Publications
Browse recent USGS publications related to energy resources.
Filter Total Items: 2807
Geologic controls on thermal maturity patterns in Pennsylvanian coal-bearing rocks in the Appalachian basin Geologic controls on thermal maturity patterns in Pennsylvanian coal-bearing rocks in the Appalachian basin
Thermal maturation patterns of Pennsylvanian strata in the Appalachian basin were determined by compiling and contouring published and unpublished vitrinite reflectance (VR) measurements. VR isograd values range from 0.6% in eastern Ohio and eastern Kentucky (western side of the East Kentucky coal field) to greater than 5.5% in eastern Pennsylvania (Southern Anthracite field, Schuylkill...
Authors
Leslie F. Ruppert, James C. Hower, Robert T. Ryder, Jeffrey R. Levine, Michael H. Trippi, William C. Grady
Algal blooms and "Marine snow": Mechanisms that enhance preservation of organic carbon in ancient fine-grained sediments Algal blooms and "Marine snow": Mechanisms that enhance preservation of organic carbon in ancient fine-grained sediments
Combined petrographic and geochemical methods are used to investigate the microfabrics present in thin sections prepared from representative organic carbon-rich mudstones collected from three successions (the Kimmeridge Clay Formation, the Jet Rock Member of the Whitby Mudstone Formation, and the pebble shale and Hue Shale). This study was initiated to determine how organic carbon-rich...
Authors
Joe H.S. Macquaker, Margaret A. Keller, Sarah J. Davies
Rapid middle Miocene extension and unroofing of the southern Ruby Mountains, Nevada Rapid middle Miocene extension and unroofing of the southern Ruby Mountains, Nevada
Paleozoic rocks in the northern Ruby Mountains were metamorphosed during Mesozoic crustal shortening and Cenozoic magmatism, but equivalent strata in the southern Ruby Mountains were never buried deeper than stratigraphic depths prior to exhumation in the footwall of a west dipping brittle normal fault. In the southern Ruby Mountains, Miocene sedimentary rocks in the hanging wall of this...
Authors
Joseph P. Colgan, Keith A. Howard, Robert J. Fleck, Joseph L. Wooden
Geophysical framework of the northern San Francisco Bay region, California Geophysical framework of the northern San Francisco Bay region, California
We use geophysical data to examine the structural framework of the northern San Francisco Bay region, an area that hosts the northward continuation of the East Bay fault system. Although this fault system has accommodated ∼175 km of right-lateral offset since 12 Ma, how this offset is partitioned north of the bay is controversial and important for understanding where and how strain is...
Authors
Victoria E. Langenheim, Russell W. Graymer, Robert C. Jachens, Robert J. McLaughlin, D.L. Wagner, Donald S. Sweetkind
Preemption games: theory and experiment Preemption games: theory and experiment
El Mutún, perhaps the world's largest remaining iron ore deposit, was opened to private investors in the 1980s but, due to the high cost of developing the remote Bolivian site, there were no takers for two decades. In late 2005, spurred by rising commodity prices, the Brazilian company EBX finally seized the opportunity, preempting rivals based in China and India. Numerous similar...
Authors
Steven T. Anderson, Daniel Friedman, Ryan Oprea
Time-averaged paleomagnetic field at the equator: Complete data and results from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador Time-averaged paleomagnetic field at the equator: Complete data and results from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
We present here the complete paleomagnetic laboratory results from a collection of approximately 1500 oriented cores from all 16 of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, collected by Allan Cox in 1964–1965 but nearly all previously unpublished. The islands are located in the eastern Pacific Ocean within 1.4° of latitude from the equator and range in age from historically erupted to 3 Ma...
Authors
Sherman Gromme, Edward A. Mankinen, Michel Prevot
Organic intermediates in the anaerobic biodegradation of coal to methane under laboratory conditions Organic intermediates in the anaerobic biodegradation of coal to methane under laboratory conditions
Organic intermediates in coal fluids produced by anaerobic biodegradation of geopolymers in coal play a key role in the production of methane in natural gas reservoirs. Laboratory biodegradation experiments on sub-bituminous coal from Texas, USA, were conducted using bioreactors to examine the organic intermediates relevant to methane production. Production of methane in the bioreactors...
Authors
William H. Orem, Mary A. Voytek, Elizabeth J. Jones, Harry E. Lerch, Anne L. Bates, M.D. Corum, Peter D. Warwick, Arthur C. Clark
Deglaciation in the southeastern Laurentide Sector and the Hudson Valley – 15,000 Years of vegetational and climate history Deglaciation in the southeastern Laurentide Sector and the Hudson Valley – 15,000 Years of vegetational and climate history
In this field trip, we provide a review of the significant controversy concerning the timing of deglaciation in the Hudson and Wallkill Valleys. We outline the differences in methodology and chronology with a circular route throughout the Hudson and Wallkill valleys. We begin the trip at Lake Mohonk near New Paltz led by Kirsten Menking and Dorothy Peteet, then continue to the “black...
Authors
Dorothy M. Peteet, John Rayburn, Kirsten M. Menking, Guy Robinson, Byron D. Stone
Compositional variation in the chevkinite group: new data from igneous and metamorphic rocks Compositional variation in the chevkinite group: new data from igneous and metamorphic rocks
Electron microprobe analyses are presented of chevkinite-group minerals from Canada, USA, Guatemala, Norway, Scotland, Italy and India. The host rocks are metacarbonates, alkaline and subalkaline granitoids, quartz-bearing pegmatites, carbonatite and an inferred K-rich tuff. The analyses extend slightly the range of compositions in the chevkinite group, e.g. the most MgO-rich phases yet...
Authors
Harvey E. Belkin, R. MacDonald, F. Wall, B. Baginski
First ever release of USGS offshore arctic resource assessment First ever release of USGS offshore arctic resource assessment
No abstract available.
Authors
Donald L. Gautier, Kenneth J. Bird, Ronald Charpentier, Arthur Grantz, David W. Houseknecht, Timothy R. Klett, Thomas E. Moore, Janet K. Pitman, Christopher J. Schenk, John H. Schuenemeyer, Kai Sorensen, Marilyn E. Tennyson
The geochemistry of environmentally important trace elements in UK coals, with special reference to the Parkgate coal in the Yorkshire–Nottinghamshire Coalfield, UK The geochemistry of environmentally important trace elements in UK coals, with special reference to the Parkgate coal in the Yorkshire–Nottinghamshire Coalfield, UK
The Parkgate coal of Langsettian age in the Yorkshire–Nottinghamshire coalfield is typical of many coals in the UK in that it has a high sulphur (S) content. Detailed information on the distribution of the forms of S, both laterally and vertically through the seam, was known from previous investigations. In the present work, 38 interval samples from five measured sections of the coal...
Authors
D.A. Spears, S.J. Tewalt
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas in the Arctic Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas in the Arctic
Among the greatest uncertainties in future energy supply and a subject of considerable environmental concern is the amount of oil and gas yet to be found in the Arctic. By using a probabilistic geology-based methodology, the United States Geological Survey has assessed the area north of the Arctic Circle and concluded that about 30% of the world’s undiscovered gas and 13% of the world’s
Authors
Donald L. Gautier, Kenneth J. Bird, Ronald Charpentier, Arthur Grantz, David W. Houseknecht, Timothy R. Klett, Thomas E. Moore, Janet K. Pitman, Christopher J. Schenk, John H. Schuenemeyer, Kai Sorenson, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Zenon C. Valin, Craig J. Wandrey