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Project Details

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Project Information Sheet

Data collection, verification, and encoding for the National Coal Resources Data System (NCRDS)

Funding Source:	U.S. Geological Survey
Period of Contract:	1 Jan 2005 to 31 Dec 2009
Status:	active — Definition of status type
Project Director:	Nelson Shaffer and Maria Mastalerz

Issue

The Indiana Geological Survey (IGS) has been adding coal resource information to the National Coal Resources Data System (NCRDS) since 1982 in a series of cooperative projects with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Indiana coal data from extensive files of drilling records, measured sections, and core descriptions at the IGS have been plotted, verified, and encoded.

Objective

From 2005 to 2009, IGS staff will focus on collecting, processing, verifying, and encoding new data for numerous coal beds for entry into the NCRDS database. In 2004, 2005, and 2006, new locations were drilled in Gibson and Knox Counties as part of a project funded by the Department of Energy on coal-bed methane potential in Indiana. In addition to the thickness and depth data available as a result of this drilling, coal-quality and gas-content data will be generated. These data will aid in correlating, evaluating the resources, and characterizing the coals.

Approach

This project collects new data and adds them to the existing NCRDS database.

Products

The main product is an updated database that is sent to the USGS and which will be made available to the public.

Benefits

The information available on the National Coal Resources Data System benefits the state by providing coal information to researchers, the coal extraction and energy industries, and the public.

Locations Affected:

state

Indiana House Districts Affected:

all

Indiana Senate Districts Affected:

all

Information Updated February 1, 2007

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