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Paul Pierce (Former Employee)

Science and Products

Image shows coal fields of the conterminous united states color-coded by the type of coal

U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment

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...
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment

U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment

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...
Learn More

Waning greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. Federal lease coal production by the mid-21st century Waning greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. Federal lease coal production by the mid-21st century

This study presents estimates of future years (2024–2051) United States Federal lease coal production and the resulting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the combustion, transport, and mining of that fuel. Results from the coal production estimate indicate a decline in production from Federal leases; with known production of 240 million short tons (mtn) in 2023 and a projected decline...
Authors
Matthew D. Merrill, Paul Pierce, Chad Meister, Matthew Jones, C. Karacan, Ashton Wiens, Peter D. Warwick, Brian N. Shaffer
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Surface-mining modeling for USGS coal assessments Surface-mining modeling for USGS coal assessments

The value of national coal deposits is determined for the Solid Fuel Energy Resources Assessment and Research Project through economic evaluations using hypothetical mining models. Deposits near the surface are evaluated with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) surface-mining model, which is patterned after the standard mining techniques and infrastructures of commercial mining projects...
Authors
Paul Pierce
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

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 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

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...
Authors
David Scott, Brian Shaffer, Jon Haacke, Paul Pierce, Scott Kinney
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of coal 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

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...
Authors
Brian N. Shaffer, Paul E. Pierce, Scott Kinney, Ricardo Olea, James Luppens
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Economic analysis for U.S. Geological Survey Coal Basin Assessments Economic 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...
Authors
Paul Pierce
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Coal geology and assessment of coal resources and reserves in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana Coal 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...
Authors
James Luppens, David Scott, Jon Haacke, Lee M. Osmonson, Paul Pierce
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the Montana Powder River Basin Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the Montana Powder River Basin

The purpose of this report is to summarize geology, coal resources, and coal reserves in the Montana Powder River Basin assessment area in southeastern Montana. This report represents the fourth assessment area within the Powder River Basin to be evaluated in the continuing U.S. Geological Survey regional coal assessment program. There are four active coal mines in the Montana Powder...
Authors
Jon E. Haacke, David Scott, Lee Osmonson, James Luppens, Paul Pierce, Jay Gunderson
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the Southwestern Powder River Basin, Wyoming Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the Southwestern Powder River Basin, Wyoming

The availability of abundant new borehole data from recent coal bed natural gas development was utilized by the U.S. Geological Survey for a comprehensive evaluation of coal resources and reserves in the southwestern part of the Powder River Basin in Wyoming. This report on the Southwestern Powder River Basin assessment area represents the third area within the basin to be assessed, the...
Authors
Lee Osmonson, David Scott, Jon E. Haacke, James Luppens, Paul Pierce
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the northern Wyoming Powder River Basin Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the northern Wyoming Powder River Basin

The abundance of new borehole data from recent coal bed natural gas development in the Powder River Basin was utilized by the U.S. Geological Survey for the most comprehensive evaluation to date of coal resources and reserves in the Northern Wyoming Powder River Basin assessment area. It is the second area within the Powder River Basin to be assessed as part of a regional coal assessment...
Authors
David Scott, Jon E. Haacke, Lee Osmonson, James Luppens, Paul Pierce, Timothy Rohrbacher
By
Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Science and Products

Image shows coal fields of the conterminous united states color-coded by the type of coal

U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment

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...
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center
U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment

U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment

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...
Learn More

Waning greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. Federal lease coal production by the mid-21st century Waning greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. Federal lease coal production by the mid-21st century

This study presents estimates of future years (2024–2051) United States Federal lease coal production and the resulting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the combustion, transport, and mining of that fuel. Results from the coal production estimate indicate a decline in production from Federal leases; with known production of 240 million short tons (mtn) in 2023 and a projected decline...
Authors
Matthew D. Merrill, Paul Pierce, Chad Meister, Matthew Jones, C. Karacan, Ashton Wiens, Peter D. Warwick, Brian N. Shaffer
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Surface-mining modeling for USGS coal assessments Surface-mining modeling for USGS coal assessments

The value of national coal deposits is determined for the Solid Fuel Energy Resources Assessment and Research Project through economic evaluations using hypothetical mining models. Deposits near the surface are evaluated with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) surface-mining model, which is patterned after the standard mining techniques and infrastructures of commercial mining projects...
Authors
Paul Pierce
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

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 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

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...
Authors
David Scott, Brian Shaffer, Jon Haacke, Paul Pierce, Scott Kinney
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of coal 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

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...
Authors
Brian N. Shaffer, Paul E. Pierce, Scott Kinney, Ricardo Olea, James Luppens
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Economic analysis for U.S. Geological Survey Coal Basin Assessments Economic 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...
Authors
Paul Pierce
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Coal geology and assessment of coal resources and reserves in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana Coal 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...
Authors
James Luppens, David Scott, Jon Haacke, Lee M. Osmonson, Paul Pierce
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the Montana Powder River Basin Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the Montana Powder River Basin

The purpose of this report is to summarize geology, coal resources, and coal reserves in the Montana Powder River Basin assessment area in southeastern Montana. This report represents the fourth assessment area within the Powder River Basin to be evaluated in the continuing U.S. Geological Survey regional coal assessment program. There are four active coal mines in the Montana Powder...
Authors
Jon E. Haacke, David Scott, Lee Osmonson, James Luppens, Paul Pierce, Jay Gunderson
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the Southwestern Powder River Basin, Wyoming Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the Southwestern Powder River Basin, Wyoming

The availability of abundant new borehole data from recent coal bed natural gas development was utilized by the U.S. Geological Survey for a comprehensive evaluation of coal resources and reserves in the southwestern part of the Powder River Basin in Wyoming. This report on the Southwestern Powder River Basin assessment area represents the third area within the basin to be assessed, the...
Authors
Lee Osmonson, David Scott, Jon E. Haacke, James Luppens, Paul Pierce
By
Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the northern Wyoming Powder River Basin Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the northern Wyoming Powder River Basin

The abundance of new borehole data from recent coal bed natural gas development in the Powder River Basin was utilized by the U.S. Geological Survey for the most comprehensive evaluation to date of coal resources and reserves in the Northern Wyoming Powder River Basin assessment area. It is the second area within the Powder River Basin to be assessed as part of a regional coal assessment...
Authors
David Scott, Jon E. Haacke, Lee Osmonson, James Luppens, Paul Pierce, Timothy Rohrbacher
By
Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
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