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Browse recent USGS publications related to energy resources. 

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An estimate of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources underlying Federal lands of the onshore United States, 2025 An estimate of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources underlying Federal lands of the onshore United States, 2025

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean allocated resources of 29.4 billion barrels of oil, 391.6 trillion cubic feet of gas, and 8.4 billion barrels of natural gas liquids underlying Federal lands of the onshore United States.
Authors
Christopher Schenk, Tracey J. Mercier

Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Formation in the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming and Colorado, 2024 Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Formation in the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming and Colorado, 2024

 Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean continuous resources of 703 million barrels of oil and 5.8 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Niobrara Formation in the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming and Colorado.
Authors
Kira Timm, Christopher Schenk, Jane Hearon, Thomas Finn, Sarah Gelman, Cheryl Woodall, Tracey J. Mercier, Andrea Cicero, Ronald M. Drake, Geoffrey Ellis, Michael Gardner, Benjamin Johnson, Jenny Lagesse, Phuong A. Le, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Scott Young

Formation of the Mount Weld rare earth element deposit, Western Australia: A carbonatite-derived laterite Formation of the Mount Weld rare earth element deposit, Western Australia: A carbonatite-derived laterite

Carbonatite-hosted rare earth element (REE) deposits are the primary source of the world’s light REEs. The Mount Weld REE deposit in Western Australia is hosted in a lateritic sequence that reflects supergene enrichment of the underlying carbonatite. Water-rock interaction is a key to the formation of this world-class deposit. REE enrichment in the laterite is controlled by the breakdown...
Authors
Philip Verplanck, Jay Thompson, Cameron Mercer, Ganesh Bhat, Heather Lowers, Adam Boehlke

Assessment of conventional and continuous oil and gas resources in the Mowry Composite Total Petroleum System in the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah, 2024 Assessment of conventional and continuous oil and gas resources in the Mowry Composite Total Petroleum System in the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah, 2024

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean conventional and continuous resources of 473 million barrels of oil and 27 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Mowry Composite Total Petroleum System in the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah.
Authors
Jane Hearon, Christopher Schenk, Sarah Gelman, Benjamin Johnson, Jenny Lagesse, Tracey J. Mercier, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Kira K. Timm, Ronald M. Drake, Andrea Cicero, Phuong A. Le

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Lower Cretaceous Hosston and Travis Peak Formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2024 Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Lower Cretaceous Hosston and Travis Peak Formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2024

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 28 million barrels of oil and 35.8 trillion cubic feet of gas in conventional and continuous accumulations within the Lower Cretaceous Hosston and Travis Peak Formations of the onshore U.S. Gulf Coast region.
Authors
Lauri Burke, Stanley Paxton, Scott Kinney, Nicholas Gianoutsos, Russell F. Dubiel, Janet K. Pitman, Christopher Schenk, Tracey J. Mercier, Phuong A. Le, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller

Relating systematic molecular and textural properties of graptolite pyrolyzed via gold tube hydrous pyrolysis: Implications for thermal proxies in lower Paleozoic marine shales Relating systematic molecular and textural properties of graptolite pyrolyzed via gold tube hydrous pyrolysis: Implications for thermal proxies in lower Paleozoic marine shales

A series of gold tube pyrolysis experiments (72 h, 300–550 °C, 50 MPa) conducted on a graptolite-rich lower Paleozoic marine shale generated pyrolysis residues for a comprehensive evaluation of the molecular and structural variability of three types of graptolite periderm. Organic petrology, Raman spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) with energy...
Authors
Xiaowei Zheng, Hamed Sanei, Fujie Jiang, Qingyong Luo, Yewei Wang, Jennifer Nedzweckas, Brett Valentine, Martha Stokes, Liu Cao, Paul Hackley

Methodology for defining and compiling abandoned and active hydrocarbon well inventories Methodology for defining and compiling abandoned and active hydrocarbon well inventories

Hydrocarbon wells are not active forever; when they become permanently disused (abandoned), well infrastructure must be remediated or repurposed. Knowing which wells are abandoned is the initial and often complicated step in taking responsibility for well infrastructure. Each State creates laws and regulates hydrocarbon operations, which includes well abandonment. The existence of...
Authors
Brian Varela, Marc L. Buursink

Integrated stratigraphic and geochemical analysis of organic-rich intervals of the Lewis Shale in the eastern Washakie Basin, Wyoming Integrated stratigraphic and geochemical analysis of organic-rich intervals of the Lewis Shale in the eastern Washakie Basin, Wyoming

Geological studies in the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway (KWIS) in North America reveal highly variable sedimentological conditions on its western shore caused by rapidly changing sea level and detrital input during the seaway’s closure. Here we examine a 601-foot (183 meters) continuous core through the lower part of the Maastrichtian Lewis Shale in the eastern Washakie Basin...
Authors
Jane Hearon, Paul Hackley, Justin Birdwell

International gas hydrate research and development International gas hydrate research and development

Gas hydrates are increasingly acknowledged as a potential future natural gas resource, sparking extensive global research into their geological characteristics and the technology needed for production. This paper offers a comprehensive review of gas hydrate-related research initiatives and production testing activities, including those in the Alaska North Slope (USA), Mackenzie Delta...
Authors
Timothy Collett

Machine learning provides reconnaissance-type estimates of carbon dioxide storage resources in oil and gas reservoirs Machine learning provides reconnaissance-type estimates of carbon dioxide storage resources in oil and gas reservoirs

Oil and gas reservoirs represent suitable containers to sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) in a supercritical state because they are accessible, reservoir properties are known, and they previously contained stored buoyant fluids. However, planners must quantify the relative magnitude of the CO2 storage resource in these reservoirs to formulate a comprehensive strategy for CO2 mitigation...
Authors
E. Attanasi, Philip A. Freeman, Timothy Coburn

Assessment of undiscovered conventional and continuous oil and gas resources in the Escondido, Olmos, and San Miguel Formations of the Western Gulf Basin Province, U.S. Gulf Coast region, 2023 Assessment of undiscovered conventional and continuous oil and gas resources in the Escondido, Olmos, and San Miguel Formations of the Western Gulf Basin Province, U.S. Gulf Coast region, 2023

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 5 million barrels of oil and 25 billion cubic feet of gas in conventional reservoirs and 361 million barrels of oil and 10,978 billion cubic feet of gas in continuous reservoirs in the Western Gulf Basin Province of the U.S. Gulf Coast region.
Authors
William Craddock, John Counts, Colin Doolan, Marc Buursink, Celeste D. Lohr, Javin Hatcherian, Katherine French, Jared Gooley, Phuong Le, Tracey Mercier, Cheryl Woodall, Christopher Schenk
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