1El Paso E&P Co.

Reese Estate 1-10B243013302150000

2304 FNL, 2041 FELT2S R2W, Sec. 10

GL 5491

2Sonat Exploration Co.

Washburn 1-2C243013307860000

500 FSL, 1530 FELT3S R2W, Sec. 2

GL 5334 3Sun Oil Co.

Daniel Uresk Fee 143013301130000

1828 FSL, 1806 FWLT4S R1W, Sec. 6

GL 5246

4Newfield Production Co.

Bollweevil Fed 26-1343013307700000

1980 FSL, 660 FWLT8S R16E, Sec. 26

GL 5532

5Newfield Production Co.

Castle Peak Fed 31-1543013306130000

548 FNL, 2062 FELT9S R16E, Sec. 15

GL 5742

6Pendragon Energy Partners Inc.

Wilkin Ridge 13-23-10-1643013320840000

1000 FSL, 800 FWLT10S R16E, Sec. 23

GL 6488

7EOG Resources Inc.

Petes Wash 32-243013324530000

2049 FNL, 1959 FELT11S R16E, Sec. 2

GL 6258

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6Density (g/cc)

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6Density (g/cc)

2.8

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6Density (g/cc)

3000

4000

5000

6000

0

1000

2000

2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6Density (g/cc)

2.8

3000

4000

5000

6000

0

1000

2000

2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6Density (g/cc)

3000

4000

5000

1000

2000

2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6Density (g/cc)

2.8

3000

4000

0

1000

2000

2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6Density (g/cc)

Re-examination of Utah’s oil shale resources: Historical database and new researchMichael D. Vanden Berg (801-538-5419, michaelvandenberg@utah.gov) and David E. Tabet (801-537-3373; davidtabet@utah.gov)

Utah Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, Utah

www.geology.utah.gov

With the recent increase in crude oil prices and concerns over diminishing conventional reserves, the Utah Geological Survey has begun to re-examine the state’s oil shale resource. A major compo-nent of this process was to collect and preserve historical oil shale data from studies conducted in Utah and present it in a useable electronic format for the business and scientific communities. Files in this database include Fischer assays made from drill cores or cuttings for 581 unique boreholes; scanned geophysical logs for 173 different boreholes, along with an inventory of paper logs for an additional 290 wells available in the Utah Geological Survey’s library; spotty to complete formation-top information for key beds in the Green River Formation for over 1000 different wells; detailed lithologic descriptions for 168 wells; an overview resource map; and an extensive oil shale bibliography for research done within the state. Most of the historical oil shale resource assessments conducted in Utah concentrated on the Green River Formation within the southeastern part of the Uinta Basin. This area holds the thickest and richest oil shale deposits in Utah, but other significant areas within the basin warrant further study. We have broadened our attention to include the entire Uinta Basin. Using old Fischer assay analyses as our guide, we looked at several geophysical logs from oil and gas wells and picked tops for several key oil shale beds. Using this new information, we are developing a better idea of the overall oil shale resource for the state of Utah.

R-8

Mahogany Zone (R-7)

R-6

R-5

R-4

B-Groove

L-5

A-Groove

Green R

iver Formation

GroundLevel

UGS Open-File Report 469Collaboration between the Utah Geological Survey,U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Bureau ofLand Management

Contents:1) Fischer assays for 581 wells - Excel and Text files - Limited pdf files of original reports2) Lithologic logs for 168 wells - Pdf or Tiff files3) Geophysical logs for 173 wells - Tiff files - An inventory of paper logs for an additional 290 wells available in the UGS library4) Formation tops data for over 1000 wells - Excel or Text files

5) Extensive Utah oil shale bibliography - 981 references6) Preliminary Utah oil shale resource map - New Mahogany bed outcrop coverage - Location of wells in database - Preliminary 25 gpt zone isopachs

Mahogany bed outcrop digitized from 30’ x 60’ geologic mapMahogany bed outcrop digitized from 7.5 minute geologic map

Mahogany bed outcrop digitized from other map

CountyTownship and Range (Salt Lake Base Line and Meridian, Uintah Base Line and Meridian)

Well used in cross sectionWell with log-based Fischer assay dataWell with Fischer assays derived from rotary cuttings - no assays over 25 gptWell with Fischer assays derived from rotary cuttings - at least one assay over 25 gptWell with Fischer assays derived from core samples - no assays over 25 gptWell with Fischer assays derived from core samples - at least one assay over 25 gpt

1974 Federal U-a experimental oil shale lease tract1974 Federal U-b experimental oil shale lease tractBLM Uinta Basin oil shale withdrawal

County Seat

Uinta Basin

Duchesne

20 0 20 40 Kilometers

10 0 10 20 Miles

15E

16E 17E 18E19E 20E 21E 22E

23E

24E

25E

18S

19S

10S

11S

12S

13S

14S

15S

16S

ABSTRACTABSTRACT UTAH OIL SHALE DATABASEUTAH OIL SHALE DATABASE

1) Select tops of oil shale rich and lean zones above and below the Mahogany Zone throughout the entire Uinta Basin using geophysical logs from oil and gas wells.

2) Create structure contour and thickness maps of all significant oil shale zones within the upper part of the Green River Formation.

3) Develop algorithms correlating digitized geophysical logs with Fischer assay data.

4) Create structure contour, depth, and thickness maps of oil shale zones aver-aging 15, 25, and 35 gallons of shale oil per ton of rock.

5) Create regional cross sections illustrating structure and correlation of oil shale zones.

6) Determine areas favorable for surface mining, underground mining, and in-situ extraction.

7) Develop new shale oil resource estimates for the Uinta Basin of Utah.

FUTURE WORKFUTURE WORK

Funding and historical data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Historical data and expertise provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, especially John R. Dyni and John R. Donnell.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

26th Oil Shale SymposiumOctober 16-18, 2006

Uinta Formation

Green River Formation (R-8)

The boundary between the Uinta and Green River Formations, located near Evacuation Creek, Uintah County, Utah.

Outcrop of the Green River Formation along the White River, Uintah County, Utah.

The White River oil shale mine located south of Bonanza, Uintah County, Utah. This is the location of the proposed BLM R&D oil shale lease.

Utah oil shale sample

Oil shale taken from the White River underground mine. Shale was mined from the Mahogany Zone roughly 1000 feet below the surface.

Bird’s nest features near the top of the Green River Formation along Evacuation Creek, Uintah County, Utah. These cavities were created by the dissolution of nahcolite.

Intertonguing Uinta and

Green R

iver Formation

Illustrated below is a preliminary north/south cross section correlating rich (R) and lean (L) oil shale horizons in the upper part of the Green River Formation. Horizons were picked on digitized density logs from seven oil and gas wells. This type of analysis will be undertaken for the entire Uinta Basin.

NORTH-SOUTH CROSS SECTIONNORTH-SOUTH CROSS SECTION

2.8

2.8

2.8

2.8

Preliminary Utah Oil Shale Database, Open-File Report 2006-1295

AVAILABLEAVAILABLEFROM THEFROM THEUSGSUSGS

1295

?

?

?

Carbonate Marker Bed(modified from Johnsonand Roberts, 2003)

Long Point Bed(modified from Johnsonand Roberts, 2003)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

DUCHESNE

WASATCH

UTAH

CARBON

EMERY

GRAND

UINTAH

5E

6E 7E

8E 9E 10E 11E 12E

13E

14E

25E24E

23E22E

21E

20E19E

12W

11W

10W 9W 8W

7W 6W

5W 4W 3W 2W 1W

2N

1N

1S

2S

3S

4S

5S

6S

7S

7S

8S

9S

10S

11S

12S

13S

14S

15S

16S

17S

3S

4S

5S

6S

7S

8S

9S

Vernal

L-3L-2L-1

R-3R-2R-1

L-4

1E

2E

0 10 20 30 40 50 602200

2250

2300

2350

2400

2450

2500

2550

Shale oil yield (gpt)

A-Groove

Mahogany Zone

B-Groove

R-6

R-8

Continuous section averaging 35 gpt

Continuous section averaging 25 gpt

Continuous section averaging 15 gpt

ASinclair Oil Co.

Henderson 3U180

1500 FSL, 1500 FELT10S R15E, Sec. 16

GL 7077

A

Dep

th (f

t)

Dep

th (f

t)