DIG Publications & Research 

DIG is on the forefront of commercial stable isotope research. DIG Publications reflect our commitment to research. We also develop software to help our clients understand the energy systems that are under development. We strive to continue to grow our knowledge of the carbon cycle, through research conducted in our lab in Westminster, CO. We apply our findings to monitoring of subsurface well integrity and fluid forensics everyday.DIG Publications

Here are our Current Research Projects being investigated by our DIG Professionals. 

Incorporation of stable isotopes as natural tracers for gas storage monitoring and assessment programs 

  • Pioneering solutions for the emerging carbon capture and sequestration market 
  • Employing DIG’s expertise in fluid forensics to the movement of carbon dioxide and natural gas in the near surface 

Development of robust, low-cost chromatographic fingerprinting for petroleum source differentiation and commingled fluid allocation 

  • Achieving greater resolution from Whole Oil Gas Chromatography (WOGC) analysis through statistical rigor 
  • Offering cost-effective solutions for complex problems in reservoir management 

Quantifying alteration effects on petroleum fluids through multivariate WOGC analysis for greater insight into well integrity problems 

  • Understanding evaporative fractionation and its implications.
  • Developing petroleum systems models at the regional scale.
  • Distinguishing fluids through geochemical and statistical analyses.

DIG Publications

Applying DIG’s expertise in subsurface modeling for the identification of untapped, renewable, low-temperature geothermal resources 

  • Continuous updating of regional geothermal and maturity models.
  • Continuous updating of temperature maps of regional sedimentary surfaces for most North American sedimentary basins.
  • Compositional analyses and research into ion chemistry of geothermal formation brines (Lithium and other rare earth metals exploration)

DIG Professionals also have an extensive publication history in a wide range of topics. DIG publications show our dedication to the pursuit of greater scientific knowledge and new research methods.

These are the DIG Publications:

Links to the DOI or website links are included for all references with select reference’s abstracts included. 

2019: 

Dolan, M., Burke, B., Travers, P., & Hodgetts, S. (2019, May). Unconventional Development and Production Geochemistry-Oil, Natural Gas and Water Geochemical Data Provide Evaluation Workflows through the Lifecycle of a Well. In 2019 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition 

https://www.searchanddiscovery.com/abstracts/html/2019/ace2019/abstracts/2451.html  

Dolan, M. P., Zimbrick, G., & Travers, P. (2019, September). Effective Source Rocks in Rocky Mountain Late Cretaceous Petroleum Systems. In AAPG Rocky Mountain Section Meeting 

https://www.searchanddiscovery.com/abstracts/html/2019/cheyenne-90357/abstracts/2019.RMS.98.html  

Travers, P., Burke, B., Rowe, A., Hodgetts, S., & Dolan, M. (2019, October). Naturally Occurring Isotopic Tracers Provide Insight into Hydraulic Fracturing Flowback and Horizontal Well Clean-Up Dynamics. In Unconventional Resources Technology Conference, Denver, Colorado, 22-24 July 2019 (pp. 1220-1228). Unconventional Resources Technology Conference (URTeC); Society of Exploration Geophysicists.  

https://doi.org/10.15530/urtec-2019-568  

Zimbrick, G., & Dolan, M. (2019, October). Mesozoic unconventional potential of the Burgos Basin, Mexico. In Unconventional Resources Technology Conference, Denver, Colorado, 22-24 July 2019 (pp. 382-390). Unconventional Resources Technology Conference (URTeC); Society of Exploration Geophysicists.  

https://doi.org/10.15530/urtec-2019-73  

2017: 

Zhang, T., Ellis, G. S., Travers, P., Sun, X., & Enriquez, D. A. (2017, April). Gas Geochemistry of the Spraberry and Wolfcamp Formations in the Midland Basin. In AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition 

https://www.searchanddiscovery.com/abstracts/html/2017/90291ace/abstracts/2612683.html  

2016: 

Hydrocarbon Source Rocks in Unconventional Plays, Rocky Mountain Region: Dolan, M.P., Higley, D.K., And Lillis, P.G., Eds., Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, 2016. 

https://www.rmag.org/index.phpsrc=directory&view=products&category=Digital%20Publications&srctpe=detail&back=products&refno=4098 

2015: 

Strauss, J., Travers, P., Dolan, M., & Rosenau, N. (2015, July). Long term evaluation of carbon isotopes of C1-C5 hydrocarbons in headspace gas desorbed from drill cuttings collected in sealed jars. In SPE/AAPG/SEG Unconventional Resources Technology Conference. OnePetro.  

https://doi.org/10.15530/URTEC-2015-2173390  

Dolan, M., Zimbrick, G., & Tischer, M. (2015, September). Utica-Pt. Pleasant Sub Basin: Integrating Stable Isotope Geochemistry and Basin Modeling to Help Predict Condensate Yield. In Eastern Section Meeting 

https://www.searchanddiscovery.com/abstracts/html/2015/90218es/abstracts/10.html  

2014: 

Clauer, N., Lewan, M. D., Dolan, M. P., Chaudhuri, S., & Curtis, J. B. (2014). Mineralogical, chemical and K–Ar isotopic changes in Kreyenhagen Shale whole rocks and< 2 μm clay fractions during natural burial and hydrous-pyrolysis experimental maturation. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta130, 93-112.  

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2014.01.007  

Travers, P., Cumella, S., & Dolan, M. (2014, April). Using Production Gas Carbon and Hydrogen Stable Isotope Signatures to Predict Fluid Quality: Wattenberg Field, Colorado, USA. In SPE Western North American and Rocky Mountain Joint Meeting. OnePetro. 

https://doi.org/10.2118/169487-MS  

Tischer, M., Zimbrick, G., & Dolan, M. (2014, August). Importance of Structural and Tectonic Inheritance for Unconventional Basin Play Prospectivity: An Example From the Powder River Basin. In SPE/AAPG/SEG Unconventional Resources Technology Conference. OnePetro.  

https://doi.org/10.15530/URTEC-2014-1922121 

Strauss, J., Schaiberger, A., Rosenau, N. A., Travers, P., Dolan, M., & Sherwood, O. (2014, August). Using stable isotopes and water quality to investigate sources of stray gas in the Wattenberg Field of Colorado. In Unconventional Resources Technology Conference, Denver, Colorado, 25-27 August 2014 (pp. 2413-2420). Society of Exploration Geophysicists, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Society of Petroleum Engineers.  

https://doi.org/10.15530/urtec-2014-1922468  

Rosenau, N., Strauss, J., Travers, P., Schaiberger, A., & Dolan, M. (2014, August). Evolution of the Molecular and Stable Isotope Composition of Headspace Gas Desorbing From Drill Cuttings Collected in Sealed Jars. In SPE/AAPG/SEG Unconventional Resources Technology Conference. OnePetro.  

https://doi.org/10.15530/URTEC-2014-1893332  

2013: 

Sherwood, O. A., Travers, P. D., & Dolan, M. P. (2013). Compound-Specific Stable Isotope Analysis of Natural and Produced Hydrocarbon Gases Surrounding Oil and Gas Operations. Comprehensive Analytical Chemistry61, 347-372.  

https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-62623-3.00015-0  

Sherwood, O. A., Travers, P. D., & Dolan, M. P. (2013, August). Hydrocarbon maturity and migration analysis using production gas stable isotopic signatures in the Wattenberg Field, Denver Basin, Colorado, USA. In SPE/AAPG/SEG Unconventional Resources Technology Conference. OnePetro.  

https://doi.org/10.1190/urtec2013-204 

Zimbrick, G. D., & Dolan, M. P. (2013, August). Williston Basin Pre-Bakken Potential Using Regional Maturity Modeling. In SPE/AAPG/SEG Unconventional Resources Technology Conference. OnePetro.  

https://doi.org/10.1190/urtec2013-036  

Pre-2013 

Dolan, M. P., 1998, The role of smectite in petroleum formation: Comparing natural and experimental thermal maturation: M.Sc. thesis, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, 217 p. 

Lillis, P. G., Dolan, M. P., Warden, A., & King, J. D. (1998). Organic geochemistry of oils from Oil Spring and Florence Oil Field near Cañon City, Colorado. US Geological Survey Open-File Report, 98-617. 

Getting Started in Hydrocarbon Fluid Isotopes; A Compendium of Influential Papers: Dolan M.P., Compilation, AAPG Getting Started Series No. 14., 2008 AAPG/Datapages, Tulsa, OK.