The USGS Energy Resources Program assesses coal, oil and gas, and uranium resources, as well as environmental effects of energy resource occurrence and use. To identify the regions where energy resources are most likely to be developed, we apply a geologic understanding to emerging patterns of extraction for each energy commodity and assess the potential for undiscovered resources. Our studies include (1) maintaining a compilation of public and proprietary information on subsurface petroleum (wells installed) for the Greater Green River Basin, (2) developing new geographic information system products that portray geologic studies of energy resources, (3) automating updates of the database on oil and gas development in the WLCI area, and (4) studying future coal availability in the Washakie Basin (Atlantic Rim).
In FY2014, we continued assembling a comprehensive, publicly available, online inventory of energy resources data. We also completed the energy map of southwestern Wyoming with the publication of Part B, which focuses on oil and gas, oil shale, uranium, and solar energy resources, and includes data layers that portray infrastructure and protected lands and sensitive areas (Part A focused on coal and wind [Biewick and Jones, 2012]). Finally, the Central Energy Resources Science Center Team continued to provide technical input and expertise, as needed, regarding potential development of oil and gas, coal, coalbed methane, uranium, and oil shale resources in the WLCI area to address Integrated Assessment needs and questions pertaining to energy resources. Published energy resource maps, geodatabases, documentation, and spatial-data-processing capabilities are available at http://energy.usgs.gov/RegionalStudies/SouthwesternWyomingHomepage.aspx. For the National Assessment of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources, there is a published chapter on the Geologic Framework for the National Assessment of Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources -- Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah, and Wyoming-Idaho-Utah Thrust Belt at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1024/e/. This report offers a perspective of CO2 storage in this area.
Products Completed in FY2014
- Biewick, L.R.H., and Wilson, A.B., 2014, Energy map of southwestern Wyoming, Part B -- Oil and gas, oil shale, uranium, and solar: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 843, 20 p., 4 pls., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds843 or http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/843/.
- Biewick, L.R.H., and Miller, A.R., Geodatabase of Wyoming Statewide oil and gas drilling activity to 2015, including Python scripts: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series (draft).
Products Completed in FY2013
- Biewick, L.R.H., Jones, N.R., and Wilson, A.B., 2013, Energy map of southwestern Wyoming -- Energy data archived, organized, integrated and accessible: U.S. Geological Survey General Information Product 145, 21 slides, at http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/145/. (This is part A of a 2-part map.)
- Kirschbaum, M.A., and Mercier, T.J., 2013, Controls on the deposition and preservation of the Cretaceous Mowry Shale and Frontier Formation and equivalents, Rocky Mountain Region, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 97, p. 877-898, at http://aapgbull.geoscienceworld.org/content/97/6/899.full.
Products Completed in FY2012
- Biewick, L.R.H., and Jones, N.R., 2012, Energy map, data packages and geodatabases of southwestern Wyoming, poster: ESRI International User Conference, San Diego Convention Center, July 23-27, 2012, San Diego, Calif.
- Biewick, L.R.H., and Jones, N.R., 2012, Energy map of southwestern Wyoming, Part A Coal and wind: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 683, 18 p. pamphlet, 5 plates, online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/683/.
- Biewick, L.R.H., Jones, N.R., and Wilson, A.B., 2013, Energy Map of Southwestern Wyoming -- Energy data archived, organized, integrated and accessible: U.S. Geological Survey General Information Product 145, 21 slides. Online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/145/. (Also presented at the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative Science and Management Workshop, May 14-17, 2012, Rock Springs, Wyo.)
- Biewick, L.R.H., and Wilson, A.B., 2013, Energy map of southwestern Wyoming, Part B -- Oil, gas, oil shale, uranium and solar: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series, in review.
- Kirschbaum, M.A., and Mercier, T.J., 2013, Controls on the deposition and preservation of the Cretaceous Mowry Shale and Frontier Formation and equivalents, Rocky Mountain Region, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 97, p. 877-898. Online at http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/2013/06jun/BLTN12090/BLTN12090.htm?doi=10.1306%2F10011212090.
Products Completed in FY2011
- Biewick, L.R.H., 2011, Geodatabase of Wyoming statewide oil and gas drilling activity to 2010: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 625, http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/625/.
Products Completed in FY2010
- Update of the U.S. Geological Survey, 2010, Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS): U.S. Geological Survey public access database, online at http://tin.er.usgs.gov/mrds/.
Products Completed in FY2009
- Biewick, L.R.H., 2009, Oil and gas development in southwestern Wyoming -- Energy data and services for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI): U.S. Geological Survey Digital Data Series DS 437, unpaged.
- Biewick, L.R.H., 2009, Oil and gas development in southwestern Wyoming -- Energy data and services for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI): Abstract for the WLCI Science Workshop, May 2009.
- Kirschbaum, M., 2009, Hydrocarbon potential in the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative area: Abstract for the WLCI Science Workshop, May 2009.
- Potter, C.J., 2009, Geologic energy resources as drivers of change in Southwest Wyoming: Abstract for the WLCI Science Workshop, May 2009.
Products Completed in FY2008