Abstract: A Search For Stratigraphically Trapped Hydrocarbons in the Lower Cretaceous of Fifteen Counties in South Texas

By

C. Richard Burnette

A search For stratigraphically trapped hydrocarbons was conducted in fifteen counties of South Texas over a period of three years. Thirty-one exploratory wells were drilled to the Sligo Formation. None of these exploratory efforts encountered commercial hydrocarbons

The primary area of exploration was the Lower Cretaceous shelf area of the Gulf Coast Basin. The main objective was the Cow Creek member of the Pearsall formation. The Cow Creek represents a beach and offshore bar complex along the shore lines of the Pearsall sea, and contains up to fifty feet of porous calcarenite. Other members of the Pearsall are the Bexar shale and La Pryor Limestone which overlie the Cow Creek and the Pine Island shale which underlies it.

The Pearsall represents the transgressive phase and stillstand of a cycle which began as the Sligo regression and ended as the Glen Rose regression.

Data gathered during the drilling program supports contention that the Lower Glen Rose reef section is another possible location of stratigraphic traps. The Lower Glen Rose is represented by a series of offlap rudistid reefs prograding in the Glen Rose sea.

A complete suite of electrical logs and approximately 9000 feet of core were taken during the drilling program.

End_of_Record - Last_Page 5---------------

Copyright © 2005 by Houston Geological Society. All rights reserved.