Jurassic rocks exposed in thurst-faulted structures near the southern limit of Western North Slope. In the subsurface farther north, these rocks may be reservoir rocks for natural gas.
David W. Houseknecht
David Houseknecht is a Senior Research Geologist for the USGS Geology, Energy & Minerals (GEM) Science Center in Reston, VA.
Science and Products
Alaska Petroleum Systems
The Alaska Petroleum Systems project has three main objectives: (A) conduct research that increases our understanding of Alaska petroleum systems, (B) conduct assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources, and (C) deliver energy-resource information to land and resource managers, policy makers, and the public.
Tingmerkpuk Ridges
Jurassic rocks exposed in thurst-faulted structures near the southern limit of Western North Slope. In the subsurface farther north, these rocks may be reservoir rocks for natural gas.
Western North Slope Foothills
The Kukpowruk River cuts through folded Cretaceous rocks in the central North Slope. These rocks were assessed by the USGS in 2017 and lie above the rocks assessed in the USGS 2021 Western North Slope assessment.
The Kukpowruk River cuts through folded Cretaceous rocks in the central North Slope. These rocks were assessed by the USGS in 2017 and lie above the rocks assessed in the USGS 2021 Western North Slope assessment.
Western North Slope Foothills
Geologist hikes across folded Cretaceous rocks in the central North Slope. These rocks were assessed by the USGS in 2017 and lie above the rocks assessed in the USGS 2021 Western North Slope assessment.
Geologist hikes across folded Cretaceous rocks in the central North Slope. These rocks were assessed by the USGS in 2017 and lie above the rocks assessed in the USGS 2021 Western North Slope assessment.
Kokolik River Oil Sand
Oil-saturated sandstone in the Nanushuk Formation in westernmost National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). Oil in these rocks likely was generated beneath Western North Slope and migrated northeastward into NPR-A.
Oil-saturated sandstone in the Nanushuk Formation in westernmost National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). Oil in these rocks likely was generated beneath Western North Slope and migrated northeastward into NPR-A.
Kukpowruk Redwul
Faulted and folded petroleum source rocks in Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks (Kingak Shale, pebble shale unit, and gamma-ray zone of Hue Shale) in southern part of Western North Slope. Thermal maturity of these rocks are at the upper limit of oil preservations.
Faulted and folded petroleum source rocks in Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks (Kingak Shale, pebble shale unit, and gamma-ray zone of Hue Shale) in southern part of Western North Slope. Thermal maturity of these rocks are at the upper limit of oil preservations.
Kukpowruk Redwul
Geologist examines f Faulted and folded petroleum source rocks in Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks (Kingak Shale, pebble shale unit, and gamma-ray zone of Hue Shale) in southern part of Western North Slope. Thermal maturity of these rocks is at the upper limit of oil preservations.
Geologist examines f Faulted and folded petroleum source rocks in Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks (Kingak Shale, pebble shale unit, and gamma-ray zone of Hue Shale) in southern part of Western North Slope. Thermal maturity of these rocks is at the upper limit of oil preservations.
Surprise Creek, Western North Slope of Alaska
Overview of folded Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous rocks in southern part of Western North Slope.
Overview of folded Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous rocks in southern part of Western North Slope.
Tingmerkpuk Ridges
Geologists discuss the geology of Jurassic rocks in thurst-faulted structures near the southern limit of Western North Slope.
Geologists discuss the geology of Jurassic rocks in thurst-faulted structures near the southern limit of Western North Slope.
Fish Creek Watershed in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
Fish Creek wanders through the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a 22.8 million acre region managed by the Bureau of Land Management on Alaska's North Slope. USGS has periodically assessed oil and gas resource potential there. These assessments can be found here.
Fish Creek wanders through the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a 22.8 million acre region managed by the Bureau of Land Management on Alaska's North Slope. USGS has periodically assessed oil and gas resource potential there. These assessments can be found here.
Permafrost in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
Permafrost forms a grid-like pattern in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a 22.8 million acre region managed by the Bureau of Land Management on Alaska's North Slope. USGS has periodically assessed oil and gas resource potential there. These assessments can be found here.
Permafrost forms a grid-like pattern in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a 22.8 million acre region managed by the Bureau of Land Management on Alaska's North Slope. USGS has periodically assessed oil and gas resource potential there. These assessments can be found here.
Surprise Creek, Western North Slope of Alaska
Faulted and folded Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous rocks along Surprise Creek in southern part of Western North Slope. The Triassic and Jurassic rocks include petroleum source rocks from which oil was generated. Geologists in orange vests for scale.
Faulted and folded Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous rocks along Surprise Creek in southern part of Western North Slope. The Triassic and Jurassic rocks include petroleum source rocks from which oil was generated. Geologists in orange vests for scale.
Surprise Creek, Western North Slope of Alaska
Geologists measuring petroleum source rocks in Triassic rocks along Surprise Creek in southern part of Western North Slope.
Geologists measuring petroleum source rocks in Triassic rocks along Surprise Creek in southern part of Western North Slope.
Surprise Creek, Western North Slope of Alaska
Geologist describes petroleum source rocks in Triassic and Jurassic rocks along Surprise Creek in southern part of Western North Slope.
Geologist describes petroleum source rocks in Triassic and Jurassic rocks along Surprise Creek in southern part of Western North Slope.
Fortress Mountain Formation, Brooks Range
View southward from Fortress Mountain Formation on Atigun syncline towards Brooks Range. Trans-Alaska Pipeline, haul road, and Galbraith Lake in valley. Location in Brooks Range foothills, about 90 miles southeast of Umiat.
View southward from Fortress Mountain Formation on Atigun syncline towards Brooks Range. Trans-Alaska Pipeline, haul road, and Galbraith Lake in valley. Location in Brooks Range foothills, about 90 miles southeast of Umiat.
Atigun River in Alaska Brooks Range foothills
View westward along Atigun River in Atigun Gorge. Rocks in foreground are Lower Cretaceous Fortress Mountain Formation. Rocks in gorge, along river, are Lower Cretaceous Okpikruak Formation. Mountains on horizon are mostly carbonates of Carboniferous Lisburne Group. Location in Brooks Range foothills, about 100 miles southeast of Umiat.
View westward along Atigun River in Atigun Gorge. Rocks in foreground are Lower Cretaceous Fortress Mountain Formation. Rocks in gorge, along river, are Lower Cretaceous Okpikruak Formation. Mountains on horizon are mostly carbonates of Carboniferous Lisburne Group. Location in Brooks Range foothills, about 100 miles southeast of Umiat.
Science and Products
Alaska Petroleum Systems
The Alaska Petroleum Systems project has three main objectives: (A) conduct research that increases our understanding of Alaska petroleum systems, (B) conduct assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources, and (C) deliver energy-resource information to land and resource managers, policy makers, and the public.
Tingmerkpuk Ridges
Jurassic rocks exposed in thurst-faulted structures near the southern limit of Western North Slope. In the subsurface farther north, these rocks may be reservoir rocks for natural gas.
Jurassic rocks exposed in thurst-faulted structures near the southern limit of Western North Slope. In the subsurface farther north, these rocks may be reservoir rocks for natural gas.
Western North Slope Foothills
The Kukpowruk River cuts through folded Cretaceous rocks in the central North Slope. These rocks were assessed by the USGS in 2017 and lie above the rocks assessed in the USGS 2021 Western North Slope assessment.
The Kukpowruk River cuts through folded Cretaceous rocks in the central North Slope. These rocks were assessed by the USGS in 2017 and lie above the rocks assessed in the USGS 2021 Western North Slope assessment.
Western North Slope Foothills
Geologist hikes across folded Cretaceous rocks in the central North Slope. These rocks were assessed by the USGS in 2017 and lie above the rocks assessed in the USGS 2021 Western North Slope assessment.
Geologist hikes across folded Cretaceous rocks in the central North Slope. These rocks were assessed by the USGS in 2017 and lie above the rocks assessed in the USGS 2021 Western North Slope assessment.
Kokolik River Oil Sand
Oil-saturated sandstone in the Nanushuk Formation in westernmost National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). Oil in these rocks likely was generated beneath Western North Slope and migrated northeastward into NPR-A.
Oil-saturated sandstone in the Nanushuk Formation in westernmost National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). Oil in these rocks likely was generated beneath Western North Slope and migrated northeastward into NPR-A.
Kukpowruk Redwul
Faulted and folded petroleum source rocks in Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks (Kingak Shale, pebble shale unit, and gamma-ray zone of Hue Shale) in southern part of Western North Slope. Thermal maturity of these rocks are at the upper limit of oil preservations.
Faulted and folded petroleum source rocks in Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks (Kingak Shale, pebble shale unit, and gamma-ray zone of Hue Shale) in southern part of Western North Slope. Thermal maturity of these rocks are at the upper limit of oil preservations.
Kukpowruk Redwul
Geologist examines f Faulted and folded petroleum source rocks in Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks (Kingak Shale, pebble shale unit, and gamma-ray zone of Hue Shale) in southern part of Western North Slope. Thermal maturity of these rocks is at the upper limit of oil preservations.
Geologist examines f Faulted and folded petroleum source rocks in Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks (Kingak Shale, pebble shale unit, and gamma-ray zone of Hue Shale) in southern part of Western North Slope. Thermal maturity of these rocks is at the upper limit of oil preservations.
Surprise Creek, Western North Slope of Alaska
Overview of folded Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous rocks in southern part of Western North Slope.
Overview of folded Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous rocks in southern part of Western North Slope.
Tingmerkpuk Ridges
Geologists discuss the geology of Jurassic rocks in thurst-faulted structures near the southern limit of Western North Slope.
Geologists discuss the geology of Jurassic rocks in thurst-faulted structures near the southern limit of Western North Slope.
Fish Creek Watershed in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
Fish Creek wanders through the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a 22.8 million acre region managed by the Bureau of Land Management on Alaska's North Slope. USGS has periodically assessed oil and gas resource potential there. These assessments can be found here.
Fish Creek wanders through the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a 22.8 million acre region managed by the Bureau of Land Management on Alaska's North Slope. USGS has periodically assessed oil and gas resource potential there. These assessments can be found here.
Permafrost in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
Permafrost forms a grid-like pattern in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a 22.8 million acre region managed by the Bureau of Land Management on Alaska's North Slope. USGS has periodically assessed oil and gas resource potential there. These assessments can be found here.
Permafrost forms a grid-like pattern in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a 22.8 million acre region managed by the Bureau of Land Management on Alaska's North Slope. USGS has periodically assessed oil and gas resource potential there. These assessments can be found here.
Surprise Creek, Western North Slope of Alaska
Faulted and folded Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous rocks along Surprise Creek in southern part of Western North Slope. The Triassic and Jurassic rocks include petroleum source rocks from which oil was generated. Geologists in orange vests for scale.
Faulted and folded Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous rocks along Surprise Creek in southern part of Western North Slope. The Triassic and Jurassic rocks include petroleum source rocks from which oil was generated. Geologists in orange vests for scale.
Surprise Creek, Western North Slope of Alaska
Geologists measuring petroleum source rocks in Triassic rocks along Surprise Creek in southern part of Western North Slope.
Geologists measuring petroleum source rocks in Triassic rocks along Surprise Creek in southern part of Western North Slope.
Surprise Creek, Western North Slope of Alaska
Geologist describes petroleum source rocks in Triassic and Jurassic rocks along Surprise Creek in southern part of Western North Slope.
Geologist describes petroleum source rocks in Triassic and Jurassic rocks along Surprise Creek in southern part of Western North Slope.
Fortress Mountain Formation, Brooks Range
View southward from Fortress Mountain Formation on Atigun syncline towards Brooks Range. Trans-Alaska Pipeline, haul road, and Galbraith Lake in valley. Location in Brooks Range foothills, about 90 miles southeast of Umiat.
View southward from Fortress Mountain Formation on Atigun syncline towards Brooks Range. Trans-Alaska Pipeline, haul road, and Galbraith Lake in valley. Location in Brooks Range foothills, about 90 miles southeast of Umiat.
Atigun River in Alaska Brooks Range foothills
View westward along Atigun River in Atigun Gorge. Rocks in foreground are Lower Cretaceous Fortress Mountain Formation. Rocks in gorge, along river, are Lower Cretaceous Okpikruak Formation. Mountains on horizon are mostly carbonates of Carboniferous Lisburne Group. Location in Brooks Range foothills, about 100 miles southeast of Umiat.
View westward along Atigun River in Atigun Gorge. Rocks in foreground are Lower Cretaceous Fortress Mountain Formation. Rocks in gorge, along river, are Lower Cretaceous Okpikruak Formation. Mountains on horizon are mostly carbonates of Carboniferous Lisburne Group. Location in Brooks Range foothills, about 100 miles southeast of Umiat.