Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Energy Resources Program

The Energy Resources Program conducts research and assessments to advance the understanding of the Nation’s energy resources. We study processes critical to the formation, accumulation, occurrence and alteration of geologically based energy resources; prepare resource assessments; and evaluate the environmental and socioeconomic effects of energy resource occurrence, production and use.

News

link

Using Petroleum Reservoirs to Store Carbon

link

Plugging the Gaps: How the USGS is working to fill in data gaps for Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells

link

The Potential for Geologic Hydrogen for Next-Generation Energy

Publications

Intramolecular carbon isotope geochemistry of butane isomers from laboratory maturation and Monte-Carlo simulations of kerogen types I, II, and III

Position-specific (PS) carbon isotope compositions of light hydrocarbons such as propane and butane isomers (n-butane and i-butane) can provide a wealth of information on the history of natural gases in the subsurface reservoirs and other environments. For PS carbon isotope analysis of butane isomers, we have established a GC-pyrolysis-GC-isotope ratio mass spectrometry method with demonstrated ac
Authors
Xiaoqiang Li, Hao Xie, Justin E. Birdwell, Gregory McGovern, Juske Horita

Scanning electron microscopic evaluation of broad ion beam milling effects to sedimentary organic matter: Sputter-induced artifacts or naturally occurring porosity?

Research examining organic-matter hosted porosity has significantly increased during the last decade due to greater focus on understanding hydrocarbon migration and storage in source-rock reservoirs, and technological advances in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) capabilities. The examination of nanometer-scale organic-matter hosted porosity by SEM requires the preparation of exceptionally flat g
Authors
Brett J. Valentine, Paul C. Hackley

Methane pore accessibility, densification, and accommodation by organic matter in the Niobrara Formation at wet-gas thermal maturity conditions

Petroleum within unconventional source-rock reservoirs is hosted in organic matter and mineral pore space as well as in voids and microfractures. Recent work has shown that for source-rock reservoirs in the dry gas window, significant portions of methane (CH4), the main component of petroleum at elevated maturities, can be stored within fine (<5 nm) organic matter porosity. However, within reservo
Authors
Aaron M. Jubb, Leslie F. Ruppert, Tristan G. A. Youngs, Tom Headen, Justin E. Birdwell, Michael Cheshire, Martha (Rebecca) Stokes

Science

Gulf Coast Geologic Energy Assessments and Research Project

The Gulf Coast Geologic Energy Assessments and Research (GEAR) project assesses and characterizes undiscovered, technically recoverable domestic petroleum resources. It focuses on the onshore and State waters portion of the Gulf Coast basin. The primary goal of this project is to meet the needs of Congress and other stakeholders for timely and robust assessments of petroleum resources in the Gulf...
link

Gulf Coast Geologic Energy Assessments and Research Project

The Gulf Coast Geologic Energy Assessments and Research (GEAR) project assesses and characterizes undiscovered, technically recoverable domestic petroleum resources. It focuses on the onshore and State waters portion of the Gulf Coast basin. The primary goal of this project is to meet the needs of Congress and other stakeholders for timely and robust assessments of petroleum resources in the Gulf...
Learn More

Petrographic Thermal Indices Research

A petrographic thermal index is typically an organic matter indicator in sedimentary rocks that allows for estimations of burial temperature. Petrographic thermal indices include the commonly used proxy vitrinite reflectance as well as other approaches such as solid bitumen reflectance, fluorescence, micro-Raman, and micro-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies. Measurements from these...
link

Petrographic Thermal Indices Research

A petrographic thermal index is typically an organic matter indicator in sedimentary rocks that allows for estimations of burial temperature. Petrographic thermal indices include the commonly used proxy vitrinite reflectance as well as other approaches such as solid bitumen reflectance, fluorescence, micro-Raman, and micro-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies. Measurements from these...
Learn More

Uranium Mineral Systems

To assure adequate uranium to supply electricity from nuclear power, the US Geological Survey is working to better understand the genetic controls, distribution, and quantities of domestic uranium. Because of the heavy reliance on imported uranium, scientists also lead international groups of uranium resource experts to monitor world uranium supply. This research benefits the mining industry...
link

Uranium Mineral Systems

To assure adequate uranium to supply electricity from nuclear power, the US Geological Survey is working to better understand the genetic controls, distribution, and quantities of domestic uranium. Because of the heavy reliance on imported uranium, scientists also lead international groups of uranium resource experts to monitor world uranium supply. This research benefits the mining industry...
Learn More