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Natural gas

USGS Reports Undiscovered Hydrocarbon Reserves in the Mowry Composite Total Petroleum System

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A comprehensive study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has shed light on the potential for undiscovered oil and gas reserves in the Mowry Composite Total Petroleum System (TCPS) in the southwestern Wyoming province. The report, authored by the Mowry Shale Assessment Team, including Jane S. Hearon and Christopher J. Schenk, estimates a mean of 473 million barrels of oil and 27 trillion cubic feet of gas in the region. This assessment represents an updated analysis of the TCPS, which was previously evaluated by the USGS in 2005.

Key Takeaways:

  • The USGS assessed the Mowry Composite Total Petroleum System (TPS), encompassing the Southwestern Wyoming Province, including portions of Colorado and Utah, and estimated a mean of 473 million barrels of oil and 27 trillion cubic feet of gas.
  • The Mowry Shale is the primary source of hydrocarbons, with an organic carbon content as high as 5 percent, making it a viable source for oil and gas.
  • Primary reservoirs in the area are comprised of fluvial, estuarine, and nearshore marine sandstones, prevalent throughout the entire system.
  • Most gas production is focused along the axes of the Moxa Arch and Rock Springs Uplift.
  • Production data from the Mowry Shale in other Wyoming basins, such as the Powder River, Wind River, and Bighorn Basins, were used as analogs to assess the continuous resources.
  • The USGS quantitatively assessed oil and gas resources in seven assessment units, estimating a mean of 473 million barrels of oil (MMBO) with an F95-F5 fractile range from 117 to 962 MMBO, 27,305 billion cubic feet of gas with an F95-F5 range from 7,414 to 52,799 BCFG, and 84 million barrels of natural gas liquids (MMBNGL) with an F95-F5 range from 25 to 154 MMBNGL.

Statistics:

  • Estimated mean oil reserves: 473 million barrels (MMBO)
  • Estimated mean gas reserves: 27 trillion cubic feet
  • Estimated mean natural gas liquids reserves: 84 million barrels
  • F95-F5 fractile range for oil reserves: 117 to 962 MMBO
  • F95-F5 fractile range for gas reserves: 7,414 to 52,799 BCFG
  • F95-F5 fractile range for natural gas liquids reserves: 25 to 154 MMBNGL

Sources:

  • U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). (2025). Assessment of Conventional and Continuous Oil and Gas Resources in the Mowry Composite Total Petroleum System in the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah, 2024. Fact Sheet 2025-3023.

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