Print this pageOverview of the Wilcox, a Unique Group in Louisiana
Douglas Carlson and Thomas Van Biersel
Louisiana Geological Survey – Louisiana State University,
3079 Energy, Coast and Environment Bldg., Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
ABSTRACT
The Wilcox Group (Wilcox) is an as important source of economic resources from the subcrop region in northwestern Louisiana to the deep seated formation in southern Louisiana. The Eocene Wilcox, is composed of interbedded sand, silt, and clay stratum dipping southward across Louisiana. Its thickness increases southward from several hundred ft thick in northwest Louisiana to several thousand ft thick in southern Louisiana.
The Wilcox is an important source of freshwater, lignite, petroleum, and natural gas. It is the main source of groundwater
for Bossier, Caddo, De Soto, Red River, and Sabine parishes in northwest Louisiana. Lignite seams are present in the Wilcox, but are generally too
thin to be profitable to mine, with the exception of a 6 ft thick seam in De Soto Parish, which is economically mined at the Dolet Hills Mine. Farther
south, in central Louisiana (Caldwell, Catahoula, Franklin, Grant, LaSalle, and Winn parishes), coalbed methane gas is a source of energy extracted from
wells drilled into the lignite rich stratum. In addition, the Wilcox has been a source of petroleum since the 1930s in Avoyelles, Caldwell, Catahoula,
Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Rapides, and Winn parishes. Still further southward (Allen, Beauregard, Evangeline, Livingston, and Pointe Coupee parishes),
the Wilcox is a source of natural gas. In summary, the Wilcox Group is the only group in Louisiana that is a combined source of freshwater, natural
gas, lignite, and petroleum.
Carlson, D., and T. Van Biersel, 2009, Overview of the Wilcox, a unique group in Louisiana: Gulf Coast Association of
Geological Societies Transactions, v. 59, p. 183-197.
AAPG Search and Discover Article #90093 © 2009 GCAGS 59th Annual Meeting, Shreveport, Louisiana