Coal and Petroleum Resources in the 

Appalachian Basin: Distribution, Geologic 

Framework, and Geochemical Character

Edited by Leslie F. Ruppert and Robert T. Ryder

Professional Paper 1708

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

SALLY JEWELL, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2014

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Suggested citation:

Ruppert, L.F., and Ryder, R.T., eds., 2014, Coal and petroleum resources in the Appalachian basin; Distribution, geologic 

framework, and geochemical character: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1708–A.1 through I.1 [42 chapters 

are separately paged], http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/pp1708.

ISBN 2330-7102 (online)
iii

Contents

[Chapters are designated by terms such as A.1, B.1, B.2, E.2.1, and E.2.2. Designations starting 

with the same letter identify chapters on related topics]

A.1. Executive Summary

By Leslie F. Ruppert and Robert T. Ryder

B.1. Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin—Index Maps of Included 

Studies

By Leslie F. Ruppert, Michael H. Trippi, and Scott A. Kinney

C.1. Appalachian Basin Oil and Natural Gas: Stratigraphic Framework, Total Petroleum 

Systems, and Estimated Ultimate Recovery

By Robert T. Ryder, Robert C. Milici, Christopher S. Swezey, and Michael H. Trippi

C.2. Geographic Information System (GIS)-Based Maps of Appalachian Basin Oil and 

Gas Fields

By Robert T. Ryder, Scott A. Kinney, Steve Suitt, Matthew D. Merrill, and Michael H. Trippi

D.1. Coal and Coalbed-Methane Resources in the Appalachian and Black Warrior Basins—

Maps Showing the Distribution of Coal Fields, Coal Beds, and Coalbed-Methane Fields

By Michael H. Trippi, Leslie F. Ruppert, Robert C. Milici, and Scott A. Kinney

D.2. Correlation Chart of Pennsylvanian Rocks in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, 

West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania Showing Approximate Position of 

Coal Beds, Coal Zones, and Key Stratigraphic Units

By Leslie F. Ruppert, Michael H. Trippi, and Ernie R. Slucher

D.3. Bituminous Coal Production in the Appalachian Basin: Past, Present, and Future

By Robert C. Milici and Desiree E. Polyak

D.4. Coal Assessments and Coal Research in the Appalachian Basin

By Susan J. Tewalt and Leslie F. Ruppert

E.1. Index Map of Cross Sections Through Parts of the Appalachian Basin (Kentucky, 

New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia)

By Robert T. Ryder and Michael H. Trippi

E.2.1. Stratigraphic Framework of Cambrian and Ordovician Rocks in the Central Appalachian 

Basin From Lake County, Ohio, to Juniata County, Pennsylvania

By Robert T. Ryder; revised and digitized by Robert D. Crangle, Jr.

E.2.2. Stratigraphic Framework of Cambrian and Ordovician Rocks in the Central Appalachian 

Basin From Medina County, Ohio, Through Southwestern and South-Central Pennsylvania to Hampshire County, West Virginia

By Robert T. Ryder, Anita G. Harris, and John E. Repetski; revised and digitized by Robert D. Crangle, Jr.

E.2.3. Stratigraphic Framework of Cambrian and Ordovician Rocks in the Central Appalachian 

Basin From Richland County, Ohio, to Rockingham County, Virginia

By Robert T. Ryder; revised and digitized by Robert D. Crangle, Jr.

E.2.4. Stratigraphic Framework of Cambrian and Ordovician Rocks in the Central Appalachian 

Basin From Campbell County, Kentucky, to Tazewell County, Virginia

By Robert T. Ryder, John E. Repetski, and Anita G. Harris; revised and digitized by Erika E. Lentz

E.2.5. Stratigraphic Framework of Cambrian and Ordovician Rocks in the Appalachian Basin 

From Sequatchie County, Tennessee, Through Eastern Kentucky, to Mingo County, 

West Virginia

By Robert T. Ryder, Robert D. Crangle, Jr., John E. Repetski, and Anita G. Harris
iv

E.3.1. Stratigraphic Framework and Depositional Sequences in the Lower Silurian Regional 

Oil and Gas Accumulation, Appalachian Basin: From Ashland County, Ohio, Through 

Southwestern Pennsylvania, to Preston County, West Virginia

By Robert T. Ryder

E.3.2. Stratigraphic Framework and Depositional Sequences in the Lower Silurian Regional 

Oil and Gas Accumulation, Appalachian Basin: From Licking County, Ohio, to Fayette 

County, West Virginia

By Robert T. Ryder

E.3.3. Stratigraphic Framework and Depositional Sequences in the Lower Silurian Regional 

Oil and Gas Accumulation, Appalachian Basin: From Jackson County, Ohio, Through 

Northwestern Pennsylvania, to Orleans County, New York

By Robert T. Ryder

E.4.1. Geologic Cross Section D–D’ Through the Appalachian Basin from the Findlay Arch, 

Sandusky County, Ohio, to the Valley and Ridge Province, Hardy County, West Virginia

By Robert T. Ryder, Robert D. Crangle, Jr., Michael H. Trippi, Christopher S. Swezey, Erika E. Lentz, 

Elisabeth L. Rowan, and Rebecca S. Hope

E.4.2. Geologic Cross Section E–E’ Through the Appalachian Basin from the Findlay Arch, 

Wood County, Ohio, to the Valley and Ridge Province, Pendleton County, West Virginia

By Robert T. Ryder, Christopher S. Swezey, Robert D. Crangle, Jr., and Michael H. Trippi

E.5.1. Regional Seismic Lines Across the Rome Trough and Allegheny Plateau of Northern 

West Virginia, Western Maryland, and Southwestern West Virginia

By Christoper S. Kulander and Robert T. Ryder

F.1. Thermal Maturity Patterns (Conodont Color Alteration Index and Vitrinite Reflectance) 

in Upper Ordovician and Devonian Rocks of the Appalachian Basin: A Major Revision of 

USGS Map I–917–E Using New Subsurface Collections

By John E. Repetski, Robert T. Ryder, David J. Weary, Anita G. Harris, and Michael H. Trippi

F.2. Thermal Maturity Patterns in Pennsylvanian Coal-Bearing Rocks in Alabama, Tennessee, 

Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania

By Leslie F. Ruppert, Michael H. Trippi, James C. Hower, William C. Grady, and Jeffrey R. Levine

G.1. Assessment of Appalachian Basin Oil and Gas Resources: Carboniferous Coal-bed Gas 

Total Petroleum System

By Robert C. Milici

G.2. Coalbed-Methane Production in the Appalachian Basin

By Robert C. Milici and Desiree E. Polyak

G.3. Results of Coalbed-Methane Drilling, Mylan Park, Monongalia County, West Virginia

By Leslie F. Ruppert, Nick Fedorko, Peter D. Warwick, William C. Grady, James Q. Britton, 

William A. Schuller, and Robert D. Crangle, Jr.

G.4. Results of Coalbed-Methane Drilling, Meadowfill Landfill, Harrison County, West Virginia

By Leslie F. Ruppert, Michael H. Trippi, Nick Fedorko, William C. Grady, Cortland F. Eble, and 

William A. Schuller

G.5. Appalachian Basin Bituminous Coal: Sulfur Content and Potential Sulfur Dioxide 

Emissions of Coal Mined for Electrical Power Generation

By Michael H. Trippi, Leslie F. Ruppert, Emil D. Attanasi, Robert C. Milici, and Philip A. Freeman

G.6. Composition of Natural Gas and Crude Oil Produced From 14 Wells in the Lower 

Silurian “Clinton” Sandstone and Medina Group Sandstones, Northeastern Ohio and 

Northwestern Pennsylvania

By Robert C. Burruss and Robert T. Ryder

G.7. Composition of Natural Gas and Crude Oil Produced From 10 Wells in the Lower Silurian 

“Clinton” Sandstone, Trumbull County, Ohio

By Robert C. Burruss and Robert T. Ryder
v

G.8. Evidence for Cambrian Petroleum Source Rocks in the Rome Trough of West Virginia and 

Kentucky, Appalachian Basin

By Robert T. Ryder, David C. Harris, Paul Gerome, Timothy J. Hainsworth, Robert C. Burruss, Paul G. Lillis, 

Daniel M. Jarvie, and Mark J. Pawlewicz

G.9. Assessment of Appalachian Basin Oil and Gas Resources: Devonian Gas Shales of the 

Devonian Shale-Middle and Upper Paleozoic Total Petroleum System

By Robert C. Milici and Christopher S. Swezey

G.10. Assessment of Appalachian Basin Oil and Gas Resources: Utica-Lower Paleozoic Total 

Petroleum System

By Robert T. Ryder

G.11. In Search of a Silurian Total Petroleum System in the Appalachian Basin of New York, 

Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia

By Robert T. Ryder, Christopher S. Swezey, Michael H. Trippi, Erika E. Lentz, K. Lee Avary, John A. Harper, 

William M. Kappel, and Ronald G. Rea

G.12. The Geochemistry of Oils and Gases From the Cumberland Overthrust Sheet in Virginia 

and Tennessee

By Kristin O. Dennen, Mark Deering, and Robert C. Burruss

G.13. Overview of the Potential and Identified Petroleum Source Rocks of the Appalachian 

Basin, Eastern United States

By James L. Coleman, Jr., Robert T. Ryder, Robert C. Milici, and Stephen Brown

H.1. Introduction to Selected References on Fossil Fuels of the Central and Southern 

Appalachian Basin

By Leslie F. Ruppert, Erika E. Lentz, Susan J. Tewalt, and Yomayra A. Román Colón

H.2. Selected References: Oil and Gas Resources of the Central and Southern Appalachian 

Basin

By Erika E. Lentz, Leslie F. Ruppert, and Yomayra A. Román Colón

H.3. Selected References: Coal Geology of the Central and Southern Appalachian Basin

By Leslie F. Ruppert, Susan J. Tewalt, and Yomayra A. Román Colón

H.4. Selected References: Thermal History of the Central and Southern Appalachian Basin

By Erika E. Lentz, Leslie F. Ruppert, and Yomayra A. Román Colón

H.5. Selected References: Coalbed-Methane Resources of the Central and Southern 

Appalachian Basin

By Erika E. Lentz, Leslie F. Ruppert, and Yomayra A. Román Colón

H.6. Selected References: Gas Geochemistry of the Central and Southern Appalachian Basin

By Erika E. Lentz, Leslie F. Ruppert, and Yomayra A. Román Colón

I.1. Digital Data in Support of Studies and Assessments of Coal and Petroleum Resources in 

the Appalachian Basin

By Michael H. Trippi, Scott A. Kinney, Gregory Gunther, Robert T. Ryder, and Leslie F. Ruppert