Publications
Browse recent USGS publications related to energy resources.
Filter Total Items: 2835
Assessment of unconventional oil and gas resources in Northeast Mexico, 2014 Assessment of unconventional oil and gas resources in Northeast Mexico, 2014
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 0.78 billion barrels of unconventional oil, 23.5 trillion cubic feet of unconventional gas, and 0.88 billion barrels of natural gas liquids in the Sabinas Basin, Burgos Basin, and Tampico-Misantla Basin provinces of northeast Mexico.
Authors
Christopher J. Schenk, Ronald R. Charpentier, Timothy R. Klett, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Stephanie B. Gaswirth, Michael E. Brownfield, Mark J. Pawlewicz, Jean Noe Weaver
Standardization of reflectance measurements in dispersed organic matter: results of an exercise to improve interlaboratory agreement Standardization of reflectance measurements in dispersed organic matter: results of an exercise to improve interlaboratory agreement
Vitrinite reflectance generally is considered the most robust thermal maturity parameter available for application to hydrocarbon exploration and petroleum system evaluation. However, until 2011 there was no standardized methodology available to provide guidelines for vitrinite reflectance measurements in shale. Efforts to correct this deficiency resulted in publication of ASTM D7708...
Authors
Paul C. Hackley, Carla Viviane Araujo, Angeles G. Borrego, Antonis Bouzinos, Brian Cardott, Alan C. Cook, Cortland Eble, Deolinda Flores, Thomas Gentzis, Paula Alexandra Goncalves, Joao Graciano Mendonca Filho, Maria Hamor-Vido, Iwona Jelonek, Kees Kommeren, Wayne Knowles, Jolanta Kus, Maria Mastalerz, Taissa Rego Menezes, Jane Newman, Mark Pawlewicz, Walter Pickel, Judith Potter, Paddy Ranasinghe, Harold Read, Julito Reyes, Genaro De La Rosa Rodriguez, Igor Viegas Alves Fernandes de Souza, Isabel Suarez-Ruiz, Ivana Sykorova, Brett J. Valentine
Geologic framework of thermal springs, Black Canyon, Nevada and Arizona Geologic framework of thermal springs, Black Canyon, Nevada and Arizona
Thermal springs in Black Canyon of the Colorado River, downstream of Hoover Dam, are important recreational, ecological, and scenic features of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. This report presents the results from a U.S. Geological Survey study of the geologic framework of the springs. The study was conducted in cooperation with the National Park Service and funded by both the...
Authors
L. Sue Beard, Zachary W. Anderson, Tracey J. Felger, Gustav B. Seixas
Preliminary geologic map of Black Canyon and surrounding region, Nevada and Arizona Preliminary geologic map of Black Canyon and surrounding region, Nevada and Arizona
Thermal springs in Black Canyon of the Colorado River, downstream of Hoover Dam, are important recreational, ecological, and scenic features of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. This report presents the results from a U.S. Geological Survey study of the geologic framework of the springs. The study was conducted in cooperation with the National Park Service and funded by both the...
Authors
Tracey J. Felger, L. Sue Beard, Zachary W. Anderson, Robert J. Fleck, Joseph L. Wooden, Gustav B. Seixas
Pore characteristics of Wilcox Group Coal, U.S. Gulf Coast Region: Implications for the occurrence of coalbed gas Pore characteristics of Wilcox Group Coal, U.S. Gulf Coast Region: Implications for the occurrence of coalbed gas
Pore characteristics of 27 subbituminous coal samples (16 mesh splits) from the Paleocene–Eocene Wilcox Group of north Louisiana (Ouachita and Caldwell Parishes) and south Texas (Zavala County) were examined in relation to desorbed gas content. Coal gas of the Wilcox Group is primarily biogenic in origin; thermogenic gas also may be present in some areas. On an as-received basis...
Authors
Sharon M. Swanson, Maria D. Mastalerz, Mark Engle, Brett J. Valentine, Peter D. Warwick, Paul C. Hackley, Harvey E. Belkin
Application of binomial-edited CPMG to shale characterization Application of binomial-edited CPMG to shale characterization
Unconventional shale resources may contain a significant amount of hydrogen in organic solids such as kerogen, but it is not possible to directly detect these solids with many NMR systems. Binomial-edited pulse sequences capitalize on magnetization transfer between solids, semi-solids, and liquids to provide an indirect method of detecting solid organic materials in shales. When the...
Authors
Kathryn E. Washburn, Justin E. Birdwell
Historical channel-planform change of the Little Colorado River near Winslow, Arizona Historical channel-planform change of the Little Colorado River near Winslow, Arizona
This study evaluates channel-planform adjustment on an alluvial reach of the Little Colorado River and documents the geomorphic evolution of the channel through an analysis of aerial photographs and orthophotographs for the period 1936–2010. The Little Colorado River has adjusted to the effects of an extreme flood in 1923 and a subsequent decline in peak discharge and mean annual flow by...
Authors
Debra L. Block
Preliminary geologic map of the eastern Willapa Hills, Cowlitz, Lewis, and Wahkiakum Counties, Washington Preliminary geologic map of the eastern Willapa Hills, Cowlitz, Lewis, and Wahkiakum Counties, Washington
This digital map database and the PDF derived from the database were created from the analog geologic map: Wells, R.E. (1981), “Geologic map of the eastern Willapa Hills, Cowlitz, Lewis, and Wahkiakum Counties, Washington.” The geodatabase replicates the geologic mapping of the 1981 report with minor exceptions along water boundaries and also along the north and south map boundaries...
Authors
Ray E. Wells, Michael G. Sawlan
Petrographic maturity parameters of a Devonian shale maturation series, Appalachian Basin, USA. ICCP Thermal Indices Working Group interlaboratory exercise Petrographic maturity parameters of a Devonian shale maturation series, Appalachian Basin, USA. ICCP Thermal Indices Working Group interlaboratory exercise
This paper presents results of an interlaboratory exercise on organic matter optical maturity parameters using a natural maturation series comprised by three Devonian shale samples (Huron Member, Ohio Shale) from the Appalachian Basin, USA. This work was conducted by the Thermal Indices Working Group of the International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP) Commission II...
Authors
Carla Viviane Araujo, Angeles G. Borrego, Brian Cardott, Renata Brenand A. das Chagas, Deolinda Flores, Paula Goncalves, Paul C. Hackley, James C. Hower, Marcio Luciano Kern, Jolanta Kus, Maria Mastalerz, Joao Graciano Mendonca Filho, Joalice de Oliveira Mendonca, Taissa Rego Menezes, Jane Newman, Isabel Suarez-Ruiz, Frederico Sobrinho da Silva, Igor Viegas de Souza
Asphaltene content and composition as a measure of Deepwater Horizon oil spill losses within the first 80 days Asphaltene content and composition as a measure of Deepwater Horizon oil spill losses within the first 80 days
The composition and content of asphaltenes in spilled and original wellhead oils from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) incident provide information on the amount of original oil lost and the processes most responsible for the losses within the first 80 days of the active spill. Spilled oils were collected from open waters, coastal waters and coastal sediments during the incident. Asphaltenes...
Authors
M. D. Lewan, A. Warden, R.F. Dias, Z.K. Lowry, T.L. Hannah, P. G. Lillis, R.F. Kokaly, T.M. Hoefen, G.A. Swayze, C.T. Mills, S.H. Harris, G.S. Plumlee
Comments on the Yule Marble Haines block: Potential replacement, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery Comments on the Yule Marble Haines block: Potential replacement, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery
Marble for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery was cut from the Colorado Yule Marble Quarry in 1931. Although anecdotal reports suggest that cracks were noticed in the main section of the monument shortly after its installation at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, detailed documentation of the extent of cracking did not appear until 1963...
Authors
Victor G. Mossotti
Linking rapid magma reservoir assembly and eruption trigger mechanisms at evolved Yellowstone-type supervolcanoes Linking rapid magma reservoir assembly and eruption trigger mechanisms at evolved Yellowstone-type supervolcanoes
The geological record contains evidence of volcanic eruptions that were as much as two orders of magnitude larger than the most voluminous eruption experienced by modern civilizations, the A.D. 1815 Tambora (Indonesia) eruption. Perhaps nowhere on Earth are deposits of such supereruptions more prominent than in the Snake River Plain–Yellowstone Plateau (SRP-YP) volcanic province...
Authors
J.F. Wotzlaw, I.N. Bindeman, Kathryn E. Watts, A.K. Schmitt, L. Caricchi, U. Schaltegger