Subsurface Oil-Shale Samples of the Upper Pennsylvanian Cline Shale, Midland Basin, West Texas: Core Sampling for Measured Vitrinite-Reflectance (Ro) Determination

This report summarizes activities carried out by the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) during fiscal year (FY) 2015 for the National Coal Resources Data System State Cooperative Program (NCRDS project). In a continuation of the sampling strategy for measured vitrinite-reflectance (Ro) determination initiated 6 years ago (Hentz and others, 2009) and conducted during the following five years (Hentz and others, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015), this report provides a collection of oil-shale samples from the Upper Pennsylvanian Cline Shale of the Midland Basin in West Texas (Fig. 1).Bureau of Economic Geolog

Subsurface Devonian and Mississippian Gas Shale Samples Barnett and Smithwick Shales (Fort Worth Basin) and Woodford and Barnett Shales (Delaware Basin) Core Sampling for Measured Vitrinite Reflectance Determination

This report summarizes activities carried out by the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) during Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 for the National Coal Resources Data System State Cooperative Program (NCRDS project). The report represents a departure from those prepared in previous years by providing a collection of Devonian-Mississippian and Mississippian gas-shale samples. Approval for this change in sample type was given by the USGS in March 2008. Samples were collected from whole cores of three wells in Wise and San Saba Counties, Fort Worth Basin, North Texas (Fig. 1), and Pecos County, Delaware Basin, West Texas (Fig. 2) for vitrinite-reflectance (Ro) analysis by the USGS. Other study activities include identification of the sampled shales' precise geographic location and their stratigraphic position.Bureau of Economic Geolog

Subsurface Gas-Shale Samples Of The Upper Devonian And Lower Mississippian Woodford Shale, Permian Basin, West Texas And Southeastern New Mexico: Core Sampling For Measured Vitrinite-Reflectance (Ro) Determination

This report summarizes activities carried out by the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) during fiscal year (FY) 2012 for the National Coal Resources Data System State Cooperative Program (NCRDS project). In a continuation of the sampling strategy for measured vitrinite-reflectance (Ro) determination initiated 4 years ago (Hentz and others, 2009) and conducted during the following three years (Hentz and others, 2010, 2011, 2012), this report provides a collection of oil- and gas-shale samples from the oil- and gas-productive Upper Devonian Woodford Shale of the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico (Fig. 1). In FY2009, 2010, and 2011, we provided samples of the Eagle Ford Shale from the San Marcos Arch and Maverick Basin areas, samples of the deeper Pearsall Formation from the Maverick Basin of the eastern part of Texas, and samples of the Smithwick Shale from the Fort Worth Basin of north Texas, respectively. As specified in our work plan for FY2010 through 2014 (Hentz, 2010), this year we have provided samples of the productive Upper Devonian Woodford Shale in the Permian Basin of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico.Bureau of Economic Geolog

Potential Sinks for Geologic Storage of CO2 Generated in the Carolinas

This document summarizes a scoping study of the current state of knowledge of carbon storage options for our geographic area. The focus is on one aspect of carbon capture and storage—identification of deep saline aquifers in which carbon dioxide (CO2 ) generated in the Carolinas might be stored. The study does not address other aspects of CO2 storage projects, such as capture and compression of the gas, well construction and development, or injection. Transport of CO2 is touched upon in this study but has not been fully addressed. The information contained in this document is primarily from review of published geologic literature and unpublished data. No field data collection has been completed as part of this study. Further work will be necessary to increase confidence in the suitability of the potential CO2 storage sites identified in this report. This study does not address the regulatory, environmental, or public policy issues associated with carbon storage, which are under development at this time.Duke Energy, Progress Energy, Santee Cooper Power, South Carolina Electric and Gas, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Southern States Energy Board (SSEB)Bureau of Economic Geolog

Preparation of Maps Depicting Geothermal Gradient and Precambrian Structure in the Permian Basin

The objectives of this project were to prepare maps depicting (1) the geothermal gradients, and (2) the structure on the top of the Precambrian in the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico. Both were to be created and distributed in a spatially related Geographic Information System (GIS) project. The preparation of these maps involved two different sets of issues. Prior to this study, no publicly available, detailed map of Precambrian structure with referenced control points existed for the Permian Basin. This is in part a function of the sparsity of data (Precambrian well penetrations) and in part a function of the lack of interest in assembling such a map. Additionally, no digital, GIS-based map of Precambrian structure was previously available. To prepare this map over the entire area of interest, it was necessary to develop new creative approaches. By contrast, more than one map depicting geothermal gradient has been previously published. Additionally, relatively extensive data sets of bottom-hole well temperatures are available. The issues in preparing this map revolve around (1) deciding what data to use, (2) developing ways to deal with possible errors in the data, and (3) making proper corrections to the data.Bureau of Economic Geolog

Subsurface Oil-Shale Samples of the Lower Permian Wolfcampian and Lower Leonardian Mudrocks and Upper Leonardian Spraberry Formation, Midland Basin, West Texas: Core Sampling for Measured Vitrinite-Reflectance (Ro) Determination

This report summarizes activities carried out by the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) during fiscal year (FY) 2014 for the National Coal Resources Data System State Cooperative Program (NCRDS project). In a continuation of the sampling strategy for measured vitrinite-reflectance (Ro) determination initiated 5 years ago (Hentz and others, 2009) and conducted during the following four years (Hentz and others, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014), this report provides a collection of oil-shale samples from the prolific Lower Permian Wolfcampian and lower Leonardian mudrocks and upper Leonardian Spraberry Formation of the Midland Basin in West Texas (Fig. 1).Bureau of Economic Geolog

Feasibility of Using Alternative Water Sources for Shale Gas Well Completions

The study presented in this document investigates alternative sources of water to be used in the last completion phase (commonly known as "fracing") of gas wells in the Barnett Shale play. It focuses on more rural counties (Montague, Jack, Palo Pinto, Parker, Erath, Hood, Somervell, Bosque, and Hill) located to the west of the core area (Denton, Johnson, Tarrant, and Wise Counties) where the Trinity aquifer is thin or absent. Millions of gallons are needed to perform the completion phase before gas wells are put online, and, in the past years, gas operators have mostly used: (1) groundwater from dedicated supply wells tapping the Trinity Aquifer, (2) surface water from large reservoirs and rivers, purchasing it from water-rights owners (private or state agencies such as river authorities), and, to a lesser extent, (3) surface water from private ponds and other water bodies, (4) treated water from municipalities and industrial users, and (5) water recycled from previous fracking operations. As gas production moves away from the core area toward the north, south, and west to access the remainder of the play, gas operators are faced with two challenges: (1) increased water scarcity and (2) measured reluctance to impact domestic and public water supplies.Bureau of Economic Geolog

Play Analysis and Digital Portfolio of Major Oil Reservoirs in the Permian Basin: Application and Transfer of Advanced Geological and Engineering Technologies for Incremental Production Opportunities

A play portfolio is being constructed for the Permian Basin in west Texas and southeast New Mexico, the largest onshore petroleum-producing basin in the United States. Approximately 1,300 reservoirs in the Permian Basin have been identified as having cumulative production greater than 1 MMbbl (1.59 x 10{sup 5} m{sup 3}) of oil through 2000. Of these significant-sized reservoirs, approximately 1,000 are in Texas and 300 in New Mexico. There are 32 geologic plays that have been defined for Permian Basin oil reservoirs, and each of the 1,300 major reservoirs was assigned to a play. The reservoirs were mapped and compiled in a Geographic Information System (GIS) by play. The final reservoir shapefile for each play contains the geographic location of each reservoir. Associated reservoir information within the linked data tables includes RRC reservoir number and district (Texas only), official field and reservoir name, year reservoir was discovered, depth to top of the reservoir, production in 2000, and cumulative production through 2000. Some tables also list subplays. Play boundaries were drawn for each play; the boundaries include areas where fields in that play occur but are smaller than 1 MMbbl (1.59 x 10{sup 5} m{sup 3}) of cumulative production. Oil production from the reservoirs in the Permian Basin having cumulative production of >1 MMbbl (1.59 x 10{sup 5} m{sup 3}) was 301.4 MMbbl (4.79 x 10{sup 7} m{sup 3}) in 2000. Cumulative Permian Basin production through 2000 was 28.9 Bbbl (4.59 x 10{sup 9} m{sup 3}). The top four plays in cumulative production are the Northwest Shelf San Andres Platform Carbonate play (3.97 Bbbl [6.31 x 10{sup 8} m{sup 3}]), the Leonard Restricted Platform Carbonate play (3.30 Bbbl [5.25 x 10{sup 8} m{sup 3}]), the Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian Horseshoe Atoll Carbonate play (2.70 Bbbl [4.29 x 10{sup 8} m{sup 3}]), and the San Andres Platform Carbonate play (2.15 Bbbl [3.42 x 10{sup 8} m{sup 3}]). Detailed studies of three reservoirs are in progress: Kelly-Snyder (SACROC unit) in the Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian Horseshoe Atoll Carbonate play, Fullerton in the Leonard Restricted Platform Carbonate play, and Barnhart (Ellenburger) in the Ellenburger Selectively Dolomitized Ramp Carbonate play. For each of these detailed reservoir studies, technologies for further, economically viable exploitation are being investigated

WNT5A-JNK regulation of vascular insulin resistance in human obesity

Obesity is associated with the development of vascular insulin resistance; however, pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood. We sought to investigate the role of WNT5A-JNK in the regulation of insulin-mediated vasodilator responses in human adipose tissue arterioles prone to endothelial dysfunction. In 43 severely obese (BMI 44±11 kg/m2) and five metabolically normal non-obese (BMI 26±2 kg/m2) subjects, we isolated arterioles from subcutaneous and visceral fat during planned surgeries. Using videomicroscopy, we examined insulin-mediated, endothelium-dependent vasodilator responses and characterized adipose tissue gene and protein expression using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses. Immunofluorescence was used to quantify endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation. Insulin-mediated vasodilation was markedly impaired in visceral compared to subcutaneous vessels from obese subjects (pWNT5A and its non-canonical receptors, which correlated negatively with insulin signaling. Pharmacological JNK antagonism with SP600125 markedly improved insulin-mediated vasodilation by sixfold (p