Paul C. Hackley, Ph.D.
Paul Hackley is a Research Geologist with the USGS Geology, Energy & Minerals (GEM) Science Center in Reston, VA.
As project chief of the Thermal Indices project I pursue research on thermal maturity, chemical composition and physical state of sedimentary organic matter. The Thermal Indices project is part of the Geology, Energy & Minerals (GEM) Science Center and is funded by the Energy Resources Program (ERP). The Thermal Indices project team develops and applies petrographic methods for the reliable identification of different types of sedimentary organic matter, and measures and interprets the response of organic matter to thermal stress in natural environments and in laboratory-based heating experiments. Improved understanding of the thermal evolution of sedimentary organic matter enables more accurate assessment of petroleum source rock maturation, thereby decreasing uncertainty in the determination of thermal histories, the timing of petroleum generation and the placement of resource assessment spatial boundaries. This leads to the overall goal of improving estimates of undiscovered petroleum resources, which is a central mission of the ERP.
My work focuses on four integrated research task areas which have petrographic approaches to thermal indices as their common denominator: 1) standardization and reproducibility of measurement, 2) utilization of hydrous pyrolysis for (artificial) thermal conversion of sedimentary organic matter, 3) petrographic innovation areas for thermal indices and organic evolution, and 4) petrographic laboratory support.
Thermal indices research is accomplished from the Organic Petrology and Hydrous Pyrolysis laboratories in Reston. The laboratories include facilities for sample preparation, hydrous pyrolysis, optical and fluorescence microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The Thermal Indices project team works with external collaborators from global academic, government and industry groups. All thermal indices research efforts reach toward the goal of improving fossil fuel resource assessments by generating new understanding of the processes occurring during thermal evolution of sedimentary organic matter and its conversion to petroleum.
Professional Experience
Unconventional petroleum systems
Conventional oil and gas assessment
Coalbed methane
Coal
Application of organic petrology techniques to fossil fuel resource assessment
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., George Mason University
M.S., George Washington University
B.A., Shippensburg State University
Affiliations and Memberships*
The Society for Organic Petrology (TSOP)
International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP)
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
Geological Society of America (GSA)
Science and Products
Reflectance and spectral fluorescence data from the effect of diagenesis on the preservation of morphology and ultrastructural features of pollen
Maturation study of vitrinite in carbonaceous shales and coals
TOC, Reflectance and Raman Data from Eocene Green River Mahogany Zone
Solid bitumen and vitrinite reflectance suppression explored using hydrous pyrolysis of artificial source rock (2021)
Reflectance and confocal laser scanning fluorescence spectroscopy of bituminite in Kimmeridge Clay
Atomic Force Microscopy-based Infrared Spectroscopy Data within Immature Eagle Ford Shale at the Nanometer-scale
Investigating the effects of broad ion beam milling to sedimentary organic matter
Fluorescence spectroscopy of ancient sedimentary organic matter via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM)
Organic Petrography and Diagenesis of Leonardian Mudrocks and Carbonates, Midland Basin, Texas (2018)
ATR Data from Interaction of kerogen with brine-saturated supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) and its implications to geologic carbon sequestration and enhanced oil/gas recovery (2018)
XRD data from study on the impact of thermal maturity on shale microstructures using hydrous pyrolysis (2018)
Analyzing Heterogeneity in Artificially Matured Samples of Bakken Shales (2018)
Pore systems and organic petrology of cretaceous Mowry and Niobrara source-rock reservoirs, Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA
Relating systematic compositional variability to the textural occurrence of solid bitumen in shales
Maturation study of vitrinite in carbonaceous shales and coals: Insights from hydrous pyrolysis
Evaluating aromatization of solid bitumen generated in the presence and absence of water: Implications for solid bitumen reflectance as a thermal proxy
The effect of diagenesis and acetolysis on the preservation of morphology and ultrastructural features of pollen
Identification of thermal maturity-relevant organic matter in Shale Working Group Report 2021
Finalization of the Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) working group
Molecular mechanisms of solid bitumen and vitrinite reflectance suppression explored using hydrous pyrolysis of artificial source rock
Characterization of bituminite in Kimmeridge Clay by confocal laser scanning and atomic force microscopy
The Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy Working Group of the ICCP: Final report 2021
New insights into organic matter accumulation from high-resolution geochemical analysis of a black shale: Middle and Upper Devonian Horn River Group, Canada
Vitrinite reflectance analysis
Science and Products
Reflectance and spectral fluorescence data from the effect of diagenesis on the preservation of morphology and ultrastructural features of pollen
Maturation study of vitrinite in carbonaceous shales and coals
TOC, Reflectance and Raman Data from Eocene Green River Mahogany Zone
Solid bitumen and vitrinite reflectance suppression explored using hydrous pyrolysis of artificial source rock (2021)
Reflectance and confocal laser scanning fluorescence spectroscopy of bituminite in Kimmeridge Clay
Atomic Force Microscopy-based Infrared Spectroscopy Data within Immature Eagle Ford Shale at the Nanometer-scale
Investigating the effects of broad ion beam milling to sedimentary organic matter
Fluorescence spectroscopy of ancient sedimentary organic matter via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM)
Organic Petrography and Diagenesis of Leonardian Mudrocks and Carbonates, Midland Basin, Texas (2018)
ATR Data from Interaction of kerogen with brine-saturated supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) and its implications to geologic carbon sequestration and enhanced oil/gas recovery (2018)
XRD data from study on the impact of thermal maturity on shale microstructures using hydrous pyrolysis (2018)
Analyzing Heterogeneity in Artificially Matured Samples of Bakken Shales (2018)
Pore systems and organic petrology of cretaceous Mowry and Niobrara source-rock reservoirs, Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA
Relating systematic compositional variability to the textural occurrence of solid bitumen in shales
Maturation study of vitrinite in carbonaceous shales and coals: Insights from hydrous pyrolysis
Evaluating aromatization of solid bitumen generated in the presence and absence of water: Implications for solid bitumen reflectance as a thermal proxy
The effect of diagenesis and acetolysis on the preservation of morphology and ultrastructural features of pollen
Identification of thermal maturity-relevant organic matter in Shale Working Group Report 2021
Finalization of the Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) working group
Molecular mechanisms of solid bitumen and vitrinite reflectance suppression explored using hydrous pyrolysis of artificial source rock
Characterization of bituminite in Kimmeridge Clay by confocal laser scanning and atomic force microscopy
The Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy Working Group of the ICCP: Final report 2021
New insights into organic matter accumulation from high-resolution geochemical analysis of a black shale: Middle and Upper Devonian Horn River Group, Canada
Vitrinite reflectance analysis
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government