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Open–File Report 2014–1057

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Histograms Showing Variations in Oil Yield, Water Yield, and Specific Gravity of Oil from Fischer Assay Analyses of Oil-Shale Drill Cores and Cuttings from the Piceance Basin, Northwestern Colorado

By John D. Dietrich, Michael E. Brownfield, Ronald C. Johnson, and Tracey J. Mercier

Available on CD-ROM contact  Energy Team CD Distribution

Thumbnail of and link to report PDF (24 MB)Abstract

Recent studies indicate that the Piceance Basin in northwestern Colorado contains over 1.5 trillion barrels of oil in place, making the basin the largest known oil-shale deposit in the world. Previously published histograms display oil-yield variations with depth and widely correlate rich and lean oil-shale beds and zones throughout the basin. Histograms in this report display oil-yield data plotted alongside either water-yield or oil specific-gravity data. Fischer assay analyses of core and cutting samples collected from exploration drill holes penetrating the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin can aid in determining the origins of those deposits, as well as estimating the amount of organic matter, halite, nahcolite, and water-bearing minerals. This report focuses only on the oil yield plotted against water yield and oil specific gravity.

First posted June 17, 2014

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

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Suggested citation:

Dietrich, J.D., Brownfield, M.E., Johnson, R.C., and Mercier, T.J., 2014, Histograms showing variations in oil yield, water yield, and specific gravity of oil from Fischer assay analyses of oil-shale drill cores and cuttings from the Piceance Basin, northwestern Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1057, 12 p., https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141057.

ISSN 2331-1258 (online)


Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Combined Histograms

CD-ROM Explanatory Notes

References Cited


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