The Eagle Ford Group is one of the most complex clastic units in the East Texas basin. At the type locality in Dallas County, Texas, the Eagle Ford consists of 400 ft of bluish-black, carbonaceous clay-shale, subdivided into the Tarrant, Britton, and Arcadia Park Formations. The Eagle Ford thickens to over 900 ft eastward into the basin. This thickening is due to the acquisition of sand bodies within the Britton, Arcadia Park, and sub-Clarksville (which occurs above the Arcadia Park) Formations. The individual formations of the Eagle Ford change in thickness and character throughout the basin, apparently as result of different depositional regimes.

Significant petroleum reserves have been produced from the sub-Clarksville formation in the East Texas basin. However, no exploration for petroleum that could be present in the sands found in the Britton and Arcadia Park Formations has occurred to date. Application of refined depositional models for the various formation suggests new possible exploration targets.

Geochemical analysis of the Eagle Ford Group throughout the basin suggests that the Eagle Ford shales may be a major source-rock for petroleum in Austin, Eagle Ford, Woodbine, and possible Buda Formations. This study examines the nature, distribution, origin, and possible petroleum contributions of Eagle Ford rocks in the East Texas basin.

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