GIS Activities in the U.S. Geological Survey Central Energy Resources Team: A Model for Expanding GIS Utilization

Laura R.H. Biewick¹, Gregory L. Gunther², Christopher C. Skinner², and David A. Ferderer^2
1 U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO
² Central Energy Resources Team, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO

A primary objective for the implementation of GIS technologies in the Central Energy Resources Team (CERT) is to improve access to maps, data, and other geospatial services by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) personnel and outside stakeholders. Because the use of GIS improves the ability of decision makers to analyze layers of disparate data in a common geographic space, our goal is to simplify the ability of USGS personnel and our customers to find and use geospatial data and services.

Use of GIS by the CERT is enhancing research activities related to project workflow and information access and discovery. GIS technologies serve three major needs of Team projects: (1) efficient, centralized data management and data visualization, (2) ease in sharing data and interpretations by project personnel, and (3) dissemination of information and products to customers in an easily usable format.

CERT GIS activities include Internet Map Services (IMS) and Metadata Services, which are also being leveraged in global networks that provide the infrastructure needed to support the sharing of geographic information. These portals include the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), the Geography Network, and the GeoSpatial One-Stop. Major tasks include technical issues related to application deployment, security, and system architecture. Demonstrations of the National Assessment of Oil and Gas (NOGA) Online, Gulf Coast Geology (GCG) Online, Gulf Coast Information Access System, and World Energy Assessment applications illustrate how interactive maps and publication services provide ready access to assessment results, geology, and other CERT project data and interpretations.