Brett J. Valentine
Brett Valentine is a Physical Scientist with the USGS Geology, Energy & Minerals (GEM) Science Center in Reston, VA.
Since joining the USGS in 2009, Brett has devoted his career to studying organic petrology and specializes in electron microscopy techniques. He is currently the manager of the Reston Electron Microbeam Laboratory at USGS National Center in Reston, VA. Presently, his research focuses on developing electron microscopy methods and applications to improve our understanding of the micro-to-nanoscale changes that occur to coals and organic-rich shales as they thermally mature.
Professional Experience
Physical Scientist, USGS Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, 2009-Present
Assistant County Soil Scientist, Fauquier County, VA, 2004-2009
Education and Certifications
B.S. Forestry and Environmental Science, Virginia Tech
Science and Products
Aptian ‘Shale Gas’ Prospectivity in the Downdip Mississippi Interior Salt Basin, Gulf Coast, USA
U.S. Geological Survey unconventional petroleum systems research in south Mississippi: Observations on burial history and thermal maturity in the Cretaceous
Organic petrology of the Aptian-age section in the downdip Mississippi Interior Salt Basin, Mississippi, USA: Observations and preliminary implications for thermal maturation history
Standardization of reflectance measurements in dispersed organic matter: results of an exercise to improve interlaboratory agreement
Pore characteristics of Wilcox Group Coal, U.S. Gulf Coast Region: Implications for the occurrence of coalbed gas
Development of web-based organic petrology photomicrograph atlases and internet resources for professionals and students
Geologic model for the assessment of undiscovered hydrocarbons in Lower to Upper Cretaceous carbonate rocks of the Fredericksburg and Washita groups, U.S. Gulf Coast Region
Geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources: Oligocene Frio and Anahuac Formations, United States Gulf of Mexico coastal plain and State waters
Shallow coal exploration drill-hole data--Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas
Preliminary evaluation of the shale gas prospectivity of the Lower Cretaceous Pearsall Formation in the onshore Gulf Coast region, United States
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Jurassic and Cretaceous strata of the Gulf Coast, 2010
Eocene bituminous coal deposits of the Claiborne group, Webb County, Texas
Science and Products
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Aptian ‘Shale Gas’ Prospectivity in the Downdip Mississippi Interior Salt Basin, Gulf Coast, USA
This study evaluates regional ‘shale gas’ prospectivity of the Aptian section (primarily Pine Island Shale) in the downdip Mississippi Salt Basin (MSB). Previous work by the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a mean undiscovered gas resource of 8.8 trillion cubic feet (TCF) in the chronostratigraphic-equivalent Pearsall Formation in the Maverick Basin of south Texas, where industry has established aAuthorsPaul C. Hackley, Brett J. Valentine, Catherine B. Enomoto, Celeste D. Lohr, Krystina R. Scott, Frank T. Dulong, Alana M. BoveU.S. Geological Survey unconventional petroleum systems research in south Mississippi: Observations on burial history and thermal maturity in the Cretaceous
Shale hydrocarbon ‘resource’ plays have revolutionized the United States energy mix over the last 5 years. These plays are diverse in lithology and age but share the common feature of occurring in ‘tight’ formations which require hydraulic (hydro-) fracturing for economic flow rates. In general, economic success requires an organic-rich reservoir with a quartz- or carbonate-rich mineralogy that reAuthorsPaul C. Hackley, Brett J. Valentine, Catherine B. Enomoto, James L. ColemanOrganic petrology of the Aptian-age section in the downdip Mississippi Interior Salt Basin, Mississippi, USA: Observations and preliminary implications for thermal maturation history
This study identifies a thermal maturity anomaly within the downdip Mississippi Interior Salt Basin (MISB) of southern Mississippi, USA, through examination of bitumen reflectance data from Aptian-age strata (Sligo Formation, Pine Island Shale, James Limestone, and Rodessa Formation). U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reconnaissance investigations conducted in 2011–2012 examined Aptian-age thermal matAuthorsBrett J. Valentine, Paul C. Hackley, Catherine B. Enomoto, Alana M. Bove, Frank T. Dulong, Celeste D. Lohr, Krystina R. ScottStandardization 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: Standard tesAuthorsPaul C. Hackley, Carla Viviane Araujo, Angeles G. Borrego, Antonis Bouzinos, Brian Cardott, Alan C. Cook, Cortland Eble, Deolinda Flores, Thomas Gentzis, Paula Alexandra Gonçalves, João Graciano Mendonça Filho, Mária Hámor-Vidó, Iwona Jelonek, Kees Kommeren, Wayne Knowles, Jolanta Kus, Maria Mastalerz, Taíssa Rêgo 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 Sýkorová, Brett J. ValentinePore 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, desorbed gas contAuthorsSharon M. Swanson, Maria D. Mastalerz, Mark Engle, Brett J. Valentine, Peter D. Warwick, Paul C. Hackley, Harvey E. BelkinDevelopment of web-based organic petrology photomicrograph atlases and internet resources for professionals and students
With advances in web applications, organic petrography and other related disciplines are in need of updated online resources and educational tools to aid professionals and students in the identification and interpretation of macerals. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Organic Petrology Laboratory along with USGS Eastern Energy Resources Science Center Information Technology staff have developed fiAuthorsBrett J. Valentine, Eric A. Morrissey, Andy J. Park, Mark E. Reidy, Paul C. HackleyGeologic model for the assessment of undiscovered hydrocarbons in Lower to Upper Cretaceous carbonate rocks of the Fredericksburg and Washita groups, U.S. Gulf Coast Region
As part of the assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Jurassic and Cretaceous strata of the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey assessed carbonate rocks of the Fredericksburg and Washita groups and their equivalent units underlying onshore lands and State waters. One conventional assessment unit extending from south Texas to the Florida panhandle was defined: the FredeAuthorsSharon M. Swanson, Catherine B. Enomoto, Kristin O. Dennen, Brett J. Valentine, Celeste D. LohrGeologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources: Oligocene Frio and Anahuac Formations, United States Gulf of Mexico coastal plain and State waters
The Oligocene Frio and Anahuac Formations were assessed as part of the 2007 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessment of Tertiary strata of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico Basin onshore and State waters. The Frio Formation, which consists of sand-rich fluvio-deltaic systems, has been one of the largest hydrocarbon producers from the Paleogene in the Gulf of Mexico. The Anahuac Formation, an extensive transAuthorsSharon M. Swanson, Alexander W. Karlsen, Brett J. ValentineShallow coal exploration drill-hole data--Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas
Coal exploration drill-hole data from over 24,000 wells in 10 States are discussed by State in the chapters of this report, and the data are provided in an accompanying spreadsheet. The drill holes were drilled between 1962 and 1984 by Phillips Coal Company, a division of Phillips Petroleum Company (Phillips). The data were donated to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 2001 by the North AmericanAuthorsBrett J. Valentine, Kristin O. DennenPreliminary evaluation of the shale gas prospectivity of the Lower Cretaceous Pearsall Formation in the onshore Gulf Coast region, United States
Recent work by the U.S. Geological Survey indicated that the Lower Cretaceous Pearsall Formation contains an estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable unconventional gas resource of 8.8 trillion cubic ft in the Maverick Basin, South Texas. Cumulative gas production from horizontal wells in the core area of the emerging play has exceeded 5 billion cubic ft since 2008. However, very littlAuthorsCatherine B. Enomoto, Kristina Scott, Brett J. Valentine, Paul C. Hackley, Kristin Dennen, Celeste D. LohrAssessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Jurassic and Cretaceous strata of the Gulf Coast, 2010
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 147.4 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered natural gas, 2.4 billion barrels of undiscovered oil, and 2.96 billion barrels of undiscovered natural gas liquids in Jurassic and Cretaceous strata in onshore lands and State waters of the Gulf Coast.AuthorsRussell F. Dubiel, Peter D. Warwick, Sharon Swanson, Lauri Burke, Laura Biewick, Ronald R. Charpentier, James L. Coleman, Troy A. Cook, Kris Dennen, Colin A. Doolan, Catherine Enomoto, Paul C. Hackley, Alexander W. Karlsen, Timothy R. Klett, Scott A. Kinney, Michael D. Lewan, Matthew D. Merrill, Krystal Pearson, Ofori N. Pearson, Janet K. Pitman, Richard M. Pollastro, Elizabeth L. Rowan, Christopher J. Schenk, Brett ValentineEocene bituminous coal deposits of the Claiborne group, Webb County, Texas
Two bituminous coal zones, the San Pedro and the Santo Tomas, in the middle Eocene Claiborne Group of Webb County, south Texas (Figure 1), are among the coal resources that are not evaluated quantitatively as part of the current Gulf Coastal Plain coal resource assessment. Coal beds within these zones were mined by underground methods northwest of Laredo until 1939 and have been intermittently minAuthorsRobert W. Hook, Peter D. Warwick - Web Tools