Geochemistry  

Microbial (biogenic) natural gas is present in shale, coal and petroleum reservoirs and is estimated to account for 20% of the world’s natural gas resources. We provide hydrological, geochemical and microbial information related to the production of biogenic natural gas and new methods to monitor and enhance the production of this energy resource. Generating microbial methane at a faster rate from...

The primary objective of this task is to produce digital maps coal-bearing areas and related energy sources and materials of the U.S., and internationally. The approach for creating GIS representations of energy sources of the U.S. and the world is to use existing geologic GIS data where possible, supplemented by data on location, rank and age from published maps and reports. Each GIS database...

In this task we conduct new interpretive studies of the concentration and distribution of trace metals and mercury in coal and other energy materials. Complementary studies of coal combustion products are conducted under Task 8. Together with use of existing USGS databases, we examine the potential for reducing emissions of potentially toxic substances by coal preparation, and by optimizing coal...

This scoping task incorporates insights from new approaches to production of unconventional resources and currently focuses on conducting a pilot assessment of biogenic natural gas resources in the Permian Basin. For the pilot assessment to occur, we are developing a database that will host geochemical parameters known to be suggestive of microbial methanogenesis mined to the reservoir level for...

Project goals were to produce interpretive products based on the existing national-scale geochemical and mineralogical data and maps for soils of the conterminous U.S.