diff --git a/acceptance/18-osutil-authentication.go b/acceptance/18-osutil-authentication.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..936f376
--- /dev/null
+++ b/acceptance/18-osutil-authentication.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"github.com/rackspace/gophercloud"
+	"github.com/rackspace/gophercloud/osutil"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	provider, authOptions, err := osutil.AuthOptions()
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	_, err = gophercloud.Authenticate(provider, authOptions)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/osutil/auth.go b/osutil/auth.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4a05db3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osutil/auth.go
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+package osutil
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/rackspace/gophercloud"
+	"os"
+)
+
+var (
+	nilOptions = gophercloud.AuthOptions{}
+
+	// ErrNoAuthUrl errors occur when the value of the OS_AUTH_URL environment variable cannot be determined.
+	ErrNoAuthUrl  = fmt.Errorf("Environment variable OS_AUTH_URL needs to be set.")
+
+	// ErrNoUsername errors occur when the value of the OS_USERNAME environment variable cannot be determined.
+	ErrNoUsername = fmt.Errorf("Environment variable OS_USERNAME needs to be set.")
+
+	// ErrNoPassword errors occur when the value of the OS_PASSWORD environment variable cannot be determined.
+	ErrNoPassword = fmt.Errorf("Environment variable OS_PASSWORD or OS_API_KEY needs to be set.")
+)
+
+// AuthOptions fills out a gophercloud.AuthOptions structure with the settings found on the various OpenStack
+// OS_* environment variables.  The following variables provide sources of truth: OS_AUTH_URL, OS_USERNAME,
+// OS_PASSWORD, OS_TENANT_ID, and OS_TENANT_NAME.  Of these, OS_USERNAME, OS_PASSWORD, and OS_AUTH_URL must
+// have settings, or an error will result.  OS_TENANT_ID and OS_TENANT_NAME are optional.
+//
+// The value of OS_AUTH_URL will be returned directly to the caller, for subsequent use in
+// gophercloud.Authenticate()'s Provider parameter.  This function will not interpret the value of OS_AUTH_URL,
+// so as a convenient extention, you may set OS_AUTH_URL to, e.g., "rackspace-uk", or any other Gophercloud-recognized
+// provider shortcuts.  For broad compatibility, especially with local installations, you should probably
+// avoid the temptation to do this.
+func AuthOptions() (string, gophercloud.AuthOptions, error) {
+	provider := os.Getenv("OS_AUTH_URL")
+	username := os.Getenv("OS_USERNAME")
+	password := os.Getenv("OS_PASSWORD")
+	tenantId := os.Getenv("OS_TENANT_ID")
+	tenantName := os.Getenv("OS_TENANT_NAME")
+
+	if provider == "" {
+		return "", nilOptions, ErrNoAuthUrl
+	}
+
+	if username == "" {
+		return "", nilOptions, ErrNoUsername
+	}
+
+	if password == "" && apiKey == "" {
+		return "", nilOptions, ErrNoPassword
+	}
+
+	ao := gophercloud.AuthOptions{
+		Username:   username,
+		Password:   password,
+		TenantId:   tenantId,
+		TenantName: tenantName,
+	}
+
+	return provider, ao, nil
+}
diff --git a/osutil/region.go b/osutil/region.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31288df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osutil/region.go
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package osutil
+
+import "os"
+
+// Region provides a means of querying the OS_REGION_NAME environment variable.
+// At present, you may also use os.Getenv("OS_REGION_NAME") as well.
+func Region() string {
+	return os.Getenv("OS_REGION_NAME")
+}
+