News

What's Happening at WVGES

• News

  Fleshed-out juvenile Allosaurus fragilis dinosaur model from the Morrison Formation (Jurassic Period) of central Utah, housed at the WVGES Museum and affectionately known as Al
  • Job Openings
  • 10/13/2021 - New Four Quadrangle Bedrock Geologic Map of the Elkins Area.
  • 2/8/2021 - The State Journal. West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey: Quietly driving economic development and innovation.
  • WVGES now sells the Roadside Geology of West Virginia. This non-WVGES publication has 304 pages full of color photographs, charts, maps, and descriptions! It's only $24.00 (plus tax and shipping & handling). Call or visit the Survey to get your copy now.
  • < Estimates of Natural Gas Resources and Recovery Efficiencies Associated with Marcellus Development in Northern West Virginia (WVGES RI-36): 2021, Pool, S.E., Boswell, R.M., Saucer, J.T., and Carney, B.J. Report contains OGIP (original gas-in-place) estimates for the Marcellus "Reservoir Unit" and Geneseo-Burket "Reservoir Unit;" also contains RE (recovery efficiency) for Marcellus Play. In addition, report includes sensitivity analysis for Marcellus OGIP. Report has 24 maps showing study results including various maps for: OGIP, RE, porosity, porosity-feet, TOC, pressure, and temperature.
  • Oil and Gas Well Data DVD
  • Visiting Geologist Program at West Virginia State Parks
  • Two geologic field guides for the new Corridor H - US Route 48 and elsewhere are available from our free downloads page.
  • Geologic Transect Across West Virginia with photographs and information about the rocks one sees traveling west to east across West Virginia.
  • Appalachian Storage Hub (ASH) Project, a geologic study of potential options for subsurface storage of liquid ethane and other natural gas liquids along and adjacent to the Ohio River from southwest Pennsylvania to eastern Kentucky, with a similar study along the Kanawha River in West Virginia.
  • Our Earthquakes/Seismicity page is updated for West Virginia seismic activity as well as for large (greater than 6.0 magnitude) earthquakes around the world
  • See our Marcellus / Devonian Shale page for Marcellus+ data and materials. Also, please see RI-35: Lithostratigraphy of Middle and Upper Devonian Organic-Rich Shales in West Virginia by Boswell and Pool, 2018.
  • Like WVGES on Facebook
  • Take a look at our Scanned Images of West Virginia Mine Maps (available online).

Interesting data found in the WVGES FY2021 Annual Report

• Publications

  • Annual Reports (by Fiscal Year in PDF format): 2025 latest, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, and 2003.
  • RI-36 (Reports of Investigation) Estimates of Natural Gas Resources and Recovery Efficiencies Associated with Marcellus Development in Northern West Virginia: Pool, S.E., Boswell, R.M., Saucer, J.T., and Carney, B.J., 2021. Web page with report containing OGIP (original gas-in-place) estimates for the Marcellus "Reservoir Unit" and Geneseo-Burket "Reservoir Unit;" also contains RE (recovery efficiency) for Marcellus Play. In addition, report includes sensitivity analysis for Marcellus OGIP. Report has 24 maps showing study results including various maps for: OGIP, RE, porosity, porosity-feet, TOC, pressure, and temperature. Available for download (free).
  • RI-35 (Reports of Investigation) Lithostratigraphy of Middle and Upper Devonian Organic-Rich Shales in West Virginia: Boswell, R.M. and Pool, S.E., 2018. Web page with report containing formally-adopted lithostratigraphic terminology; report contains numerous maps. In addition, access to 10 cross-sections, a Middle/Upper Devonian interactive map (with lithostratigraphy to west of Allegheny Front), and a data spreadsheet is provided. Available for download/online use (free).
  • RI-34 (Reports of Investigation) Stratigraphic Geochemical Database for Portions of West Virginia and Adjacent Virginia Counties: McDowell, R.R., Revised August 2019 with periodic updates. Results of geochemical analyses of bedrock, soil, and stream sediment samples collected during geologic mapping in the eastern portion of West Virginia, and in some adjacent areas of Virginia. Now with 63 elements analyzed (including all the Rare Earth Elements, or REEs). Available as a spreadsheet only or spreadsheet in addition to GIS shapefiles.
  • OF1802 Bedrock Geology of the Edray 7.5' Quadrangle, West Virginia: Hunt, P.J., Burns, M.S., Tudek, J.K., Perkins, J.W., Brown, S.R., Dinterman, P.A., and McDowell, R.R., with Digital Cartography by S.E. Gooding, 2019, 1:24,000 scale, full color map shows geology and structure, strike/dip. Map layout includes text, legend, and cross section. PDF available on CD-ROM and files for GIS.
  • OF1801 Bedrock Geologic Map of the Hillsboro 7.5' Quadrangle, West Virginia: Perkins, J.W., Tudek, J.K., Chapman, J.S., and Dasher, G.R., with Digital Cartography by S.E. Gooding, 2019, 1:24,000 scale, full color map shows geology and structure, strike/dip. Map layout includes text, legend, and cross section. PDF available on CD-ROM and files for GIS.
  • OF1705 Bedrock Geology of the White Sulphur Springs 7.5' Quadrangle, West Virginia: Hunt, P.J., Burns, M.S., and McDowell, R.R., with Digital Cartography by S.E. Gooding, 2018, 1:24,000 scale, full color map shows geology and structure, strike/dip. Map layout includes text, legend, and cross section. PDF available on CD-ROM and files for GIS.
  • OF1704 Bedrock Geology of the Mozark Mountain 7.5' Quadrangle, West Virginia: Perkins, J.W., Chapman, J.S., Johnson, R.J., Britton, J.Q., Nugent, B.L., and Daft, Jr., G.W., with Digital Cartography by S.E. Gooding, 2018, 1:24,000 scale, full color map shows geology and structure, strike/dip. Map layout includes text, legend, and cross section. PDF available on CD-ROM and files for GIS.
  • OF1703 Bedrock Geology of the Lead Mine 7.5' Quadrangle, West Virginia: Chapman, J.S., Perkins, J.W., Britton, J.Q., and Johnson, R.J., with Digital Cartography by S.E. Gooding, 2018, 1:24,000 scale, full color map shows geology and structure, strike/dip. Map layout includes text, legend, and cross section. PDF available on CD-ROM and files for GIS.
  • OF1702 Bedrock Geology of the Montrose 7.5' Quadrangle, West Virginia: McColloch, G.H. and McColloch, J.S., with Digital Cartography by S.E. Gooding, 2018, 1:24,000 scale, full color map shows geology and structure, strike/dip. Map layout includes text, legend, and cross section. PDF available on CD-ROM and files for GIS.
  • OF1305 A Preliminary Natural Gas Resource Assessment of the Marcellus Shale for West Virginia using Basic Geologic Data and GIS: Pool, Susan E., 2013, The study quantifies, at a preliminary level, Marcellus Shale natural gas resources for West Virginia using a geologic-based (volumetric) approach. Original gas-in-place was determined using geophysical well log data from >300 wells across the State and core data from >10 wells. Results and products include: 1) a conservative estimate of total original gas-in-place of 122 TCF with natural gas concentration progressively decreasing from north and north-central West Virginia to the southwest and 2) ten stratigraphic cross-sections highlighting the Marcellus Shale as well as maps identifying reservoir location, its geographic extent, thickness, depth, formation temperature, level of organic maturity, and original gas-in-place volumes. This is a Master of Geographic Information Systems Capstone thesis project for Penn State University. Advisor: Dr. Jonathan Mathews, December 2013. PDF available in paper or on CD-ROM.
  • B-46: Hydrogeology, Groundwater Flow, and Groundwater Quality of an Abandoned Underground Coal-Mine Aquifer, Elkhorn Area, West Virginia  FREE Download!
    Kozar, Mark D., McCoy, Kurt J., Britton, James Q., Blake Jr., Bascombe M., 2012, 103 p, 38 f, 9 tables. This report presents results of a three-year investigation of the geology, hydrology, geochemistry, and groundwater flow processes within abandoned underground coal mines of the Pocahontas No. 3 coal seam, used as a source of water for public supply in the Elkhorn area, McDowell County, West Virginia.
  • Two updated West Virginia State Park Bulletins available: ''The Geology of Cacapon Resort and Lost River State Parks'' (State Park Bulletin SP-7) and ''The Geology of Canaan Valley Resort and Blackwater Falls State Parks'' (State Park Bulletin SP-6A)
  • Recent Publications
  • Free downloadable publications and free dowloadable reports from cooperative research.

• Research

  • Presentations and Posters
  • Free dowloadable reports from Cooperative Research including the Appalachian Storage Hub (ASH) Project, Subsurface Brine Disposal, the Mine Pool Atlas, Utica Shale Play Book, and more.