--> ABSTRACT: Bitumen and Heavy-Oil Resources of the United States, by B. L. Crysdale and C. J. Schenk; #91038 (2010)

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Bitumen and Heavy-Oil Resources of the United States

B. L. Crysdale, C. J. Schenk

Bitumen and heavy-oil deposits represent a significant hydrocarbon resource in the United States. Bitumen deposits (10° API) are located in sandstone reservoirs at or near the surface along the margins of sedimentary basins. Heavy oils (10°-20° API) are found predominantly in geologically young (Tertiary age and younger) shallow sandstone reservoirs and along the margins of sedimentary basins. Bitumen and heavy oil have high viscosities (10,000 cp for bitumen, 100-10,000 cp for heavy oil) and cannot be recovered by conventional recovery methods.

Bitumen deposits have been evaluated in 17 states. The total bitumen resource for the conterminous United States is estimated to be 57 billion bbl. Utah contains the largest resource, estimated to be 29 billion bbl, followed by California with 9 billion bbl, Alabama with 6 billion, Texas with 5 billion, and Kentucky with 3 billion. Heavy-oil deposits have been evaluated in 16 states, but most heavy oil is in California, Texas, and Arkansas. Total heavy oil in place for the conterminous United States is estimated to be approximately 45 billion bbl; greater than 80% of this amount is in California. The giant Kuparuk deposit on the North Slope of Alaska contains a heavy oil-bitumen resource estimated as high as 40 billion bbl.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91038©1987 AAPG Annual Convention, Los Angeles, California, June 7-10, 1987.