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Open-File Report 2007-1003 

| Published 2007    Online Only                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
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| In search of a Silurian Total Petroleum System in the Appalachian basin of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West VirginiaBy Robert T. Ryder,1 Christopher S. Swezey,1 Michael H. Trippi,1 Erika E. Lentz,1 K. Lee Avary,2 John A. Harper,3 William M. Kappel,4 and Ronald G. Rea51U.S. Geological Survey,  National Center, Reston VA 201922West Virginia  Geological Survey, Morgantown, WV 265073Pennsylvania Geological Survey, Pittsburgh, PA 152224U.S. Geological Survey, Ithaca, NY      148505Ohio Geological Survey, Columbus, OH 43229                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
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| This report provides an evaluation of the source rock potential of Silurian strata in the U.S. portion of the northern Appalachian Basin, using new TOC and RockEval data.  The study area consists of all or parts of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.  The stratigraphic intervals that were sampled for this study are as follows: 1) the Lower Silurian Cabot Head Shale, Rochester Shale, and Rose Hill Formation; 2) the Lower and Upper Silurian McKenzie Limestone, Lockport Dolomite, and Eramosa Member of the Lockport Group; and 3) the Upper Silurian Wills Creek Formation, Tonoloway Limestone, Salina Group, and Bass Islands Dolomite.  These Silurian stratigraphic intervals were chosen because they are cited in previous publications as potential source rocks, they are easily identified and relatively continuous across the basin, and they contain beds of dark gray to black shale and (or) black argillaceous limestone and dolomite.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
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| Download the report in Portable Document Format (PDF).

Open File Report 2007-1003 (PDF–28.8MB)
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| Tables                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| The following tables are provided as Microsoft Office Excel (.xls) files.

Table 1. Total organic carbon (TOC) in weight percent and RockEval data for Silurian samples collected from the subsurface of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia (data are listed by State, County, Township, well, and top depth)

Table 2. Total organic carbon (TOC) in weight percent and RockEval data for Silurian samples collected from the subsurface of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia (data are listed in approximate stratigraphic order)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
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| The following figures within the PDF report are too large to be printed on 8.5 by 11 inch paper.

Figure 1. Map showing the distribution of oil and gas fields in Silurian        reservoirs in the Appalachian basin of Kentucky, New York, Ohio,        Pennsylvania, and West Virginia (45 by 35 inches) 

Figure 2. Correlation chart of Middle and Upper Ordovician, Silurian,      and Lower and Middle Devonian rocks in Kentucky, New York,      Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia showing intervals sampled    for total organic carbon (TOC) and RockEval analysis (45 by 35 inches)

Figure 3. Location of wells in the Appalachian basin where Silurian    rocks were sampled for this study (45 by 35 inches)

Figure 4. Location of wells in the Appalachian basin where Silurian rocks      were sampled for this study. Also shown are total organic carbon    (TOC) values in weight percent in derived from the samples (45 by 35 inches)

Figure 5. Histogram showing total organic carbon (TOC) values in weight    percent for Silurian rocks sampled in this study (30 by 45 inches)

Figure 6. Map showing the location of wells in the Appalachian basin      where rock samples (cuttings) were collected from the Lower Silurian      Cabot Head Shale, Rochester Shale, and Rose Hill Formation.      Also shown are total organic carbon (TOC) values in weight percent    derived from the samples (45 by 35 inches)

Figure 7. Map showing the location of wells in the Appalachian basin      where rock samples (cuttings) were collected from the Lower and      Upper Silurian McKenzie Limestone and Lockport Dolomite and      the Upper Silurian Eramosa Dolomite of the Lockport Group.      Also shown are total organic carbon (TOC) values in weight    percent derived from the samples (45 by 35 inches)

Figure 8. Map showing the location of wells in the Appalachian basin      where rock samples (cuttings and core) were collected from the      Upper Silurian Salina Group (including the Vernon Shale, Syracuse      Salt, and Camillus Shale), Wills Creek Formation, Tonoloway      Limestone, and Bass Islands Dolomite. Also shown are total      organic carbon (TOC) values in weight percent derived from the      samples. In addition, the extent of Salina Group halite deposits    is shown (45 by 35 inches) |
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| For scientific questions or comments, please send inquiries to Robert T. Ryder (E-mail: rryder@usgs.gov)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
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U.S. Department of the Interior |	U.S. Geological Survey	URL: https://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/of/2007/1003/index.html	Page Contact Information: Publishing Service Center 4	Page Last Modified:  20:10:07 Wed 07 Dec 2016

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