Geologic Cross Section, Gas Desorption, and Other Data From Four Wells Drilled for 

Alaska Rural Energy Project, Wainwright, Alaska, Coalbed Methane Project, 2007-2009

By

Arthur C. Clark1, Stephen B. Roberts2 and Peter D. Warwick3

1 U.S. Geological Survey, PO Box 25046, MS 939, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225

2 U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO retired

3 U.S. Geological Survey, 956 National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192

Energy costs in rural Alaskan communities are substantial. Diesel fuel, which 

must be delivered by barge or plane, is used for local power generation in most

off-grid communities. In addition to high costs incurred for the purchase and 

transport of the fuel, the transport, transfer, and storage of fuel products pose 

significant difficulties in logistically challenging and environmentally sensitive 

areas. The Alaska Rural Energy Project (AREP) is a collaborative effort between 

the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Bureau of Land Management 

Alaska State Office along with State, local, and private partners. The project is 

designed to identify and evaluate shallow (<3,000 ft) subsurface resources 

such as coalbed methane (CBM) and geothermal in the vicinity of rural Alaskan 

communities where these resources have the potential to serve as local-use power 

alternatives. 

 The AREP, in cooperation with the North Slope Borough, the Arctic Slope 

Regional Corporation, and the Olgoonik Corporation, drilled and tested a 1,613- 

ft continuous core hole in Wainwright, Alaska, during the summer of 2007 to 

determine whether CBM represents a viable source of energy for the community. 

Although numerous gas-bearing coal beds were encountered, most are contained 

within the zone of permafrost that underlies the area to a depth of approximately 

1,000 ft. Because the effective permeability of permafrost is near zero, the chances 

of producing gas from these beds are highly unlikely. A 7.5-ft-thick gas-bearing 

coal bed, informally named the Wainwright coal bed, was encountered in the 

sub-permafrost at a depth of 1,242 ft. Additional drilling and testing conducted 

during the summers of 2008 and 2009 indicated that the coal bed extended 

throughout the area outlined by the drill holes, which presently is limited to 

the access provided by the existing road system. These tests also confirmed the 

gas content of the coal reservoir within this area. If producible, the Wainwright 

coal bed contains sufficient gas to serve as a long-term source of energy for the 

community. 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

OPEN–FILE REPORT 2010–1210

Any use of trade, product, or firm names is fro descriptive purposes

only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual

copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation:

Clark, A.C., Roberts, S.B., Warwick, P.D., 2010, Geologic cross section, gas desorption, and 

other data from four wells drilled for Alaska rural energy project, Wainwright, Alaska, coalbed 

methane project, 2007-2009: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2010–1297, 1 pl.

Files available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ofr/2010/1210

Manuscript approved for publication August 30, 2010

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MILES

0 .5 1 1.5 2

Wainwright

Chukchi Sea

Wainwright 

Landfill

Airport 

Runway

TD 1613.5

Natural Gamma

0 200

1 2.5

4 Caliper (inch) 8

Resistivity (16 N)

Resistivity (64 N)

API-GR OHM-M

Depth

W-OC1-08 (Wainwright-8)

N 70o 38' 37.1"

W 160o 01' 25.9"

Natural Gamma

0 200

1.5 3

4 Caliper (inch) 8

Resistivity (16 N)

Resistivity (64 N)

Resistivity (lateral)

API-GR OHM-M

Depth

W-1-07 (Wainwright-1)

N 70o 38' 41.0"

W 160o 01' 18.7"

W-10-09(Wainwright-10)

N 70o 38' 5.8" 

W 160o 01' 45.6" 

Natural Gamma

0 200

1 2.5

4 Caliper (inch) 8

Resistivity (16 N)

Resistivity (64 N)

Resistivity (lateral)

API-GR OHM-M

Depth Natural Gamma

0 200

Caliper

4 8

Resistivity (16 N)

Resistivity (64 N)

Resistivity (lateral)

API-GR OHM-M

Depth

inch

W-9-09(Wainwright-9) 

N 70o 39' 58.6"

W 159o 58' 13.0"

Start core (75 ft)

Bedrock (45 ft)

Not sampled

7.2 ft

1.0 ft

0.6 ft

1.0 ft

2.6 ft

0.3 ft

0.8 ft

5.0 ft

0.3 ft

0.8 ft

3.9 ft

0.2 ft

0.6 ft

0.6 ft

5.0 ft

2.8 ft

3.4 ft

3.1 ft

1.1 ft

0.7 ft

0.9 ft

7.6 ft

1.0 ft

0.7 ft

1.0 ft

1.3 ft

1.0 ft

1.0 ft

2.5 ft

2.2 ft

2.6 ft

1.5 ft

1.7 ft

0.8 ft

5.9 ft

Coal-bed

thickness

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

900

950

1000

1050

1100

1150

1200

1250

1300

1350

1400

1450

1500

1550

1600

50

Depth

(ft)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Total depth of well: 1,613 ft

Total depth of well: 1,360 ft

Total Depth of Well: 1,300 ft

0.5 ft

Lithologic column 

based on core from 

well W-1-07

2.3 (1) 

56.9 (1)

56.9 (1) 

58.2 (1) 

81.9 (1)

93.9 (1) 

86.0 (1) 

107.2 (1) 

116.8 (1) 

134.1 (2) 

103.5 (2) 

141.4 (1) 

134.5 (4) 

156.4 (1) 

187.3 (1) 

-8.0°

(17.6°)

0.4°

(32.7°)

1.4°

(34.5°)

Scale in °Celsius

-10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2

-2.7°

(27.2°)

-2.7°

(27.2°)

-0.9°

(30.3°)

-5.7°

(21.7°)

-5.1°

(22.9°)

-4.5°

(23.9°)

-4.1°

(24.7°)

-8.0°

(17.5°)

-7.8°

(17.9°)

-7.6°

(18.2°)

-7.3°

(18.9°)

-7.1°

(19.2°)

-6.8°

(19.8°)

-6.2°

(20.8°)

-8.2°

(17.3°)

-8.2°

(17.3°)

-8.2°

(17.3°)

-8.2°

(17.3°)

Temperature

-10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2

°Celsius

(° Farenheit)

Scale in °Celsius

Equilibrium temperatures 

as measured in well 

Wainwright-2

0oC isotherm

Wainwright coal bed

Wainwright coal bed

0oC isotherm

Total depth of well: 2,450 ft

120.4 (1) 

130.0 (6) 

145. 9 (7) 

0 oC line

59.0 (2)

Teshekpuk

Lake

0 25 50 Miles

70°

71°

166°

166°

162°

162°

158°

158°

154°

154°

150°

150°

146°

146°

142°

142°

69°

68°

70°

71°

69°

68°

Point

Hope

Wainwright

Barrow

Atqasuk

Nuiqsut Deadhorse

Kaktovik

Point

Lay

Icy

Cape

Point

Barrow

Cape

Lisburne

Corwin Bluff

Arctic Ocean

Beaufort Sea

Chukchi

Sea

Prudhoe

Bay

Area of

map

ALASKA

Canada

United States

N o r t h S l o p e B o r o u g h

TransAlaska pipeline

Sandstone Fine Coarse Very fine Medium

Lost and desorbed gas 

(as-received) in standard cubic feet 

per ton, with number of desorbed 

samples in parentheses. Reported 

values are sample averages.

Foreset laminations

Sandstone

Coal

Carbonaceous shale/coaly interbeds

Lost core intervals

Siltstone, shale (mudstone), claystone and

interlaminated very fine grained sandstone

Ripple cross-laminations

Horizontal bedding or lamination

Cross bedding

Contorted bedding

Silt or mud chips and rip-ups

Burrows or bioturbated intervals

Sideritic concretions or intervals of sideritic

sandstone, siltstone, or claystone

Lithologic Explanation

Carbonaceous chips and rip-ups 

W-1-07 : USGS well designation 

(Wainwright-1) : Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation

 Commission well designation