Publications
Listed below are publication products directly associated with the Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center:
Filter Total Items: 1166
Meeting Asia's future gas import demand with stranded natural gas from central Asia, Russia, Southeast Asia, and Australia
This analysis shows the important contribution that stranded gas from central Asia, Russia, Southeast Asia, and Australia can make in meeting the projected demand for gas imports of China, India, Japan, and South Korea from 2020 to 2040. The estimated delivered costs of pipeline gas from stranded fields in Russia and central Asia at Shanghai, China, are generally less than delivered costs of lique
Authors
E. D. Attanasi, P.A. Freeman
Determination of diffusion coefficients of carbon dioxide in water between 268 and 473 K in a high-pressure capillary optical cell with in situ Raman spectroscopic measurements
Accurate values of diffusion coefficients for carbon dioxide in water and brine at reservoir conditions are essential to our understanding of transport behavior of carbon dioxide in subsurface pore space. However, the experimental data are limited to conditions at low temperatures and pressures. In this study, diffusive transfer of carbon dioxide in water at pressures up to 45 MPa and temperatures
Authors
Wanjun Lu, Huirong Guo, I.-Ming Chou, R. C. Burruss, Lanlan Li
Direct estimation of diffuse gaseous emissions from coal fires: current methods and future directions
Coal fires occur in nature spontaneously, contribute to increases in greenhouse gases, and emit atmospheric toxicants. Increasing interest in quantifying coal fire emissions has resulted in the adaptation and development of specialized approaches and adoption of numerical modeling techniques. Overview of these methods for direct estimation of diffuse gas emissions from coal fires is presented in t
Authors
Mark A. Engle, Ricardo A. Olea, Jennifer M. K. O'Keefe, James C. Hower, Nicholas J. Geboy
Disproportionation and thermochemical sulfate reduction reactions in S-H20-Ch4 and S-D2O-CH4 systems from 200 to 340 °C at elevated pressures
Elemental sulfur, as a transient intermediate compound, by-product, or catalyst, plays significant roles in thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) reactions. However, the mechanisms of the reactions in S-H2O-hydrocarbons systems are not clear. To improve our understanding of reaction mechanisms, we conducted a series of experiments between 200 and 340 °C for S-H2O-CH4, S-D2O-CH4, and S-CH4-1m ZnBr
Authors
Shunda Yuan, I-Ming Chou, Robert A. Burruss
Aggregation of carbon dioxide sequestration storage assessment units
The U.S. Geological Survey is currently conducting a national assessment of carbon dioxide (CO2) storage resources, mandated by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Pre-emission capture and storage of CO2 in subsurface saline formations is one potential method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the negative impact of global climate change. Like many large-scale resource assessment
Authors
Madalyn S. Blondes, John H. Schuenemeyer, Ricardo A. Olea, Lawrence J. Drew
Microbial production of natural gas from coal and organic-rich shale
Natural gas is an important component of the energy mix in the United States, producing greater energy yield per unit weight and less pollution compared to coal and oil. Most of the world’s natural gas resource is thermogenic, produced in the geologic environment over time by high temperature and pressure within deposits of oil, coal, and shale. About 20 percent of the natural gas resource, howeve
Authors
William Orem
Coal resources, reserves and peak coal production in the United States
In spite of its large endowment of coal resources, recent studies have indicated that United States coal production is destined to reach a maximum and begin an irreversible decline sometime during the middle of the current century. However, studies and assessments illustrating coal reserve data essential for making accurate forecasts of United States coal production have not been compiled on a nat
Authors
Robert C. Milici, Romeo M. Flores, Gary D. Stricker
A USANS/SANS study of the accessibility of pores in the Barnett Shale to methane and water
Shale is an increasingly important source of natural gas in the United States. The gas is held in fine pores that need to be accessed by horizontal drilling and hydrofracturing techniques. Understanding the nature of the pores may provide clues to making gas extraction more efficient. We have investigated two Mississippian Barnett Shale samples, combining small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and
Authors
Leslie F. Ruppert, Richard Sakurovs, Tomasz P. Blach, Lilin He, Yuri B. Melnichenko, David F. Mildner, Leo Alcantar-Lopez
National assessment of geologic carbon dioxide storage resources: methodology implementation
In response to the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO2). Storage of CO2 in subsurface saline formations is one important method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb global climate change. This report provides updates and implementation details of the asses
Authors
Madalyn S. Blondes, Sean T. Brennan, Matthew D. Merrill, Marc L. Buursink, Peter D. Warwick, Steven M. Cahan, M.D. Corum, Troy A. Cook, William H. Craddock, Christina A. DeVera, Ronald M. Drake, Lawrence J. Drew, P.A. Freeman, Celeste D. Lohr, Ricardo A. Olea, Tina L. Roberts-Ashby, Ernie R. Slucher, Brian A. Varela
Development 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 fi
Authors
Brett J. Valentine, Eric A. Morrissey, Andy J. Park, Mark E. Reidy, Paul C. Hackley
Clinoform deposition across a boundary between orogenic front and foredeep - an example from the Lower Cretaceous in Arctic Alaska
The Lower Cretaceous Fortress Mountain Formation occupies a spatial and temporal niche between syntectonic deposits at the Brooks Range orogenic front and post-tectonic strata in the Colville foreland basin. The formation includes basin-floor fan, marine-slope and fan-delta facies that define a clinoform depositional profile. Texture and composition of clasts in the formation suggest progressive b
Authors
David W. Houseknecht, Marwan A. Wartes
Role of stranded gas in increasing global gas supplies
This report synthesizes the findings of three regional studies in order to evaluate, at the global scale, the contribution that stranded gas resources can make to global natural gas supplies. Stranded gas, as defined for this study, is natural gas in discovered conventional gas and oil fields that is currently not commercially producible for either physical or economic reasons. The regional studie
Authors
E. D. Attanasi, P.A. Freeman