Justin Birdwell
My USGS research involves a range of energy-related issues, including: assessing undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in U.S. petroleum systems; evaluating geothermal, critical minerals, and energy storage potential in sedimentary basins; examining environmental impacts of energy development; and researching paleoenvironmental conditions using geochemical methods.
Justin Birdwell is a research engineer and geochemist with the USGS Energy Resources Program’s Gulf Coast Geologic Energy Assessments and Research project. As a Mendenhall Post-doctoral Research Fellow he helped refine previous assessments of Green River oil shale resources, conducted experimental work to evaluate in-situ retorting approaches to oil shave development, and studied the environmental impacts of oil shale utilization. His current work is focused on petroleum resource assessments in Gulf Coast and Rocky Mountain basins, geochemical characterization of source rocks and petroleum using standard and advanced methods, evaluation of non-petroleum resource potential in petroliferous sedimentary basins, and development of geochemical reference materials.
Justin is the current Chair of the Geological Society of America’s Energy Geology Division (2024), past-president of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Energy Minerals Division (EMD; 2021-2022), an Associate Editor of AAPG Bulletin, Member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Coal Geology, a representative of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists in the AAPG House of Delegates, and three-time technical program chair for the AAPG Rocky Mountain Section annual meeting (2022-2024).
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=16174195400
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Birdwell
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=7xr20ZQAAAAJ
Professional Experience
10/2012-2/2024, Research Environmental Engineer, USGS
11/2011-9/2012, General Research Engineer, USGS
10/2009-10/2011, Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Engineer, USGS
1/2008-9/2009, Research Associate, LSU
8/2002-12/2007, Graduate Student/Research & Teaching Assistant, LSU
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, 2007, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Advisor: Louis J. Thibodeaux)
B.S., Chemical Engineering, 2002, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 25
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Filter Total Items: 86
Changes in porosity and organic matter phase distribution monitored by NMR relaxometry following hydrous pyrolysis under uniaxial confinement
Artificial maturation methods are used to induce changes in source rock thermal maturity without the uncertainties that arise when comparing natural samples from a particular basin that often represent different levels of maturation and different lithofacies. A novel uniaxial confinement clamp was used on Woodford Shale cores in hydrous pyrolysis experiments to limit sample expansion by simulating
Authors
Kathryn E. Washburn, Justin E. Birdwell, Michael D. Lewan, Michael Miller
A new laboratory approach to shale analysis using NMR relaxometry
Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) relaxometry is a non-invasive technique commonly used to assess hydrogen-bearing fluids in petroleum reservoir rocks. Measurements made using LF-NMR provide information on rock porosity, pore-size distributions, and in some cases, fluid types and saturations (Timur, 1967; Kenyon et al., 1986; Straley et al., 1994; Brown, 2001; Jackson, 2001; Kleinberg,
Authors
Kathryn E. Washburn, Justin E. Birdwell
Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance characterization of organic content in shales
Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) relaxometry is a non-invasive technique commonly used to assess hydrogen-bearing fluids in petroleum reservoir rocks. Longitudinal T1 and transverse T2 relaxation time measurements made using LF-NMR on conventional reservoir systems provides information on rock porosity, pore size distributions, and fluid types and saturations in some cases. Recent imp
Authors
Kathryn E. Washburn, Justin E. Birdwell, Joseph D. Seymour, Catherine Kirkland, Sarah J. Vogt
NMR measurement of oil shale magnetic relaxation at high magnetic field
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) at low field is used extensively to provide porosity and
pore-size distributions in reservoir rocks. For unconventional resources, due to low porosity and
permeability of the samples, much of the signal exists at very short T2 relaxation times. In
addition, the organic content of many shales will also produce signal at short relaxation times.
Despite recent imp
Authors
Joseph D. Seymour, Kathryn E. Washburn, Catherine M. Kirkland, Sarah J. Vogt, Justin E. Birdwell, Sarah L. Codd
Geochemical changes and fracture development in Woodford Shale cores following hydrous pyrolysis under uniaxial confinement
A uniaxial confinement clamp was used on Woodford Shale cores in hydrous pyrolysis experiments to study fracture development during thermal maturation. The clamp simulates overburden in that it prevents cores from expanding perpendicular to bedding fabric during the volume-increasing reactions associated with petroleum generation. Cores were cut from a slab of immature Woodford Shale and subjected
Authors
Justin E. Birdwell, Michael D. Lewan, Michael Miller
Updated methodology for nuclear magnetic resonance characterization of shales
Unconventional petroleum resources, particularly in shales, are expected to play an increasingly important role in the world’s energy portfolio in the coming years. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), particularly at low-field, provides important information in the evaluation of shale resources. Most of the low-field NMR analyses performed on shale samples rely heavily on standard T1 and T2 measurem
Authors
Kathryn E. Washburn, Justin E. Birdwell
Comparing Laser Desorption Ionization and Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization Coupled to Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry To Characterize Shale Oils at the Molecular Level
Laser desorption ionization (LDI) coupled to Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) was used to analyze shale oils. Previous work showed that LDI is a sensitive ionization technique for assessing aromatic nitrogen compounds, and oils generated from Green River Formation oil shales are well-documented as being rich in nitrogen. The data presented here demonstrate th
Authors
Yunjo Cho, Jang Mi Jin, Matthias Witt, Justin E. Birdwell, Jeong-Geol Na, Nam-Sun Roh, Sunghwan Kim
Characterization of oil shale, isolated kerogen, and post-pyrolysis residues using advanced 13 solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Characterization of oil shale kerogen and organic residues remaining in postpyrolysis spent shale is critical to the understanding of the oil generation process and approaches to dealing with issues related to spent shale. The chemical structure of organic matter in raw oil shale and spent shale samples was examined in this study using advanced solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spec
Authors
Xiaoyan Cao, Justin E. Birdwell, Mark A. Chappell, Yuan Li, Joseph J. Pignatello, Jingdong Mao
In-place oil shale resources examined by grade in the major basins of the Green River Formation, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a total of 4.285 trillion barrels of oil in-place in the oil shale of the three principal basins of the Eocene Green River Formation. Using oil shale cutoffs of potentially viable (15 gallons per ton) and high grade (25 gallons per ton), it is estimated that between 353 billion and 1.146 trillion barrels of the in-p
Authors
Justin E. Birdwell, Tracey J. Mercier, Ronald C. Johnson, Michael E. Brownfield
Review of rare earth element concentrations in oil shales of the Eocene Green River Formation
Concentrations of the lanthanide series or rare earth elements and yttrium were determined for lacustrine oil shale samples from the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin of Colorado and the Uinta Basin of Utah. Unprocessed oil shale, post-pyrolysis (spent) shale, and leached shale samples were examined to determine if oil-shale processing to generate oil or the remediation of retorte
Authors
Justin E. Birdwell
Molecular characterization and comparison of shale oils generated by different pyrolysis methods
Shale oils generated using different laboratory pyrolysis methods have been studied using standard oil characterization methods as well as Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric photoionization (APPI) to assess differences in molecular composition. The pyrolysis oils were generated from samples of the Mahogany zone
Authors
Justin E. Birdwell, Jang Mi Jin, Sunghwan Kim
Molecular characterization and comparison of shale oils generated by different pyrolysis methods using FT-ICR mass spectrometry
Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT ICR-MS) was applied in the analysis of shale oils generated using two different pyrolysis systems under laboratory conditions meant to simulate surface and in situ oil shale retorting. Significant variations were observed in the shale oils, particularly the degree of conjugation of the constituent molecules. Comparison of FT ICR-MS re
Authors
J.M. Jin, S. Kim, J.E. Birdwell
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 25
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 86
Changes in porosity and organic matter phase distribution monitored by NMR relaxometry following hydrous pyrolysis under uniaxial confinement
Artificial maturation methods are used to induce changes in source rock thermal maturity without the uncertainties that arise when comparing natural samples from a particular basin that often represent different levels of maturation and different lithofacies. A novel uniaxial confinement clamp was used on Woodford Shale cores in hydrous pyrolysis experiments to limit sample expansion by simulating
Authors
Kathryn E. Washburn, Justin E. Birdwell, Michael D. Lewan, Michael Miller
A new laboratory approach to shale analysis using NMR relaxometry
Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) relaxometry is a non-invasive technique commonly used to assess hydrogen-bearing fluids in petroleum reservoir rocks. Measurements made using LF-NMR provide information on rock porosity, pore-size distributions, and in some cases, fluid types and saturations (Timur, 1967; Kenyon et al., 1986; Straley et al., 1994; Brown, 2001; Jackson, 2001; Kleinberg,
Authors
Kathryn E. Washburn, Justin E. Birdwell
Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance characterization of organic content in shales
Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) relaxometry is a non-invasive technique commonly used to assess hydrogen-bearing fluids in petroleum reservoir rocks. Longitudinal T1 and transverse T2 relaxation time measurements made using LF-NMR on conventional reservoir systems provides information on rock porosity, pore size distributions, and fluid types and saturations in some cases. Recent imp
Authors
Kathryn E. Washburn, Justin E. Birdwell, Joseph D. Seymour, Catherine Kirkland, Sarah J. Vogt
NMR measurement of oil shale magnetic relaxation at high magnetic field
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) at low field is used extensively to provide porosity and
pore-size distributions in reservoir rocks. For unconventional resources, due to low porosity and
permeability of the samples, much of the signal exists at very short T2 relaxation times. In
addition, the organic content of many shales will also produce signal at short relaxation times.
Despite recent imp
Authors
Joseph D. Seymour, Kathryn E. Washburn, Catherine M. Kirkland, Sarah J. Vogt, Justin E. Birdwell, Sarah L. Codd
Geochemical changes and fracture development in Woodford Shale cores following hydrous pyrolysis under uniaxial confinement
A uniaxial confinement clamp was used on Woodford Shale cores in hydrous pyrolysis experiments to study fracture development during thermal maturation. The clamp simulates overburden in that it prevents cores from expanding perpendicular to bedding fabric during the volume-increasing reactions associated with petroleum generation. Cores were cut from a slab of immature Woodford Shale and subjected
Authors
Justin E. Birdwell, Michael D. Lewan, Michael Miller
Updated methodology for nuclear magnetic resonance characterization of shales
Unconventional petroleum resources, particularly in shales, are expected to play an increasingly important role in the world’s energy portfolio in the coming years. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), particularly at low-field, provides important information in the evaluation of shale resources. Most of the low-field NMR analyses performed on shale samples rely heavily on standard T1 and T2 measurem
Authors
Kathryn E. Washburn, Justin E. Birdwell
Comparing Laser Desorption Ionization and Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization Coupled to Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry To Characterize Shale Oils at the Molecular Level
Laser desorption ionization (LDI) coupled to Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) was used to analyze shale oils. Previous work showed that LDI is a sensitive ionization technique for assessing aromatic nitrogen compounds, and oils generated from Green River Formation oil shales are well-documented as being rich in nitrogen. The data presented here demonstrate th
Authors
Yunjo Cho, Jang Mi Jin, Matthias Witt, Justin E. Birdwell, Jeong-Geol Na, Nam-Sun Roh, Sunghwan Kim
Characterization of oil shale, isolated kerogen, and post-pyrolysis residues using advanced 13 solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Characterization of oil shale kerogen and organic residues remaining in postpyrolysis spent shale is critical to the understanding of the oil generation process and approaches to dealing with issues related to spent shale. The chemical structure of organic matter in raw oil shale and spent shale samples was examined in this study using advanced solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spec
Authors
Xiaoyan Cao, Justin E. Birdwell, Mark A. Chappell, Yuan Li, Joseph J. Pignatello, Jingdong Mao
In-place oil shale resources examined by grade in the major basins of the Green River Formation, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a total of 4.285 trillion barrels of oil in-place in the oil shale of the three principal basins of the Eocene Green River Formation. Using oil shale cutoffs of potentially viable (15 gallons per ton) and high grade (25 gallons per ton), it is estimated that between 353 billion and 1.146 trillion barrels of the in-p
Authors
Justin E. Birdwell, Tracey J. Mercier, Ronald C. Johnson, Michael E. Brownfield
Review of rare earth element concentrations in oil shales of the Eocene Green River Formation
Concentrations of the lanthanide series or rare earth elements and yttrium were determined for lacustrine oil shale samples from the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin of Colorado and the Uinta Basin of Utah. Unprocessed oil shale, post-pyrolysis (spent) shale, and leached shale samples were examined to determine if oil-shale processing to generate oil or the remediation of retorte
Authors
Justin E. Birdwell
Molecular characterization and comparison of shale oils generated by different pyrolysis methods
Shale oils generated using different laboratory pyrolysis methods have been studied using standard oil characterization methods as well as Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric photoionization (APPI) to assess differences in molecular composition. The pyrolysis oils were generated from samples of the Mahogany zone
Authors
Justin E. Birdwell, Jang Mi Jin, Sunghwan Kim
Molecular characterization and comparison of shale oils generated by different pyrolysis methods using FT-ICR mass spectrometry
Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT ICR-MS) was applied in the analysis of shale oils generated using two different pyrolysis systems under laboratory conditions meant to simulate surface and in situ oil shale retorting. Significant variations were observed in the shale oils, particularly the degree of conjugation of the constituent molecules. Comparison of FT ICR-MS re
Authors
J.M. Jin, S. Kim, J.E. Birdwell