U.S. Geological Survey Energy Resource Surveys Program USGS Fact Sheet FS-020-97 Describing Petroleum Reservoirs of the Future "Future energy resources of the United States, particularly gas, will be found in what we consider today to be unconventional reservoirs, especially low-permeability reservoirs in shales, siltstones, fine-grained sands, and carbonates. These are not, in fact, undiscovered resources, since their occurrences are fairly well-known. However, we do not have adequate geologic data to evaluate the contribution such reservoirs will make to the National energy endowment in the future. The U.S. Geological Survey has a significant role in conducting basic and applied research on the characteristics of these important resources." Charles W. Spencer, U.S. Geological Survey Unconventional resources are probably very large, but their character and distribution are not yet well understood. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research on reservoir characterization involves modeling the geometry and distribution of porosity and permeability, as well as determining the chemical and physical sensitivity of hydrocarbon reservoirs. An important focus of this research is on very low-permeability (tight) gas reservoirs, tar and heavy oil deposits, coalbed gas (especially methane), and gas hydrates. The USGS has conducted geologic research in reservoir characterization for nearly two decades. | |
|