18. Energy, Geology, and Habitats—Impacts of Future Energy Resource Production on Ecosystems in Southwest Wyoming

The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) is a new multidisciplinary, multi-agency effort designed to evaluate and address the effects of anthropogenic drivers on the health of fragile ecosystems in southwest Wyoming.  These ecosystems involve sagebrush-dependent species such as the greater sage grouse and pygmy rabbit, and the chief “drivers of change” are the intensive efforts to develop and produce the rich energy resources of the Greater Green River Basin.  In developing the science plan for the WLCI, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) geologists and biologists identified a key gap in our understanding: the ability to systematically forecast, at a meaningful geographic scale, the relations between future energy development and the critical habitats in question.  Existing USGS assessments of undiscovered energy resources are by necessity regional to sub-regional in scope and probabilistic by nature.  In contrast, ecosystem studies reveal very specific geographic information about established nesting sites, and so on.  The challenge of this Research Opportunity will be to apply knowledge of geology, energy resource occurrence, energy production techniques and ecosystems to develop robust predictive tools that will be applicable to landscape-scale models for ecosystem conservation.   This avenue of research will represent a new direction, not currently being pursued by the USGS. 

We seek a creative scientist or engineer with a strong background in one or more of the following fields:  petroleum geology, sedimentary geology, petroleum engineering, ecosystems biology, and geographic information systems (GIS).  A variety of approaches may be used, with the goal of developing a systematic, technically defensible approach to predicting the geographic footprints of future energy development in ways that provide useful input to ecosystem conservation strategies.   It will be important for the Mendenhall Fellow to develop a strong grasp of the existing and emerging natural gas plays in the greater Green River Basin, as well as the potential for oil shale development.  Existing gas plays include tight gas sands (also known as basin-centered gas accumulations) currently being produced at the Jonah Field and along the Pinedale anticline; and coalbed methane being developed along the Atlantic Rim.  Emerging gas plays, as yet not developed, include several possible shale gas plays similar to the Barnett Shale of Texas, the Woodford Shale of Oklahoma, and the Antrim Shale of Michigan.  All of these gas plays are continuous deposits, wherein gas accumulations are not confined to specific physical traps; continuous deposits are typically developed over large areas using close well spacings that have a significant impact on the landscape. 

A promising approach to this Opportunity would involve the development of a strong understanding of the geologic controls on these gas (and Green River oil shale) occurrences, combined with an understanding of leasing trends in the basin, current production practices in analogous occurrences elsewhere in the United States, and a GIS approach.  Surface and subsurface geologic studies, geophysical interpretations, engineering geology expertise, and ecosystems biologic studies can all be profitably applied to this study.  It is not expected that an individual Mendenhall Fellow would apply all of these techniques.   USGS scientists will be able to collaboratively provide expertise to complement that of the Mendenhall Fellow. 

Proposed Duty Station: Denver, CO; Fort Collins, CO

Areas of Ph.D.: Petroleum geology, sedimentary geology, petroleum engineering, ecology; biology, geographic information systems

Qualifications: Applicants must meet one of the following qualifications: Research Geologist, Research Biologist, Research Ecologist, Research Geographer, Petroleum Engineer

(This type of research is performed by those who have backgrounds for the occupations stated above. However, other titles may be applicable depending on the applicant's background, education, and research proposal. The final classification of the position will be made by the Human Resources specialist.)

Research Advisor(s): Christopher Potter, (303) 236-1735, cpotter@usgs.gov; Zachary Bowen, (970) 226-9218, bowenz@usgs.gov

Human Resources Office contact: Vanessa Chambless, (303) 236-9584, vchambless@usgs.gov

Summary of Opportunities