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Browse recent USGS publications related to energy resources. 

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Implications of volcanism in coastal California for the Neogene deformation history of western North America Implications of volcanism in coastal California for the Neogene deformation history of western North America

The geologic record of coastal California includes evidence of numerous volcanic centers younger than 30 Ma that do not appear to have erupted in an arc setting. By correlating these volcanic centers with specific slab windows predicted from analysis of magnetic anomalies on the Pacific plate, we add new constraints to tectonic reconstructions since 30 Ma. Our correlations, such as...
Authors
Douglas S. Wilson, Patricia A. McCrory, Richard G. Stanley

Discovery sequence and the nature of low permeability gas accumulations Discovery sequence and the nature of low permeability gas accumulations

There is an ongoing discussion regarding the geologic nature of accumulations that host gas in low-permeability sandstone environments. This note examines the discovery sequence of the accumulations in low permeability sandstone plays that were classified as continuous-type by the U.S. Geological Survey for the 1995 National Oil and Gas Assessment. It compares the statistical character...
Authors
E. D. Attanasi

Statistical guides to estimating the number of undiscovered mineral deposits: an example with porphyry copper deposits Statistical guides to estimating the number of undiscovered mineral deposits: an example with porphyry copper deposits

Estimating numbers of undiscovered mineral deposits is a fundamental part of assessing mineral resources. Some statistical tools can act as guides to low variance, unbiased estimates of the number of deposits. The primary guide is that the estimates must be consistent with the grade and tonnage models. Another statistical guide is the deposit density (i.e., the number of deposits per...
Authors
Donald A. Singer, W. D. Menzie

Early to middle Jurassic salt in Baltimore Canyon trough Early to middle Jurassic salt in Baltimore Canyon trough

A pervasive, moderately deep (5-6 s two-way traveltime), high-amplitude reflection is traced on multichannel seismic sections over an approximately 7500 km² area of Baltimore Canyon Trough. The layer associated with the reflection is about 25 km wide, about 60 m thick in the center, and thins monotonically laterally, though asymmetrically, at the edges. Geophysical characteristics are...
Authors
B. Ann McKinney, Myung W. Lee, Warren F. Agena, C. Wylie Poag

Tar yields from low-temperature carbonization of coal facies from the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA Tar yields from low-temperature carbonization of coal facies from the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA

Tar yields from low-temperature carbonization correlate with the amount of crypto-eugelinite in samples selected to represent petrographically distinct coal facies of the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone. Tar yields from Fischer Assay range from
Authors
Ronald W. Stanton, Peter D. Warwick, Sharon M. Swanson

Porphyry copper deposit density Porphyry copper deposit density

Estimating numbers of undiscovered mineral deposits has been a source of unease among economic geologists yet is a fundamental task in considering future supplies of resources. Estimates can be based on frequencies of deposits per unit of permissive area in control areas around the world in the same way that grade and tonnage frequencies are models of sizes and qualities of undiscovered...
Authors
Donald A. Singer, Vladimir Berger, W. David Menzie, Byron R. Berger

Origin of the Bering Sea salient Origin of the Bering Sea salient

Our investigations in Alaska and Russia show that the curved orogen of the Bering Strait region is a composite feature that formed as a result of multiple superimposed events and cannot be related to latest Cretaceous–early Tertiary east-west shortening. Relations interpreted to record east-west shortening include the Chukchi syntaxis, deformation on Seward and Chukotka Peninsulas, the...
Authors
J.M. Amato, J. Toro, Thomas E. Moore

Preliminary geologic map of the Nevada and Arizona parts of the Mount Manchester quadrangle Preliminary geologic map of the Nevada and Arizona parts of the Mount Manchester quadrangle

This map was prepared as part of the STATEMAP component of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey.
Authors
Kyle House, Keith A. Howard, Philip A. Pearthree, John W. Bell

Weathering of the meade peak phosphatic shale member, phosphoria formation: Observations based on uranium and its decay products Weathering of the meade peak phosphatic shale member, phosphoria formation: Observations based on uranium and its decay products

Variably weathered outcrop samples of the Meade Peak Phosphatic Shale Member of the Phosphoria Formation have 5-10% of the contained uranium (U) in a form readily extractable by 0.1 M sodium bicarbonate. Fission track radiography of outcrop samples and other less-weathered channel and core samples indicate that this mobile fraction of U is likely hosted by organic matter, secondary iron...
Authors
Robert A. Zielinski, James R. Budahn, Richard I. Grauch, J. B. Paces, K. R. Simmons

Proceedings of the twentieth annual meeting of the Society for Organic Petrology Proceedings of the twentieth annual meeting of the Society for Organic Petrology

The Society for Organic Petrology (TSOP; pronounced "Tee'-sop") was established in 1984 to consolidate and foster the organizational activities of scientists and engineers involved with coal petrology, kerogen petrology, organic geochemistry, and related disciplines. The following report, "Proceedings of the Twentieth Annual Meeting of The Society for Organic Petrology" (ISSN 1060-7250)...

A bootstrap approach to computing uncertainty in inferred oil and gas reserve estimates A bootstrap approach to computing uncertainty in inferred oil and gas reserve estimates

This study develops confidence intervals for estimates of inferred oil and gas reserves based on bootstrap procedures. Inferred reserves are expected additions to proved reserves in previously discovered conventional oil and gas fields. Estimates of inferred reserves accounted for 65% of the total oil and 34% of the total gas assessed in the U.S. Geological Survey’s 1995 National...
Authors
Emil D. Attanasi, Timothy C. Coburn
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