Correlation of Cenozoic Sediments, Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf: Galveston Area, Offshore Texas, to Vermilion Area, Offshore Louisiana

W. E. Sweet, J. C. Reed, C. L. Leyendecker, A. S. Khan

In the Gulf of Mexico outer continental shelf (OCS) region, detailed stratigraphic correlations have been made of the Texas/Louisiana OCS for the past several years as a part of the geological and geophysical effort included in the Resource Evaluation Program. The results of these studies will be published in a series of atlases.

The Gulf of Mexico was divided into three study areas. Part I extends from the Galveston area, offshore Texas, to the Vermilion area, offshore Louisiana. Part II extends down the Texas Coast to the Port Isabel area. Part III extends from the Vermilion area eastward beyond the Main Pass area. Other parts in the series are contemplated for the eastern gulf and the deep-water areas.

The study area for part I, Galveston through Vermilion, was selected because it is centrally located and includes parts of most of the productive trends on the federal OCS. It also includes a stratigraphically complex region characterized by the transition from the deltaic sedimentary sequences of the central Gulf of Mexico OCS to the offshore bar facies of the western Gulf of Mexico.

The primary objective of this investigation is to establish a regional stratigraphic correlation grid including all major productive intervals based on electric logs, and seismic and paleontologic data. Twenty-six stratigraphic horizons have been identified and regionally correlated.

The correlations of regional markers are presented on both electric log (geologic) cross sections and on seismic sections that closely parallel the geologic cross sections. The regional markers correlated on the electric logs were projected onto nearby seismic sections and correlated from well to well to verify the accuracy of the electric-log correlations. Time-depth values were calculated from borehole velocity surveys or integrated sonic logs.

This atlas is designed to advance the geologic knowledge and understanding of the regional stratigraphy of the Texas-Louisiana OCS and to serve as a catalyst for further detailed studies.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91043©1986 AAPG Annual Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, June 15-18, 1986.