Modeling the Structural Evolution of East Texas Based Upon Interpretation of Regional 2-D Seismic Lines

Pearson, Ofori N.; Miller, John J.

The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Energy Resources Program is involved in an ongoing effort to characterize the petroleum systems in basins around the world. In 2010, the USGS completed an assessment of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources for the onshore coastal plain and State waters of the U.S. Gulf Coast. Research on the framework geology of the Gulf Coast basin continues in an effort to refine geologic models for the accumulation of oil and gas resources. As part of this effort, four regional composite 2-D seismic lines from east Texas have been interpreted in order to examine both the evolution of structural traps and the burial history of petroleum source rocks. The four composite seismic lines run roughly north-south and are approximately 30 to 50 km apart. The northern ends of the composite lines are near the Texas - Oklahoma State line, and the southern ends are near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The region's prominent structural features, including the Talco and Mount Enterprise fault zones, the East Texas salt basin, the Sabine uplift, the Angelina-Caldwell flexure, and the Houston diapir province are observable on the seismic lines. The location of these four composite lines permits an analysis of the along-strike lateral variation (or lack thereof) of these key structural elements in east Texas. Structural restorations based upon interpretations of these lines show the evolution of these key structural elements and document the genetic relationship between structural development and movement of the Jurassic Louann Salt.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90163©2013AAPG 2013 Annual Convention and Exhibition, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 19-22, 2013