Abstract: Oil and Gas Atlases on Indian Lands

WILLETTE, DONNA C., ROGER M. SLATT, CHARLES W. O'MELVENEY¹, STEVEN G. DRAKE, and ROBERT ANDERSON

During the late seventies and early eighties, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, in concert with the U.S. Geological Survey, produced regional energy and mineral resource reports on each Indian reservation in the United States. These reports provided an excellent overview of the geologic setting and status of production activities for mineral resources, but are now out of date in many areas. Colorado School of Mines has contracted with BIA to produce updated oil and gas atlases for selected reservations on a priority basis to be determined by BIA.

In 1995 (updates in 1996), the USGS completed a national oil and gas resource assessment utilizing the "petroleum system" approach to identifying resource potential. This approach forms the foundation for each atlas. Each atlas contains maps and graphical presentations of the geologic setting, available seismic, source and reservoir rock information, trapping mechanisms, present sources of oil and gas production, and predictions for future petroleum resource potential. Atlases are presented in hardcopy output as well as in digital text and graphical formats suitable for viewing on PC desktop computers.

The atlases can be used to help determine the remaining resource potential for selected reservations, develop plans for appropriate lease sales, provide an inventory of data that tribes can utilize to attract industry, and develop case studies for use in the Native American Energy and Mineral Institute (NAEMI), operated by Colorado School of Mines.

Information from the reservations is being compiled in atlases grouped on a regional basis. The Northern Rocky Mountain Atlas, tentatively to be released in June, 1997, contains Fort Berthold, Wind River, Blackfeet, Fort Peck, Fort Belknap, and Standing Rock reservations. The Southern Rocky Mountain Atlas is to be completed in 1998.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90946©1997 AAPG Rocky Mountain Section Meeting, Denver, Colorado