Table of Contents Gilsonite - An Unusual Utah Resource . .1 The Turn up the thermostat and turn on the shower ...... 4 Director’s GeoSights: Fisher Towers ...... 6 New Oil and Gas Fields Map of Utah . . 8 Perspective Glad You Asked: What are seismic surveys? ...... 10 Survey News ...... 11 by Richard G. Allis Energy News: Rules limiting mercury emissions ...... 12 New Utah Minerals ...... back cover his issue of Survey Notes has having a total depth of between 8000 and 10,000 feet, with 38% having a New Publications ...... back cover a strong energy theme, which Tis timely because of the pres- total depth of 5000 to 7000 feet. The Design by Vicky Clarke ent high prices and energy issues reason is the targeting of deeper gas plays, in particular the Mesaverde Cover: Gilsonite mining at the Black Dragon being in the news almost every day. Mine, circa 1905 (from Kretchman, 1957; copy- Increasing demand for information Group. A brief surge in drilling righted photo used with permission from Ameri- from the Utah Geological Survey activity during 2001 resulted in can Gilsonite Company.) about the location of Utah’s oil and Utah’s gas reserves increasing by gas fields has led to the production 15%. The chances are good that the State of Utah present level of increased drilling Olene S. Walker, Governor of a new map (see article on the map). This is one of three maps we activity will also significantly Department of Natural Resources increase Utah’s natural gas reserves. Robert Morgan, Executive Director are producing to replace the popular UGS Board 1983 Energy Resources Map of Utah. Additional exciting energy news Robert Robison, Chair The other two maps are on Utah’s from central Utah concerns the prob- Geoff Bedell Craig Nelson Kathleen Ochsenbein Charles Semborski coal resources, and its uranium and able oil discovery in an exploration Steve Church Ron Bruhn vanadium occurrences. All three well drilled by Wolverine Gas and Kevin Carter (Trust Lands Administration-ex officio) maps will be available in hard copy Oil near Richfield in Sevier County. UGS Staff and digital format, and will also be Although no information has been Administration Richard G. Allis, Director available on our Web site. released by Wolverine about the sta- Kimm Harty, Deputy Director tus of this well, the “Rocky Mountain The high price for oil (locally John Kingsley, Assoc. Director Oil and Gas Journal” (May 21-27, Daniel Kelly, Acct. Officer between $35 - $40/barrel) and natu- 2004 issue) reports that this well Rebecca Medina, Secretary/Receptionist ral gas (more than $5/thousand Jo Lynn Campbell, Admin. Secretary flowed at up to 40 barrels of oil per cubic feet at Opal hub in southern Linda Bennett, Accounting Tech. hour from the Lower Jurassic Navajo Michael Hylland, Tech. Reviewer Wyoming) is stimulating exploration Sandstone at depths near 9500 feet. Survey Notes Staff throughout the Rocky Mountain A June 2004 lease sale by the Utah Editor: Jim Stringfellow region, and in particular Utah. Editorial Staff: Vicky Clarke, Sharon Hamre office of the Bureau of Land Manage- Cartographers: James Parker, Lori Douglas Drilling permit applications to ment drew record interest, and land Geologic Hazards Gary Christenson Utah’s Division of Oil, Gas and Min- parcels offered in this area attracted William Lund, Barry Solomon, ing for the first half of 2004 are at Francis Ashland, Richard Giraud, high prices. BLM reports that Greg McDonald, Lucas Shaw, Chris DuRoss record levels (close to 500 in six Wolverine successfully bid $3.9 mil- Energy and Mineral Resources David Tabet months), and drilling activity has lion for almost 70,000 acres in this Robert Gloyn, Robert Blackett, Roger Bon, also sustained a high level (close to region. Wolverine has proposed an Thomas Chidsey, Bryce T. Tripp, Craig Morgan, J. Wallace Gwynn, Jeff Quick, Kevin McClure, 20 rigs presently active, compared to expanded program of seismic explo- Sharon Wakefield, Carolyn Olsen, Cheryl between 9 and 17 rigs active in the ration and additional drilling. If the Gustin, Tom Dempster, Mike Kirschbaum, spring during the previous two probable discovery is confirmed, this Brigitte Hucka, Dallas Rippy, Taylor Boden years). One interesting new trend is Geologic Mapping Grant Willis will open up a new exploration play Hellmut Doelling, Jon King, Douglas Sprinkel, for recent wells to be deeper, particu- along the Sevier thrust belt (often Janice Higgins, Kent Brown, Michael Wright, larly in the Uinta Basin. In past referred to as the “Hingeline”) in Bob Biek, Basia Matyjasik, Lisa Brown, Don Clark, Darryl Greer years, the total depth for many wells central Utah, and it could be a signif- Geologic Information and Outreach was between 5000 and 7000 feet. icant boost to both the local economy Sandra Eldredge, William Case Drilling results from the first six of the region and to the state as a Christine Wilkerson, Mage Yonetani, months of 2004 show 46% of all wells whole. Patricia Stokes, Mark Milligan, Carl Ege, Rob Nielson, Jeff Campbell Survey Notes is published three times yearly by Utah Geological Survey, 1594 W. North Temple, Suite 3110, Salt Lake City, Utah Environmental Sciences Michael Lowe 84116; (801) 537-3300. The UGS is an applied scientific agency that creates, evaluates, and distributes information about Utah’s geologic environment, resources, and hazards to promote safe, beneficial, and wise use of land. The UGS is a division of the James Kirkland, Charles Bishop, Janae Wallace, Department of Natural Resources. Single copies of Survey Notes are distributed free of charge within the United States and Cana- Martha Hayden, Hugh Hurlow, Juliette Lucy, da and reproduction is encouraged with recognition of source. Copies are available at http://geology.utah.gov/surveynotes Don DeBlieux, Matt Butler, Neil Burk, Kim Nay
ISSN 1061-7930 S URVEY N OTES 1
by Bryce T. Tripp
Definition and Description other additives are used to coat and seal asphalt pavements like drive- Gilsonite is a naturally occurring, ways and parking lots. Gilsonite is solid, black, lightweight organic also used as an adhesive and water- material that originates from the proofing agent in the manufacture of solidification of petroleum. The dull, roofing felt. Addition of gilsonite black appearance of weathered makes some paint and wood stain gilsonite resembles coal, whereas the formulations more durable. Gilsonite surface of freshly broken gilsonite is is added to iron foundry molding- shiny and resembles obsidian. sand mixtures to produce a smoother Gilsonite is distinguished by its solu- finish on the cast item and make it bility in organic solvents, low density, easier to unmold. Small amounts of and brown streak when rubbed on gilsonite are used in fireworks and to paper. Solid hydrocarbons like manufacture high-purity carbon elec- gilsonite are called asphaltites and It Could Have Been Seyboldtite trodes. are found in oil-bearing sedimentary Samuel Henry Gilson’s flamboyant, enthusiastic basins, commonly as veins associated Prices of gilsonite vary from about personality overshadowed all other early gilsonite with oil shale. There are dozens of $250 to $1800 per ton depending on developers, most of whom are only briefly men- asphaltite deposits around the world whether it is pulverized, how it is tioned in obscure historical references. Sam and many of them have been mined; packaged, its melting temperature, or Gilson had a wide range of interests and occupa- tions. At various times he: raised horses for the however, the gilsonite variety is rela- if additives and special processing are Pony Express, was a cattle rancher, was a met- tively rare and the large size of the involved. als prospector and miner, invented a successful Utah deposits makes them unique. ore concentrating machine and an unsuccessful Location and Extent flying machine, experimented with an oven to Uses convert coal to coke, and was the U.S. Marshall Gilsonite is found in dozens of long, who supervised the execution of John D. Lee at Gilsonite has hundreds of industrial vertical, northwest-trending veins in Mountain Meadows. Gilson also obtained applications and is used by compa- a 60-mile by 30-mile area of the Uinta gilsonite samples in 1885 and began to experi- nies all over the world. Gilsonite is Basin (see figure). The veins vary in ment with uses (including chewing gum). added to oil- and gas-well drilling width from fractions of an inch to Bert Seaboldt, Manager for Construction for the mud to stabilize the borehole and almost 18 feet, but average about 3 to Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, decrease friction; it is also used in oil- 6 feet. The continuity of the veins is shared Gilson’s interest in gilsonite - the two well cements. Gilsonite and impressive; they stretch in long, became partners, procured financing, and devel- gilsonite-derived resin wet and dis- straight ribbons across the hills of the oped gilsonite mines and markets. They had perse carbon black pigment in print- Uinta Basin. These veins are com- many other partners in the early days; one set er’s ink and bind pigment to the monly several miles long and the named their company the Gilson Asphaltum Company and adopted “gilsonite” as their trade- newsprint so it does not rub off. longest vein system in the basin mark, ensuring Sam Gilson’s place in mining his- Addition of powdered gilsonite to extends 24 miles. The gilsonite veins tory. Other industry founders to be remembered asphalt paving mixes produces a are also vertically continuous for (besides Bert Seaboldt) are T.J. Almy, R.C. more durable road surface. Paint-like hundreds to as much as 2,000 feet or Chambers, Richard McIntosh, George Goss, mixtures of gilsonite, solvents, and more, commonly with only small Walter Almy, Abraham Hanover, and C.O. Baxter. 2 S URVEY N OTES
Gilsonite vein locations, industry facilities, and some geologic information for the gilsonite field, Uinta Basin, Utah.
variations in vein width. The veins Formation (below the oil shale), water deposited minerals on the walls are usually rooted in the Green River gilsonite is exposed only in veins at of the fractures. Viscous petroleum oil shale, so they are more vertically the easternmost edge of the gilsonite was later extruded into the fractures, extensive to the northwest where they field where the strata are most deeply forcing them open, filling associated are not as deeply eroded. The oil- eroded. sills, and in some areas saturating shale depth contours on the accompa- wall rock. The viscous hydrocarbons Deformation (thrust faulting and nying figure indicate potential depth later solidified into gilsonite. downwarping) associated with the of the veins. Sevier/Laramide mountain-building Development History episode formed the Uinta Basin. This Geologic Setting and Origin topographic basin was occupied by The first documented mining of Gilsonite veins are found in Tertiary- lakes of various sizes over millions of gilsonite was in 1868, when a black- aged (about 57 to 36 million years years. Large amounts of organic smith asked local Native Americans old) sedimentary formations in the material accumulated on the lake bot- to find coal for his forge. The Uinta Basin. These formations, in tom, particularly during one period gilsonite that they (mistakenly) order from oldest to youngest, are the when Lake Uinta reached its maxi- brought him reportedly melted, Wasatch, Green River, Uinta, and mum areal extent in the basin. Later, caught fire, flowed out of the forge, Duchesne River Formations. The heat and pressure of burial changed and almost burned down the black- veins are best developed in the thick the organic-rich sediment into the smith shop. This unusual material sandstones of the upper Green River thick oil shales of the middle to upper also caught the attention of many of and lower Uinta Formations and tend Green River Formation. Burial of the the new immigrants in the area who to split and be less continuous in oil shale generated water and hydro- staked claims on the veins even mudstone, marl, and discontinuous carbons that were expelled, fracturing before it was clear what the material channel sandstones. In the Wasatch the surrounding rock. The escaping was, or how it might be used. Two S URVEY N OTES 3
Uintah Railway Company locomotive. The Uintah Railway was constructed for transporting gilsonite but also was a major transporter, in the Uinta Basin, of other freight and passengers from 1904 to 1938 (photograph from Kretchman, 1957, copyright American Gilsonite Company). early prospectors, Bert Seaboldt and develop new markets. In 1935, Gilson world’s largest gilsonite producer. Samuel Gilson, experimented with the Asphaltum moved its operation north Small independent companies have gilsonite, developed uses for it, and from the Rainbow area to a new mine long competed with the American secured financing for development. and processing plant at Bonanza and Gilsonite Company and its predeces- Gilson’s enthusiasm and promotional switched to truck transportation. ability resulted in the newly discov- sors. Between 1952 and 1962, G.S. The Gilson Asphaltum Company reor- ered material being named after him Ziegler and Company, originally a ganized, and in 1948 became the (its formal mineralogical name is uin- gilsonite customer, purchased and American Gilsonite Company that taite). operated the properties of many of was jointly owned by the Barber Oil the small independents and changed The first regular shipments of Company and Standard Oil of Califor- its name to the Ziegler Chemical & gilsonite began in 1888, from veins in nia (now ChevronTexaco Corpora- Mineral Corporation. They have long the western part of the gilsonite field. tion). The company’s research led to maintained a plant and office at Little The gilsonite was shipped 60 miles the use of gilsonite as a refinery feed- Bonanza and have been a substantial south by wagon from Myton to the stock to produce gasoline, high-purity gilsonite producer for more than 40 railroad at Wellington. Early develop- electrode carbon, and other products. years. ment was an intense period marked By 1957, American Gilsonite had con- by exploration, mining property con- structed a refinery in Gilsonite, Col- Lexco, Inc. began operations in 1988 solidation, negotiation and conflict orado, that was connected to their and constructed a plant and office with Native Americans and govern- Bonanza plant by a 72-mile-long slur- southeast of Fort Duchesne. They ment agents, and lobbying in the U.S. ry pipeline laid along the abandoned have mined and shipped ore from Congress for changes to Native Amer- Uintah Railway route. Gilsonite pro- veins in the south-central part of the ican Reservation boundaries. By 1903, duction rose to about 470,000 tons in gilsonite field. the Gilson Asphaltum Company 1961 as a result of the pipeline and (predecessor of the American refinery. The gasoline was marketed The original in-place gilsonite Gilsonite Company) controlled most under the trade name Gilsoline. Cars resource was estimated at 45 million of the gilsonite resource, including fueled with Gilsoline were reportedly tons. Most of that ore has been large veins that had been discovered easy to identify because their exhaust extracted; since 1907 gilsonite produc- in the eastern part of the basin. In had a characteristic odor. The compa- tion has typically varied between 1904, Gilson Asphaltum constructed ny sold the refinery in 1973 and redi- 20,000 and 60,000 tons per year with a the now defunct, narrow-gage Uintah rected their marketing efforts to non- spike to 470,000 tons per year in 1961 Railway from the eastern part of the fuel uses of gilsonite. In 1981, when American Gilsonite Company’s field (near Rainbow, Utah) to the Den- Chevron purchased Barber Oil’s share refinery was operating. Additionally, ver and Rio Grand Western railroad in of American, and in 1991, Chevron some of the remaining in-place Colorado. The improved transporta- sold their interest. Today, the Ameri- resource cannot be mined due to geo- tion helped the industry expand and can Gilsonite Company remains the Continued on page 7 . . . 4 S URVEY N OTES
by Craig D. Morgan
It’s the middle of winter, there’s snow low. Also, there is a large seasonal use as much as 900 mil- on the ground and the skies were variation in gas usage. The typical lion CF of gas per day clear last night. As a result, the tem- Utah household uses up to 610 cubic during some of the coldest winter perature has dropped into the sub- feet (CF) of gas per day during Janu- days. How large is a million cubic zero range. You climb from beneath ary and as little as 80 CF per day dur- feet? As an example, the interior of
those warm covers, turn up the ther- ing August. Statewide, Utahns will the new six-story Salt Lake City mostat to your gas Ù ,.-80 furnace, and step NORTH PINEVIEW into the shower for a spray of hot T3N water heated by E ch o natural gas, hop- C !"2 0 9 re e CHALK CREEK GAS k ing it will wake R STORAGE e s A' e
r you up for the day v o PINEVIEW
i ahead. r
You probably Y# T S U COALVILLE GAS R H won’t be surprised T
A STORAGE
Coalville E to hear that you’re T T U B ELKHORN 80 ,.- not the only one T2N E IN 209 IC !" D doing that. In fact, E M
F more than 700,000 O
E C households in RA T T LE L O U P A D F E E DG I T Utah use natural O R S L U U B R H T A E K T O gas and most of A R M A I S X B O A PR F P O T1N A E them are probably C A R T D IE R U doing the same R5E R6E R7E B ~ thing at about the 3036Miles Ogden EXPLANATION # same time. This # Roads # Faults Salt Lake City Coalville often results in an N well located increase in gas approximately located concealed demand statewide Gas fields Oil fields at 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. Upper Frontier Formation of 15 to 30 percent from the nighttime Location of the Chalk Creek and Coalville gas storage units east of the town of Coalville, and location of cross section A– A’. Outcrops of the upper Frontier Formation define the Coalville anticline. S URVEY N OTES 5
library is about 2.4 million cubic feet. which is partly defined by the expo- Creek unit and a maximum of 35 sures of the upper Frontier Formation. MMCF of gas per day can be pro- Most of the natural gas we use in Gas is stored in porous and perme- duced. Utah is supplied by Questar Gas able Cretaceous sandstone beds; the Company from wells in southwest storage unit at Chalk Creek is a sand- Drilling at the Coalville gas storage Wyoming and the Uinta Basin in east- stone bed in the Kelvin Formation, unit began in 1973. The average ern Utah. How do they handle such a and at Coalville it is the Longwall depth to the Longwall Sandstone is large increase in demand so quickly Sandstone of the lower Frontier For- 2400 feet. The Coalville unit holds a when the wells are so far away? The mation. The trap at both storage units maximum 2.8 BCF of gas, of which sudden demand known as “peak is formed by faults and sealed by 692 MMCF is working gas and 2.1 load” is met, in part, by extracting gas overlying impermeable shale. Obser- BCF is base gas. Gas can be injected from sandstone beds that are used as vation wells at both gas storage units into the Coalville unit at a maximum underground storage units near the are used to monitor the gas pressure rate of 20 MMCF of gas per day and town of Coalville just east of the in the storage units and to check for produced at a maximum rate of 60 Wasatch Front, the major population gas in shallower beds to ensure that MMCF of gas per day. center in Utah. the gas is not leaking and migrating Remember, when you get into the A pipeline transports gas from upward. shower on one of those cold winter Wyoming down Chalk Creek Canyon Drilling at the Chalk Creek gas stor- mornings you aren’t alone; 700,000 to the Coalville compressor station. age unit began in 1960. The average From Coalville, a gas line goes north- others are joining you. So be thankful depth to the Kelvin sandstone is 1800 west down the Weber Valley to for a couple of sandstone beds whose feet. The Chalk Creek unit holds a Ogden, and two parallel lines go stored gas helps meet those peak-load maximum 1.2 billion cubic feet (BCF) south-southwest to Salt Lake City. demands. Without them, you might of gas, of which 256 million cubic feet Questar operates two underground find yourself in a chilly predicament. (MMCF) is usable or “working gas.” sandstone-reservoir gas storage units About 900 MMCF of “base gas” is The map and cross section are based in Chalk Creek Canyon (Chalk Creek kept in storage as a buffer between on the work of Lyle Hale published in and Coalville) that help handle peak the working gas and the water in the the 1976 Rocky Mountain Association load demands during Utah’s cold reservoir, and helps push the working of Geologists guidebook. Tom Yeager winter mornings. gas out by gas expansion. A maxi- and Chad Jones of Questar Corpora- The gas storage units are on the mum of 10 MMCF of gas per day can tion provided helpful information for northeast-trending Coalville anticline, be injected when filling the Chalk this article. 6 S URVEY N OTES
GeoSightsGeoSights
Fisher Towers – The towering red rock sculptures of Grand County, Utah by Carl Ege
Fisher Towers, located about 20 miles northeast of Moab in southeastern Utah, is one of the most scenic land- Fisher Towers seen from the road leading to the trailhead. The lower and middle parts of the scapes along the Colorado River. towers are the Cutler Formation. The lower member of the Moenkopi Formation forms the Administered by the Bureau of Land upper darker part. Management, Fisher Towers Recre- ation Site is a popular destination for conglomerate contains sub-rounded to hikers and rock climbers. A moderate rounded cobbles and pebbles of 2.2-mile (one way) hiking trail takes quartz, feldspar, mica, granite, schist, you along the base of the towers and and quartzite that were eroded from spires to a scenic overlook of Profes- nearby Precambrian (over 1 billion sor Valley and the Colorado River. years old) metamorphic and igneous rocks. These rocks originated from Geologic Information: the Uncompahgre highland, a moun- Fisher Towers contains layers of sedi- tainous region that formed at the mentary rock in various shades of beginning of the Pennsylvanian peri- red-brown, red-purple, and maroon. od (approximately 320 million years) approximately 80 to 50 million years The colors are a result of varying in western Colorado and eastern ago, and over the past several million amounts of hematite (an iron oxide). Utah. Rivers and streams flowing years many of the existing erosional The upper, darker part of Fisher Tow- south from the Uncompahgre high- features of the Colorado Plateau were ers consists of the lower sandstone land eroded, transported, and then created, including canyons, mesas, member of the Triassic Moenkopi For- deposited rock and sediment in chan- buttes, arches, bridges, hoodoos, mation (approximately 245 million nels and flood plains. By the end of spires, pedestals, and towers. At Fish- years old). The middle and lower the Permian period (250 million years er Towers, erosion continues to sculpt parts of the towers are sandstone, ago), the Uncompahgre highland no the towers, spires, and pedestals. One mudstone, and conglomerate of the longer existed; it had been reduced to area, approximately one mile from the Permian Cutler Formation (approxi- low hills and plains. The Colorado start of the trailhead, contains several mately 290 million years old). The Plateau region was uplifted starting rock pedestals capped by large sand- S URVEY N OTES 7
Close-up view of a conglomerate layer within the Cutler Formation. Arock pedestal, approximately 25 feet high, sculpted from the Cutler Hammer for scale. Formation and capped by a large sandstone slab from the lower member of Moenkopi Formation. stone slabs of the Moenkopi Formation. These rock slabs fell from the cliffs high above. The sandstone, more resist- How to get there: ant to erosion than the softer underlying layers of the Cut- ler Formation, protects and preserves the soft rock under- From Moab, travel 2 miles northwest along U.S. 191 to the neath, creating rock pedestals. In a similar manner, the turnoff for Utah State Highway 128. Turn right (northeast) Moenkopi Formation has provided a resistant cap for and travel approximately 21 miles to the turnoff for Fisher some of Fisher Towers, allowing erosion to carve the awe- Towers Recreation Site (just past milepost 21). Turn right inspiring spires and towers that we see today. (east) and proceed 2.2 miles to the trailhead.
. . . continued from page 3 logic and engineering problems. In underground mined area where it Additional Reading 1980, an American Gilsonite employee enters a vacuum tube and is pneumat- Cashion, W.B., 1967, Geology and fuel estimated that about 5 million tons of ically conveyed to the surface. Explo- resources of the Green River Forma- mineable reserves remained in the sives are occasionally used. Gilsonite basin. However, the potential for dis- companies have used other mining tion, southeastern Uintah Basin, Utah covery of new veins, as well as equipment in the past including, bull- and Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey increased resource estimates for small, dozers, a small tunnel-boring Professional Paper 548, 48 p. known veins, may increase gilsonite machine, and water-jet cutters mount- Crawford, A.L., and Pruitt, R.G., Jr., resource values in the basin. ed on mine cars and surface drill rig 1963, Gilsonite and other bituminous bits. The American Gilsonite Compa- resources of central Uintah County, Mining Techniques ny is currently testing a compressed- Utah, in Crawford, A.L., editor, Oil and air-powered, continuous mining Due to gilsonite’s unusual mode of gas possibilities of Utah, re-evaluated: machine with a rotary mechanical cut- occurrence in narrow, deep, vertical Utah Geological and Mineralogical ting head. veins; and the explosion hazard asso- Survey Bulletin 54, p. 215-221. ciated with gilsonite dust, gilsonite Conclusions Pruitt, R.G., Jr., 1961, Mineral resources mining is labor intensive. Mining ini- tially consisted of surface trenching, Gilsonite is remarkable for its unusual of Uintah County: Utah Geological and but all recent work has been under- geologic origin, mode of occurrence, Mineralogical Survey Bulletin 71, 101 p. ground mining through large-diame- and chemical and physical properties. Remington, N.C., 1959, A history of the ter shafts drilled along the veins. Also notable are the ingenuity and gilsonite industry: Salt Lake City, Uni- Miners use air-powered chipping persistence of the gilsonite company versity of Utah, M.S. thesis, 338 p. hammers to carefully break the personnel who created a new industry gilsonite while avoiding contaminat- and over the past 100 years have Verbeek, E.R., and Grout, M.A., 1993, ing the ore with broken wall rock. solved mining, processing, transporta- Geometry and structural evolution of Product purity is important to cus- tion, marketing, and other problems gilsonite dikes in the eastern Uinta tomers. The broken ore rolls down to continue to supply this unique Basin, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey the steep slope to the bottom of the Utah material to the world markets. Bulletin 1787, 42 p. 8 S URVEY N OTES
New Oil and Gas Fields Map of Utah – Just the Facts!
by Thomas C. Chidsey, Jr. and Sharon Wakefield
Many Utah citizens, the majority of whom live in the heavily populated Wasatch Front, do not realize that Utah Mis a major petroleum-producing state. In fact, Utah has over 200 oil and gas fields and 5200 producing wells; more than 1.2 billion barrels of oil and 7.8 trillion cubic feet of gas have flowed from these fields! Utah consistently ranks in the top 15 oil-and-gas-producing states. Oil and gas pipelines crisscross many areas of Utah. The most visible signs of the petroleum industry along the Wasatch Front are the cluster of oil refineries in North Salt Lake and Woods Cross. However, there are no pump jacks, well- heads, or drilling derricks in that area. So, where are all the oil and gas fields in Utah? The answer to that question can be found on a new map, Oil and Gas Fields of Utah (Utah Geological Survey Map 203DM), available in both hard copy and digital format. This map presents a wealth of information, and shows more than just the location of oil and gas fields. The color of the fields is coded to the geologic age of the oil- and gas-producing rocks (reservoirs). The names of the pro- ducing fields are also color-coded — red for natural gas and green for oil. By each field is the name of the produc- ing rock formation (typically more than one), and various special field designations. These designations include sta- tus (abandoned, shut-in, or gas storage), unique types of produced gases (helium, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and coalbed methane [natural gas from coal]), and distinct projects designed to increase production (horizontal drilling, waterflooding, and gas injection). When a petro- A sample from the new map. leum geologist proposes a plan to drill a new well, one of the first questions managers often ask is “Where is the The map outlines key geologic/physiographic features nearest pipeline?” Produced oil can be trucked from the such as major plateaus, uplifts, and sedimentary basins. wells, but gas has to be transported via a pipeline. The Most oil and gas fields are located in two large basins - the new map shows the approximate locations of major oil Uinta and Paradox Basins in eastern and southeastern and gas pipelines in Utah, pipe diameter, direction of flow, Utah, respectively. The map shows where both Precambri- and current operators. Natural gas processing plants and an (greater than 570 million years old) metamorphic and oil refineries, daily capacities, and operators are also Tertiary/Quaternary (66 million years or younger) granitic shown on the map. and volcanic rocks are exposed on the surface. Very little S URVEY N OTES 9 oil and gas have been found in areas where rocks of these of oil per month (trucked to market) totaling about 27 mil- types are present. lion barrels of oil since its discovery in 1964. Finally, it may amaze many to learn that there are major oil and gas Other items identified on the map include major roads, fields only 40 miles east–northeast of Salt Lake City. The reservoirs, and rivers; county boundaries and seats; Indian same rocks that produce in those fields (the 200 million- reservations; wilderness areas; and national parks, monu- year old Jurassic Nugget Sandstone and Twin Creek Lime- ments, and recreation areas. Thus, the map shows where stone) crop out at the mouth of Parleys Canyon along the oil and gas fields and pipelines are in relation to these Interstate 80. These fields have produced 165 million bar- various features, many which are environmentally sensi- rels of oil and 158 billion cubic feet of gas! tive. A map showing mineral resources and methods of trans- The new oil and gas fields map was produced not just for port is nothing really new. In 1815, an Englishman named oil and gas companies. It can be used by government land William Smith, self-taught engineer, fossil collector, and managers, regulators, and decision-makers; environmen- “canal digger,” published the world’s first geologic map - talists; Native American groups; and farmers, ranchers, a geologic map of Great Britain. This remarkable map and mineral-lease owners. This map will help inform all showed where the various rock formations crop out and Utahns as to where the oil and gas resources are located predicted where they were in the subsurface. However, without taking sides on the issues of exploration and the map also included the location of mineral resources development. Some may be surprised by what it shows. and mines - coal, tin, lead, and copper. In addition, the For example, new gas exploration proposed near the map specifically displayed the railroads, rivers, and canals archeologically rich Nine Mile Canyon area northeast of capable of transporting these mineral resources to markets, Price has created a storm of controversy written up in local factories, and smelters. Ever since Smith’s map was pub- newspaper articles. However, the map indicates that there lished, geologists have produced geologic and mineral are already several gas fields in the area (which include 22 resource maps, which now include oil and gas fields and gas wells, some just off the road, that have produced over pipelines. 10 billion cubic feet of gas) and a 20-inch gas pipeline run- ning through the canyon. The map also shows a string of Whether one thinks Utah has enough or needs more oil producing and abandoned oil fields between Arches and and gas wells, hopes oil is found on the family farm or Canyonlands National Parks, while another abandoned oil ranch, wants things preserved as they are, is exploring for field, Virgin, lies just west of Zion National Park. A 26- or purchasing oil and gas, or is just interested in science inch-diameter gas pipeline crosses through the middle of and energy, the Oil and Gas Fields of Utah map will be a Arches National Park. One oil field, Upper Valley, is part- valuable source of information. This map provides, as ly within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Sergeant Joe Friday used to say on the 1960s TV show This field has 21 wells that produce nearly 17,000 barrels Dragnet, “just the facts.”
. . . continued from page 13 trol technologies, in a project funded by the U.S. Department of This different behavior of eastern and western U.S. coal has Energy (contract No. DE-FC26-03NT41901; Web Site been attributed to the higher chlorine content of eastern geology.utah.gov/emp/mercury/index.htm). coal, which promotes the formation of ionic, water-soluble Pavlish, J.H., Sondreal, E.A., Mann, M.D., Olson, E.S., Galbreath, forms of mercury in the stack gas that is readily trapped by K.C., Laudal D.L., and Benson, S.A., 2003, Status review of mercu- conventional (wet) stack-gas scrubbers. Other elements that ry control options for coal-fired power plants: Fuel Processing Tech- may influence the effectiveness of mercury-control tech- nology, v. 82, p. 89-165. nologies include the iron, sulfur, sodium, and calcium in Quick, J.C., Brill, T.C., and Tabet, D.E., 2003, Mercury in US coal coal; eastern and western U.S. coals contain substantially – observations using the COALQUAL and ICR data sets: Environ- different amounts of these elements. mental Geology, v. 43, p. 247-259. In recognition of the lack of universally effective technolo- Seigneur, C., Vijayaraghavan, K., Lohman, K., Karamchandani, P., gies to control mercury emissions from power plants, the and Scott, C., 2004, Global source attribution for mercury deposi- EPA has proposed less stringent mercury emission limits for tion in the United States: Environmental Science Technology, v. 38, plants that burn western subbituminous or lignite coal. p. 555-569. However, as currently proposed, the rules require power U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2004, Electric utility steam plants that burn Utah bituminous coal to meet the same generating units national emission standards for hazardous air pol- emission limits as plants burning eastern bituminous coal. lutants: Online,
WhatWhat araree seismicseismic surveyssurveys andand howhow muchmuch “shaking”“shaking” dodo theythey crcreate?eate?
Like Superman, geologists have X-ray vision – W Antelope Island E well, sort of. Seismic surveys use reflected sound South Arm No. 1 (Projected) waves to produce a “CAT scan” of the Earth’s sub- surface. Seismic surveys can help locate ground water, are used to investigate locations for land- fills, and characterize how an area will shake dur- ing an earthquake, but they are primarily used for QUATERNARY & TERTIARY oil and gas exploration. Early “wildcatters” found oil by drilling natural oil seeps and large folds (anticlines) in exposed rocks. These “easy” oil prospects were all quickly PRE-TERTIARY discovered and drilled, and geologists turned to seismic surveys to find less obvious oil and gas PRECAMBRIAN traps. Seismic technology had been used since the early 1900s to measure water depths and detect icebergs, and by 1924, crude seismic data were MILES first used in the discovery of a Texas oil field. Two-dimensional seismic section across a sedimentary basin located under Great Seismic images are produced by generating, Salt Lake west of Antelope Island. After data collection, images are processed by recording, and analyzing sound waves that travel computers and interpreted by geologists or geophysicists. Figure provided by through the Earth (such waves are also called seis- Craig Morgan, UGS. mic waves). Explosives or vibrating plates gener- ate the waves and a line or grid of geophones records than 60 feet) soil investigations used for engineering or them. Density changes between rock or soil layers reflect environmental surveys. To “see” a little deeper, a trailer- the waves back to the surface, and how quickly and or pickup truck-mounted drop weight might suffice. To strongly the waves are reflected back indicates what lies get a really deep picture (miles), as is needed for oil and below. gas exploration, dynamite charges or vehicle-mounted vibrator plates (called vibroseis trucks and buggies) are The amount of shaking associated with different seismic used to generate waves from multiple source points. surveys varies, depending on site-specific factors such as soil and rock type, how deep the survey needs to image, Dynamite charges are commonly buried in 50- to 100-foot- and the required source. A steel plate struck with a deep holes (called shot holes). Relatively small amounts sledgehammer generates enough energy for shallow (less of explosives are used in shot holes. For example, the S URVEY N OTES 11 S URVEY N EWS
A friend of the Survey, Kenneth C. Thompson died in an automobile accident March 28. He worked for the Survey (then the UGMS) between 1958 and about 1970, begin- ning as the Curator for the Oil Well Sample Library and as assistant draftsman and sample collector. From 1964- 68 he was Chief Draftsman, then finished his Ph.D in geology, authoring “Mineral deposits of the Deep Creek Mountains” published by the UGMS. He had been a teacher at Southwest Missouri State University since leaving Utah. This historic postcard of Huntington Beach, California depicts numer- Don Currey passed away on Sunday, June 6, at the age ous oil wells – an early twentieth century drilling plan. Now, seismic surveys can paint a picture of the subsurface in order to better target of 70. Don was a geologist in the Geography Depart- oil and gas reserves. This results in fewer dry holes and less drilling, ment at the University of Utah. He was an authority on or even no drilling if seismic data suggest a low potential for oil or gas. Lake Bonneville and Great Basin Quaternary geology. Some of Don's graduate students included former UGS petroleum industry’s Stone Cabin 3D seismic survey director Genevieve Atwood, former UGS mapper Jack scheduled for this summer near Nine Mile Canyon in Oviatt, and current UGS GIO geologist Nancy Car- Carbon County will use 10 and 20 pounds of explosives ruthers. Don was an outstanding scientist, an exception- in shot holes. In comparison, 30 pounds might be used al storyteller, and a genuinely kind person. He will be for a large construction-site blast and 2,000 to 4,000 greatly missed. pounds for a medium-sized quarry or mine blast. With The UGS Board announced the annual Crawford Award any of these detonations, if you are at the source you will recipients: R. Gloyn, D. Tabet, B. Tripp, C. Bishop, C. feel the ground move. However, because the charge is Morgan, J. Gwynn, and R. Blackett, for their publication smaller and deeply buried for seismic surveys, you prob- “Energy, Mineral and Ground-water Resources of Car- ably would feel only a small pulse up to a few hundred bon and Emery Counties, Utah” UGS Bulletin 132, 2003. feet away, and beyond that you are not likely to feel any- The Crawford Award recognizes outstanding achieve- thing at all. ment, accomplishments, or contributions by a current UGS scientist in some aspect of Utah geology. Crawford Seismic waves generated by explosives can be compared was the first director of the UGS. to the Richter magnitude scale used to measure an earth- Mike Lowe was named DNR’s Manager of the Year and quake’s size. Utah’s seismograph network consistently was one of the finalists for the State Government Manag- records earthquakes as small as magnitude 1.5 (earth- er of the Year. Way to go Mike! quakes below magnitude 2 are rarely felt). Approximate- ly 320 pounds of explosives would be needed to produce Congratulations and welcome aboard (officially) to Dar- seismic waves similar to a magnitude 1.5 earthquake. ryl Greer. Darryl has been with us for a while on a tem- During 2003, seismographs recorded 702 magnitude 1.5 porary status, but recently was chosen for the permanent or greater events in Utah; 321 were naturally occurring GIS opening in the Mapping Program. Darryl is in the earthquakes and 381 resulted from activities such as min- GIS room, which is now looking pretty full, with Neil Burk and Chris DuRoss also in the new cubicles, plus ing, quarrying, or military bomb testing. the addition of a well-log scanner. Vibroseis trucks and buggies come in a variety of designs Two new Project Geologists have come aboard. They are and sizes, but all of them generally release less energy the first permanent hires to the UGS geology career lad- than is generated from shot holes. All have a large pad der in seven years. Don Clark joined the Mapping Pro- that is lowered from the vehicle to the surface and then gram in early June. Don was a consulting geologist from vibrated to generate seismic waves. In an urban environ- the Chicago area, with an MSc from Northern Illinois ment, vibroseis-generated waves are less than back- University. His thesis was a geologic map in Utah, and ground noise generated by buses, trucks, and trains he has subsequently mapped here on a volunteer basis. (repeated signals are used in order to be distinguishable The second position is an addition to the Ground Water from background noise). At its source you can feel a Section, resulting in part from extra funding granted by vibroseis shake the ground but as you move away your the Utah Legislature for ground-water work. Juliette ears will hear the airborne sound waves much longer Lucy is a hydrogeologist joining us from Norwest Cor- than your feet can feel those in the ground. poration. 12 S URVEY N OTES
Energy News
New rules limiting mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants
by Jeffrey C. Quick
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to issue new rules limiting mercury emissions from coal-fired electric power plants by March 15, 2005, with enforcement beginning as early as April 2008. Those of us who remember playing with mercury in grade-school science class or from an accidentally broken thermometer may wonder why the EPA is concerned about mercury emis- sions. After all, mercury is a naturally occurring element that is added to eye drops, childhood vaccines, and dental fillings. Moreover, mercury emissions from power plants do not make the air hazardous to breath, or the water unsafe to drink. Average mercury content of coal shipped to power plants during 1999, by U.S. county-of-origin. cury emissions from coal-fired power into methylmercury. The methylmer- In a word, the problem with mercury plants and methylmercury concentra- cury is concentrated through the food is fish – and not just any fish, but large tions in fish. This determination was chain and can reach high levels in freshwater fish coveted by recreational largely based on the observation that large predator fish. fishermen, as well as a few ocean fish coal-fired power plants are the largest sold at the grocery store (swordfish, Fortunately, fish from Utah rivers, human source of mercury emissions in shark, king mackerel, and tilefish). lakes, and reservoirs do not contain the U.S. Indeed, as much as 20 percent Government guidelines say that chil- harmful levels of mercury. Likewise, of the mercury deposited in the U.S. dren, and women of childbearing age, nearly all commercial fish, such as originates from coal-fired power should not eat these fish because they salmon, catfish, canned light tuna, and plants. Other major sources include contain potentially hazardous amounts the generic breaded fish stick, are also municipal and medical waste incinera- of methylmercury, which is a highly considered safe (and nutritious) for tors (17 percent), chlorine plants (3 per- toxic, mercury-containing organic com- young women and children to eat. cent), and hazardous waste incinera- pound. Regularly eating fish that con- However, the low mercury content of tors (2 percent); these sources have tains high amounts of methylmercury fish in Utah is little comfort to recre- already been regulated. Finally, at can cause neurological damage in ational and subsistence fishermen in least 40 percent of mercury deposition developing fetuses and children, which the upper Midwest and New England in the U.S. is from sources that are not results in diminished cognitive, motor, where mercury advisories have been easily controlled (international sources, and verbal abilities. posted for nearly all inland and coastal natural emissions, and re-emission of water bodies. In its December 2000 finding that regu- accumulated human emissions). lation of mercury emissions from coal- Atmospheric mercury becomes a prob- Mercury emissions from coal-fired fired power plants is appropriate and lem when it is deposited by rainfall power plants originate from trace necessary, the EPA determined that and enters streams and lakes where amounts of mercury in coal. Although there is a plausible link between mer- some of it is converted by microbes the average mercury content of U.S. S URVEY N OTES 13
Vertical section through the southern Emery coalfield strata showing the average mercu- Average mercury content of coal in Utah coalfields. ry content of different coal beds. coal is similar to the average crustal Emery coalfield is relatively high, the How much of the mercury abundance of mercury (~0.08 parts per mercury content of some coal beds is million), the enormous amount of coal relatively low. Recent work in Canada, entering U.S. watersheds is burned in the U.S. results in potentially Indiana, and Kentucky has also shown from coal-fired power plants? large mercury emissions. For example, substantial variation of mercury within 950 million tons of coal containing 75 individual coal beds; similar intra-bed Between 40 to 75 percent of the atmospheric tons of mercury was burned at nearly variation is likely for Utah coal beds. mercury deposited in the contiguous U.S. 500 U.S. power plants during 1999. originates from international emissions, natu- About 30 tons of this mercury was Because earlier rules limiting sulfur ral emissions, and the re-emission of accu- effectively trapped in coal-ash waste or emissions from power plants effective- desulfurization residues. The remain- ly increased demand for low-sulfur mulated human emissions. This wide range ing 45 tons of mercury was emitted to Utah coal, an analogous outcome from of possible values illustrates our limited the atmosphere with the stack gas. the new rules might be anticipated for understanding of the origin of mercury depo- low-mercury Utah coal. This analogy The mercury content of U.S. coal varies sition. However, ignoring the sources of is misleading. Because the Clean Air geographically. High-mercury coal is these contributions, about one-third (33%) of Act classifies mercury as a toxic pollu- produced from the northern atmospheric mercury emissions in the U.S. tant, larger emission reductions may be Appalachian region (Ohio and Penn- required for mercury than for sulfur. are attributed to domestic, coal-fired power sylvania), whereas low-mercury coal is plants. Accordingly, the calculated contribu- produced in Utah and other western Moreover, unlike sulfur emissions, tion of mercury emissions from coal-fired states. The low-mercury coal currently which can be controlled using stack- produced in Utah originates from the gas scrubbers, a universally effective power plants to mercury deposition into U.S. technology to control mercury emis- watersheds is as little as: 33x(100-75) = 8%, Wasatch Plateau and Book Cliffs coal- 100 fields. However, not all Utah coalfields sions does not exist. Although stack- to as much as: 33x(100-40) = 20%. Thus, 100 have low-mercury coal. For example, gas scrubbers effectively control both although the actual value is uncertain, sulfur and mercury emissions from coals in the Alton, Emery, and Kolob domestic coal-fired power plants contribute coalfields have relatively high mercury power plants burning eastern U.S. coal, between 8 and 20 percent of the mercury contents. Future production is espe- scrubbers do not reduce mercury emis- cially likely from the southern part of sions from power plants burning west- deposited into U.S. watersheds. However, the Emery coalfield. This area has ern U.S. coal. Consequently, modern the depositional burden is unequally distrib- thick coal beds, is close to central Utah coal-fired power plants with particu- uted. For example, most of the mercury electric utilities, and has favorable min- late filters and stack-gas scrubbers that deposited in the northeastern U.S. is from ing conditions. burn high-mercury eastern coal can domestic, industrial emissions, whereas have lower mercury emissions than Besides geographic variation, the mer- emissions from Asia and the Pacific Rim similarly configured power plants that cury content of coal also varies from appear to be the dominant sources of mercu- bed to bed. For example, although the burn low-mercury western coal. ry deposition in Utah. average mercury content of coal in the Continued on page 9 . . . New utah minerals by Carl Ege
4+ 3 4+ Bobjonesite, V O(SO4)(H2O) Anorthominasragrite, V O(SO4)(H2O)5 for its relationship with the mineral Bobjonesite is a vanadium sulfate found Anorthominasragrite is also a vanadium minasragrite. at the North Mesa mine group in the sulfate found at the North Mesa mine For more information: Temple Mountain mining district, Emery group in the Temple Mountain mining Cooper, M.A., Hawthorne, F.C., Grice, County. The mineral is found as crusts or district, Emery County. The mineral is J.D., and Haynes, P., 2003, Anorthominas- 4+ crystals less than 1 mm in size. Bobjone- found as crusts or spherical granular ragrite, V O(SO4)(H2O)5, a new miner- site is pale blue to blue-green with a pale aggregates approximately 1 mm across, al species from Temple Mountain, Emery blue streak. The mineral has a hardness and as individual crystals less than 0.1 County, Utah - description, crystal struc- of 1 and a density of 2.28 g/cm3. mm. Anorthominasragrite is blue-green ture, and hydrogen bonding: The Canadi- Bobjonesite was found in a fossilized log to pale blue with a white streak. The an Mineralogist, v. 41, p. 467-471. in the Shinarump Conglomerate Member mineral has a hardness of 1 and a density Schindler, M., Hawthorne, F.C., Huminic- 3 of the Triassic Chinle Formation. The of 2.12 g/cm . ki, D.M.C., Haynes, P., Grice, J.D., Evans, mineral is associated with ferricopiapite, Anorthominasragrite was found in a fos- H.T. Jr., 2003, Bobjonesite, 4+ 3 kornelite, rozenite, szmolnokite, silized log in the Shinarump Conglomer- V O(SO4)(H2O) , a new mineral anorthominasragrite, and sulfur. Bob- ate. The mineral is associated with species from Temple Mountain, Emery jonesite is named for Robert (Bob) Jones, orthominasragrite, minasragrite, and bob- County, Utah: The Canadian Mineralo- a senior editor of Rocks and Gems magazine. jonesite. Anorthominasragrite is named gist, v. 41, p. 83-90. New Publications
Geologic postcard of Goblin Valley, 6/04, Earthquake-hazards scenario for a M7 earth- Utah, by S. Robert Bereskin, Craig D. PI-82 ...... $0.25 quake on the Salt Lake City segment of the Morgan, and Kevin P. McClure, CD (203 Wasatch fault zone, Utah, by Barry J. p.), 4/04, MP-04-2 ...... $19.95 Geologic map of the Navajo Lake quadrangle, Solomon, Neil Storey, Ivan Wong, Walter Ferron Sandstone drill-hole database and Kane and Iron Counties, Utah, by David W. Silva, Nick Gregor, Douglas Wright, and lithologic logs, Ferron Creek to Last Chance Moore, L. David Nealy, Peter D. Rowley, Greg McDonald, CD (59 p., 6 pl. scale Creek, Emery and Sevier Counties, Utah, by Stanley C. Hatfield, David J. Maxwell, 1:250,000), 5/04, [CD contains GIS data] Brigitte P. Hucka, Steven N. Sommer, and Eric Mitchell, 2 pl., 1:24,000, 6/04, SS-111DM ...... $24.95 M-199 ...... $9.95 Douglas A. Sprinkel, and David E. Tabet Geologic hazards of Monroe City, Sevier (a recasting of OFR-317, 317DF, and 331), Geologic postcard of Utah, by Grant Willis, County, Utah, by Richard E. Giraud, digi- CD, 4/04, OFR-429 ...... $14.95 PI-81, 6/04 ...... $0.35 tal compilation by Justin P. Johnson, 51 p. Newcastle, Utah small-scale geothermal + CD [CD contains GIS data], 5/04, County geologic reports: Piute, Garfield power development project - exploratory SS-110 ...... $13.95 (reprints of Bull 102 & 107) on CD, drilling, by Robert E. Blackett, 8 p. + 21 p. 6/04 ...... $14.95 The geology of Cedar Valley, Utah County, appendix, 4/04, RI-252 ...... $6.00 and its relation to ground-water conditions, The available coal resource for eight 7.5- Oil and gas fields of Utah, by Thomas C. by Hugh A. Hurlow, 4/04, CD (74 p., 4 minute quadrangles in the southern Emery Chidsey, Jr., Sharon Wakefield, Bradley G. pl., 1:100,000), 2004, SS-109 ...... $19.95 Coalfield, Emery and Sevier Counties, Utah, Hill, and Michael Hebertson, 1 pl., scale by Jeffrey C. Quick, David E. Tabet, Descriptions, petrology, photographs, and 1:700,000, 7/04, M-203DM (paper plot Brigitte P. Hucka, and Sharon I. Wake- photomicrographs of core from the Green available for $19.95) [CD contains GIS field, 37 p., 6/04, SS-112 ...... $7.75 River Formation, south-central Uinta Basin, data] ...... $24.95
Utah Geological Survey PRSRT STD 1594 W. North Temple, Suite 3110 Box 146100 U.S. Postage Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6100 PAID Address service requested Salt Lake City, UT Survey Notes Permit No. 4728