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Open-File Report 2012–1118

Variability of Distributions of Well-Scale Estimated Ultimate Recovery for Continuous (Unconventional) Oil and Gas Resources in the United States

By U.S. Geological Survey Oil and Gas Assessment Team

Thumbnail of and link to report PDF (1.63 MB)Abstract

Since 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey has completed assessments of continuous (unconventional) resources in the United States based on geologic studies and analysis of well-production data. This publication uses those 132 continuous oil and gas assessments to show the variability of well productivity within and among the 132 areas. The production from the most productive wells in an area commonly is more than 100 times larger than that from the poorest productive wells. The 132 assessment units were classified into four categories: shale gas, coalbed gas, tight gas, and continuous oil. For each category, the mean well productivity in the most productive assessment units is considerably greater than that of the least productive assessment units.

First posted June 1, 2012

For additional information contact:
U.S. Geological Survey
Central Energy Resources Science Center
Box 25046, MS-939
Denver Federal Center
Denver, CO 80225-0046

http://energy.usgs.gov/

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Suggested citation:

U.S. Geological Survey Oil and Gas Assessment Team, 2012, Variability of distributions of well-scale estimated ultimate recovery for continuous (unconventional) oil and gas resources in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2012–1118, 18 p.



Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Estimated Ultimate Recovery Distributions

Results

References Cited

Appendix 1. Assessments Used in this Report


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