The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessed that the upper Paleozoic reservoirs of the Wind River, Bighorn and Powder River basins has technically recoverable resources of 47 million barrels of oil and 876 billion cubic feet of gas. This area includes Wyoming and parts of southern Montana as well as parts of western South Dakota and Nebraska.
Since exploration began in the area in the 1920s, these reservoirs have produced 4 billion barrels of oil—as much oil as the United States consumes in six months at the current rate of consumption.
“USGS energy assessments typically focus on undiscovered resources, areas where science tells us there may be a resource that industry hasn’t discovered yet. In this case, after a century of production, the upper Paleozoic reservoirs of the Wind River, Bighorn and Powder River basins have little remaining undiscovered oil,” said Sarah Ryker, acting director of the USGS.
Afact sheet on the upper Paleozoic Oil and Gas Assessment is available HERE.
Image Credit: USGS
