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Browse recent USGS publications related to energy resources. 

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Connecting the Soda–Avawatz and Bristol–Granite Mountains faults with gravity andaeromagnetic data, Mojave Desert, California Connecting the Soda–Avawatz and Bristol–Granite Mountains faults with gravity andaeromagnetic data, Mojave Desert, California

The Soda–Avawatz and Bristol–Granite Mountains faults are considered by some to form the northeastern margin of the eastern California shear zone yet their connectivity and extents are obscured by surficial deposits and the estimates of total right-lateral offset from geologic data range from 0 to as much as 24 km. We use gravity and recently released detailed aeromagnetic data to map...
Authors
Victoria E. Langenheim, David M. Miller

Geochemical and mineralogical characterization of the Eagle Ford Shale: Results from the USGS Gulf Coast #1 West Woodway core Geochemical and mineralogical characterization of the Eagle Ford Shale: Results from the USGS Gulf Coast #1 West Woodway core

The Eagle Ford shale is a major continuous oil and gas resource play in southcentral Texas and a source for other oil accumulations in the East Texas Basin. As part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) petroleum system assessment and research efforts, a coring program to obtain several immature, shallow cores from near the outcrop belt in central Texas has been undertaken. The first of...
Authors
Justin E. Birdwell, Adam Boehlke, Stanley T. Paxton, Katherine J. Whidden, Ofori N. Pearson

Experimental investigation on thermochemical sulfate reduction in the presence of 1-pentanethiol at 200 and 250 °C: Implications for in situ TSR processes occurring in some MVT deposits Experimental investigation on thermochemical sulfate reduction in the presence of 1-pentanethiol at 200 and 250 °C: Implications for in situ TSR processes occurring in some MVT deposits

Organic sulfur compounds are ubiquitous in natural oil and gas fields and moderate-low temperature sulfide ore deposits. Previous studies have shown that organic sulfur compounds are important in enhancing the rates of thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) reactions, but the details of these reaction mechanisms remain unclear. In order to assess the extent of sulfate reduction in the...
Authors
Shunda Yuan, Geoffrey S. Ellis, I-Ming Chou, Robert Burruss

Mineralogical characterization of weathered outcrops as a tool for constraining water chemistry predictions during project planning Mineralogical characterization of weathered outcrops as a tool for constraining water chemistry predictions during project planning

Weathered samples from naturally exposed outcrops of troctolite associated with a magmatic Ni-Cu sulphide deposit were characterized by synchrotron-based micro-X-ray fluorescence mapping (µ-XRF) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), as well as by lab-based X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and wet chemical methods. Metal mobility in weathered samples was...
Authors
Tamara Diedrich, Paul Fix, Andrea L. Foster

Case study - Dynamic pressure-limited capacity and costs of CO2 storage in the Mount Simon sandstone Case study - Dynamic pressure-limited capacity and costs of CO2 storage in the Mount Simon sandstone

Widespread deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) is likely necessary to be able to satisfy baseload electricity demand, to maintain diversity in the energy mix, and to achieve climate and other objectives at the lowest cost. If all of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from stationary sources (such as fossil-fuel burning power plants, and other industrial plants) in the United...
Authors
Steven T. Anderson, Hossein Jahediesfanjani

Estimating thermal maturity in the Eagle Ford Shale petroleum system using gas gravity data Estimating thermal maturity in the Eagle Ford Shale petroleum system using gas gravity data

Basin-wide datasets that provide information on the geochemical properties of petroleum systems, such as source rock quality, product composition, and thermal maturity, are often difficult to come by or assemble from publicly available data. When published studies are available and include these kinds of properties, they generally have few sampling locations and limited numbers and types...
Authors
Justin E. Birdwell, Scott A. Kinney

Geologic sources of energy Geologic sources of energy

This chapter describes the exploration, development, and geologic setting of petroleum resources (including tar sands), coal resources (including coalbed methane), and geothermal energy resources of the Northern Cordillera.For petroleum resources, the chapter describes: (1) the history of petroleum development and production, first for Alaska and then for the Canadian Cordillera; and (2)
Authors
Thomas K. Bundtzen, Warren J. Nokleberg

Geochemical variations during development of the 5.46 Ma Broadwell Mesa basaltic volcanic field, California Geochemical variations during development of the 5.46 Ma Broadwell Mesa basaltic volcanic field, California

The 5.46±0.04 Ma Broadwell Mesa basalt and associated basaltic volcanic field in the western Bristol Mountains, California, formed a ~6 km2 volcanic flow field with architecture including numerous lava flows, a ~1.1 km2 lava lake, and a ~0.17 km2 cinder cone. The local number of lava flows varies from one along the margins of the field to as many as 18 that are stacked vertically...
Authors
David C. Buesch

Determining quantity and quality of retained oil in mature marly chalk and marlstone of the Cretaceous Niobrara Formation by low-temperature hydrous pyrolysis Determining quantity and quality of retained oil in mature marly chalk and marlstone of the Cretaceous Niobrara Formation by low-temperature hydrous pyrolysis

Low-temperature hydrous pyrolysis (LTHP) at 300°C (572°F) for 24 h released retained oils from 12- to 20-meshsize samples of mature Niobrara marly chalk and marlstone cores. The released oil accumulated on the water surface of the reactor, and is compositionally similar to oil produced from the same well. The quantities of oil released from the marly chalk and marlstone by LTHP are...
Authors
Michael Lewan, Mark D. Sonnenfeld

Miocene−Pleistocene deformation of the Saddle Mountains: Implications for seismic hazard in central Washington, USA Miocene−Pleistocene deformation of the Saddle Mountains: Implications for seismic hazard in central Washington, USA

The Yakima fold province, located in the backarc of the Cascadia subduction zone, is a region of active strain accumulation and deformation distributed across a series of fault-cored folds. The geodetic network in central Washington has been used to interpret large-scale N-S shortening and westward-increasing strain; however, geodetic data are unable to resolve shortening rates across...
Authors
Lydia M. Staisch, Harvey Kelsey, Brian L. Sherrod, Andreas Moller, James B. Paces, Richard J. Blakely, Richard Styron
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