacts of fuel use and possible uses of fuel by-products generated. Project geoscientists have expertise in coal geology, trace element, organic, molecular and isotope geochemistry, microbiology, and GIS applications. The research supports USGS energy resource assessments and provides critical information to land managers and decision makers.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
- Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
- Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 18Carbon and oxygen isotopic composition of coal and carbon dioxide derived from laboratory coal combustion: A preliminary study
The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere has dramatically increased from the start of the industrial revolution in the mid-1700s to present levels exceeding 400 ppm. Carbon dioxide derived from fossil fuel combustion is a greenhouse gas and a major contributor to on-going climate change. Carbon and oxygen stable isotope geochemistry is a useful tool to help model and predict theAuthorsPeter D. Warwick, Leslie F. RuppertNotes on the origin of copromacrinite based on nitrogen functionalities and δ13C and δ15N determined on samples from the Peach Orchard coal bed, southern Magoffin County, Kentucky
This paper represents the first attempt to show, by means other than just petrographic ones, that one type of macrinite, herein designated copromacrinite, may result from macrofauna feces. For that purpose a combination of coal petrography, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and elemental-analysis continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry methods were used to determine nitrogen functionalitieAuthorsBruno Valentim, Manuel Algarra, Alexandra Guedes, Leslie F. Ruppert, James C. HowerRadiometric dating of marine-influenced coal using Re–Os geochronology
Coal deposits are integral to understanding the structural evolution and thermal history of sedimentary basins and correlating contemporeous estuarine and fluvial delatic strata with marine sections. While marine shales may readily lend themselves to Re–Os dating due to the dominance of hydrogenous Re and Os, the lack of a chronometer for near-shore sedimentary environments hampers basinwide corrAuthorsGyana Ranjan Tripathy, Judith L. Hannah, Holly J. Stein, Nicholas J. Geboy, Leslie F. RuppertRe–Os age for the Lower–Middle Pennsylvanian Boundary and comparison with associated palynoflora
The Betsie Shale Member is a relatively thick and continuous unit that serves as a marker bed across the central Appalachian basin, in part because it includes an organic-rich shale unit at its base that is observable in drill logs. Deposited during a marine transgression, the Betsie Shale Member has been correlated to units in both Wales and Germany and has been proposed to mark the boundary betAuthorsNicholas J. Geboy, G.R Tripathy, Leslie F. Ruppert, C.F. Eble, B.M. Blake, J. L. Hannah, H. J. SteinUsing ground and intact coal Samples to evaluate hydrocarbon fate during supercritical CO2 injection into coal beds: effects of particle size and coal moisture
To investigate the potential for mobilizing organic compounds from coal beds during geologic carbon dioxide (CO2) storage (sequestration), a series of solvent extractions using dichloromethane (DCM) and using supercritical CO2 (40 °C and 10 MPa) were conducted on a set of coal samples collected from Louisiana and Ohio. The coal samples studied range in rank from lignite A to high volatile A bitumiAuthorsJon Kolak, Paul C. Hackley, Leslie F. Ruppert, Peter D. Warwick, Robert BurrussDivisions of Geologic Time—Major Chronostratigraphic and Geochronologic Units
Effective communication in the geosciences requires consistent uses of stratigraphic nomenclature, especially divisions of geologic time. A geologic time scale is composed of standard stratigraphic divisions based on rock sequences and calibrated in years. Over the years, the development of new dating methods and refinement of previous ones have stimulated revisions to geologic time scales. SinceAuthors