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.
Geochemistry of Energy Fuels Task
Molecular Fingerprinting of Energy Materials
Byproducts of Energy Fuels
NORM Byproducts of Energy Resources
Microbial Methanogenesis and Strategies for Enhancements
Maps of Energy Occurrence
Trace Elements in Energy Fuels
Controls on Unconventional Oil and Gas Production
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Geochemical Data for Coal Wastes from Bituminous Coal Mining in Pennsylvania, 2022
Geochemical Data for Illinois Basin Coal Samples, 2015-2018 (ver. 1.1, March 2021)
Direct Trace Element Determination in Oil and Gas Produced Waters with Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES): Advantages of High Salinity Tolerance (2019)
Data from Nanoscale Molecular Fractionation of Organic Matter within Unconventional Petroleum Source Beds (2019)
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Geochemical data for Illinois Basin coal samples, 2015–2018
Exploring methane behavior in Marcellus Shale micropores via contrast matching neutron scattering
Repetitive sampling and control threshold improve 16S rRNA results from produced waters associated with hydraulically fractured shales
Organic compounds in produced waters from the Bakken Formation and Three Forks Formation in the Williston Basin, North Dakota
Coal biomethanation potential of various ranks from Pakistan: A possible alternative energy source
Hydrous heating experiments at 130°C yield insights into the occurrence of hydrogen sulfide and light alkanes in natural gas reservoirs
Changes in microbial communities and associated water and gas geochemistry across a sulfate gradient in coal beds: Powder River Basin, USA
Compositional data analysis of coal combustion products with an application to a Wyoming power plant
Porosity of the Marcellus Shale: A contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering study
Nanometre-sized pores in coal: Variations between coal basins and coal origin
Neutron scattering measurements of carbon dioxide adsorption in pores within the Marcellus Shale: Implications for sequestration
Leaching of trace elements from Pittsburgh coal mill rejects compared with coal combustion products from a coal-fired power plant in Ohio, USA
- 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.
Geochemistry of Energy Fuels Task
Geologic and geochemical processes that impact fuel quality, quantity, and availability can be best understood by utilizing a range of approaches, including, but not limited to isotopic signatures, inorganic and organic analyses, and neutron scattering techniques. Current work focuses on using neutron scattering to understand how fluids are stored and flow through tight continuous reservoirs and...Molecular Fingerprinting of Energy Materials
The chemical composition of complex solid organic matter (OM) from sedimentary reservoirs is a key parameter in the generation of hydrocarbon fuels. Vibrational spectroscopies such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman have been widely applied to understand the molecular make-up of these hydrocarbon precursors, as well as provide links to their thermal histories via correlation to proven...Byproducts of Energy Fuels
This task provides detailed information on the use and resource potential of energy by-products, as well as controls on the potential mobility of contaminants resulting from transport, storage, and disposal of these byproducts. Specific topics investigated include 1) transport and fate of organic and inorganic contaminants during storage and disposal of waste coal and coal combustion byproducts...NORM Byproducts of Energy Resources
Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) is found in waste produced during the extraction of uranium, phosphate, rare earth elements (REE), coal, oil and gas resources. The focus of this effort is to understand the potential for byproduct recovery of U-235 and Th-232, the fissionable isotopes used to generate nuclear energy from wastes produced during energy resource development. The NORM...Microbial Methanogenesis and Strategies for Enhancements
Microbial (biogenic) natural gas is present in shale, coal and petroleum reservoirs and is estimated to account for 20% of the world’s natural gas resources. We provide hydrological, geochemical and microbial information related to the production of biogenic natural gas and new methods to monitor and enhance the production of this energy resource. Generating microbial methane at a faster rate from...Maps of Energy Occurrence
The primary objective of this task is to produce digital maps coal-bearing areas and related energy sources and materials of the U.S., and internationally. The approach for creating GIS representations of energy sources of the U.S. and the world is to use existing geologic GIS data where possible, supplemented by data on location, rank and age from published maps and reports. Each GIS database...Trace Elements in Energy Fuels
In this task we conduct new interpretive studies of the concentration and distribution of trace metals and mercury in coal and other energy materials. Complementary studies of coal combustion products are conducted under Task 8. Together with use of existing USGS databases, we examine the potential for reducing emissions of potentially toxic substances by coal preparation, and by optimizing coal...Controls on Unconventional Oil and Gas Production
This scoping task incorporates insights from new approaches to production of unconventional resources and currently focuses on conducting a pilot assessment of biogenic natural gas resources in the Permian Basin. For the pilot assessment to occur, we are developing a database that will host geochemical parameters known to be suggestive of microbial methanogenesis mined to the reservoir level for... - Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Geochemical Data for Coal Wastes from Bituminous Coal Mining in Pennsylvania, 2022
Coal and coal byproducts may be economically important resources if enriched in critical minerals such as rare earth elements. The organic carbon they contain could be converted to gas using stimulated microbial methanogenesis. In this study, samples were collected from two underground mine sites in the bituminous region of southwest Pennsylvania to assess the potential for these uses from differeGeochemical Data for Illinois Basin Coal Samples, 2015-2018 (ver. 1.1, March 2021)
Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and their collaborators conducted a study of the geochemical properties of coals currently produced for electric power generation in the Illinois Basin in Illinois and Indiana. The study follows from recommendations by an expert panel for the USGS to investigate the distribution and controls of trace constituents such as mercury (Hg) in Illinois BasDirect Trace Element Determination in Oil and Gas Produced Waters with Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES): Advantages of High Salinity Tolerance (2019)
Waters co-produced during petroleum extraction are the largest waste stream from oil and gas development. Reuse or disposal of these waters is difficult due both to their high salinities, which can greatly exceed 35 g/L (seawater equivalent), and also the sheer volume of wastewater generated, which is estimated at nearly 900 billion gallons per year across the United States. Beyond disposal concerData from Nanoscale Molecular Fractionation of Organic Matter within Unconventional Petroleum Source Beds (2019)
Fractionation of petroleum during migration through sedimentary rock matrices has been observed across lengths of meters to kilometers. Selective adsorption of specific chemical moieties at mineral surfaces and/or the phase behavior of petroleum during pressure changes are typically invoked to explain this behavior. Given the current emphasis on unconventional (continuous) resources, there is a ne - Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 18Geochemical data for Illinois Basin coal samples, 2015–2018
Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and their collaborators conducted a study of the geochemical properties of coals currently produced for electric power generation in the Illinois Basin in Illinois and Indiana. The study follows from recommendations by an expert panel for the USGS to investigate the distribution and controls of trace constituents such as mercury (Hg) in Illinois BasAuthorsAllan Kolker, Clint Scott, Liliana Lefticariu, Maria Mastalerz, Agnieszka Drobniak, Annie ScottExploring methane behavior in Marcellus Shale micropores via contrast matching neutron scattering
Petroleum in shale reservoirs is hosted in organic matter and mineral pores as well as in natural fractures and voids. For thermally mature plays, e.g., the Marcellus Shale, methane and other light alkane gases are thought to be primarily contained in organic matter pores with radii ≦50 nm. Thus, in order to understand natural gas occurrence, transport, storage, and recoverability within unconventAuthorsAaron M. Jubb, Leslie F. Ruppert, Tristan G. A. Youngs, Thomas HeadenRepetitive sampling and control threshold improve 16S rRNA results from produced waters associated with hydraulically fractured shales
Sequencing microbial DNA from deep subsurface environments is complicated by a number of issues ranging from contamination to non-reproducible results. Many samples obtained from these environments - which are of great interest due to the potential to stimulate microbial methane generation - contain low biomass. Therefore, samples from these environments are difficult to study as sequencing resultAuthorsJenna L. Shelton, Elliott Barnhart, Leslie F. Ruppert, Aaron M. Jubb, Madalyn S. Blondes, Christina A. DeVeraOrganic compounds in produced waters from the Bakken Formation and Three Forks Formation in the Williston Basin, North Dakota
The organic composition of produced waters (flowback and formation waters) from the middle member of the Bakken Formation and the Three Forks Formation in the Williston Basin, North Dakota were examined to aid in the remediation of surface contamination and help develop treatment methods for produced-water recycling. Twelve produced water samples were collected from the Bakken and Three Forks FormAuthorsMatthew S. Varonka, Tanya Gallegos, Anne L. Bates, Colin A. Doolan, William H. OremCoal biomethanation potential of various ranks from Pakistan: A possible alternative energy source
The present study investigated the possibility of microbial transformations of coal to gas (biogasification) as an alternative to conventional coal mining because this approach has the potential to be less expensive, cleaner, and providinge greater access to deeper coal resources. Biogasification is often associated with low rank coal such as lignite and subbituminous coal that hasve produced enouAuthorsAneela Y. Malik, Muhammad Ishtiaq Ali, Asif Jamal, Uzma Farooq, Nazia Khatoon, William H. Orem, Elliott P. Barnhart, John R. SanFilipo, Huan He, Zaixing HuangHydrous heating experiments at 130°C yield insights into the occurrence of hydrogen sulfide and light alkanes in natural gas reservoirs
Improved understanding of the origin of produced volatiles from conventional reservoirs and unconventional source rocks is critical for petroleum exploration and production. A series of hydrous heating experiments using two immature Type II siliciclastic source rocks, Pennsylvanian Turner Mine shale (TMS) and Devonian New Albany Shale (NAS), at 130 °C over one to two years were conducted to assessAuthorsM.A. Alrowaie, Aaron M. Jubb, A. Schimmelmann, M. Mastalerz, L.M. PrattChanges in microbial communities and associated water and gas geochemistry across a sulfate gradient in coal beds: Powder River Basin, USA
Competition between microbial sulfate reduction and methanogenesis drives cycling of fossil carbon and generation of CH4 in sedimentary basins. However, little is understood about the fundamental relationship between subsurface aqueous geochemistry and microbiology that drives these processes. Here we relate elemental and isotopic geochemistry of coal-associated water and gas to the microbial commAuthorsHannah Schweitzer, Daniel Ritter, Jennifer McIntosh, Elliott Barnhart, Alfred B. Cunningham, David Vinson, William H. Orem, Matthew W. FieldsCompositional data analysis of coal combustion products with an application to a Wyoming power plant
A mathematically sound approach for summarizing chemical analyses of feed coal and all its combustion products (bottom ash, economizer fly ash, and fly ash) is presented. The nature of the data requires the application of compositional techniques when conducting statistical analysis, techniques that have not been applied before to the study of partitioning of elements between the coal that entersAuthorsJ. A. Martín-Fernández, Ricardo A. Olea, Leslie F. RuppertPorosity of the Marcellus Shale: A contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering study
Neutron scattering techniques were used to determine the effect of mineral matter on the accessibility of water and toluene to pores in the Devonian Marcellus Shale. Three Marcellus Shale samples, representing quartz-rich, clay-rich, and carbonate-rich facies, were examined using contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering (CM-SANS) at ambient pressure and temperature. Contrast matching compoAuthorsJitendra Bahadur, Leslie F. Ruppert, Vitaliy Pipich, Richard Sakurovs, Yuri B. MelnichenkoNanometre-sized pores in coal: Variations between coal basins and coal origin
We have used small angle neutron scattering (SANS) to investigate the differences in methane and hexane penetration in pores in bituminous coal samples from the U.S., Canada, South Africa, and China, and maceral concentrates from Australian coals. This work is an extension of previous work that showed consistent differences between the extent of penetration by methane into 10–20 nm size pores in iAuthorsRichard Sakurovs, Lukas Koval, Mihaela Grigore, Anna Sokolava, Leslie F. Ruppert, Yuri B. MelnichenkoNeutron scattering measurements of carbon dioxide adsorption in pores within the Marcellus Shale: Implications for sequestration
Shale is an increasingly viable source of natural gas and a potential candidate for geologic CO2sequestration. Understanding the gas adsorption behavior on shale is necessary for the design of optimal gas recovery and sequestration projects. In the present study neutron diffraction and small-angle neutron scattering measurements of adsorbed CO2 in Marcellus Shale samples were conducted on the NearAuthorsKonstantinos L. Stefanopoulos, Tristan G. A. Youngs, Richard Sakurovs, Leslie F. Ruppert, Jitendra Bahadur, Yuri B. MelnichenkoLeaching of trace elements from Pittsburgh coal mill rejects compared with coal combustion products from a coal-fired power plant in Ohio, USA
We investigated the leachability of elements from mill rejects from the high-sulfur, bituminous Upper Pennsylvanian Pittsburgh coal, using the synthetic groundwater leaching procedure (SGLP), long-term leaching (LTL), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), and compared their leaching behavior with that of three coal combustion prodAuthorsKevin B. Jones, Leslie F. Ruppert