One of the main goals of the Gulf Coast Geologic Energy Assessments and Research (GEAR) project is to conduct assessments of undiscovered, technically recoverable petroleum resources of the U.S. Gulf Coast region. This goal is in accordance with the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) and is performed in collaboration with the USGS National Oil and Gas Assessment project. These high-quality, scientifically unbiased resource assessments provide crucial information to stakeholders and decision makers at the local, State, and Federal levels.
The hydrocarbon resource assessments in the U.S. Gulf Coast focus on the onshore and State waters portion of this region. The offshore Gulf of America basin outboard of the State-Federal boundary is within the purview of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. These geologic-based quantitative assessments use different methodologies for conventional and continuous oil and gas accumulations. Conventional oil and gas accumulations develop through migration of generated hydrocarbons into a porous and permeable rock unit, while continuous accumulations are regional accumulations of oil and/or gas that are dispersed throughout the matrix of the host rock unit.
Listed below are USGS publications related to the most recent assessments results for the Gulf Coast. Access to supporting data can be found by click on the ‘Data’ tab above. A summary of associated research within the Gulf Coast GEAR project and resulting publications can be found on the Gulf Coast GEAR Research page.
Recent Assessments
- 2024 Haynesville Formation Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2024 Lower Cretaceous Hosston and Travis Peak Formations Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2023 Escondido, Olmos, and San Miguel Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2023 Norphlet Formation Conventional (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2022 Smackover Formation Conventional (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2022 Smackover Formation Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2021 Deep Tuscaloosa Group Sandstones Conventional (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2019 Austin Chalk and Tokio and Eutaw Formations Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2018 Eagle Ford Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2018 Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2017 Bossier Formation Conventional and Continuous (Open File Report, Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial Data, Input data)
- 2017 Downdip Paleogene Conventional (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2016 Haynesville Formation Conventional and Continuous (Open File Report, Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial Data, Input data)
- 2016 South Florida Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2015 Cotton Valley Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial Data)
Previous Assessments (select publications):
- 2011 Eagle Ford Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet)
- 2010 Austin Chalk Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet)
- 2010 Jurassic and Cretaceous Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial Data)
- 2007 Tuscaloosa and Woodbine Formations Conventional (Fact Sheet)
- 2007 Tertiary Strata Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial Data)
- 2003 Navarro and Taylor Groups (Fact Sheet, Geologic Report, Assessment Unit Spatial Data)
- 2002 Cotton Valley Group and Travis Peak and Hosston Formations (Cotton Valley Fact Sheet, Travis Peak and Hosston Fact Sheet, Geologic Report)
- 2000 South Florida Basin Conventional and Continuous (Digital Data Series Report)
- 1995 Assessment of Western Gulf and East Texas Basin & Louisiana-Mississippi Salt Basins
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
USGS Gulf Coast Petroleum Systems and National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Projects-Louisiana-Mississippi Salt Basins and Western Gulf Provinces, Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Assessment Unit Boundaries and Assessment Input Data Forms USGS Gulf Coast Petroleum Systems and National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Projects-Louisiana-Mississippi Salt Basins and Western Gulf Provinces, Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Assessment Unit Boundaries and Assessment Input Data Forms
Petroleum geology data from Cenozoic rock samples in the eastern U.S. Gulf Coast collected 2014 to 2016 Petroleum geology data from Cenozoic rock samples in the eastern U.S. Gulf Coast collected 2014 to 2016
USGS Gulf Coast Petroleum Systems, and National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Projects - USGS Province 50 Assessment Unit Boundaries and Assessment Input Forms USGS Gulf Coast Petroleum Systems, and National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Projects - USGS Province 50 Assessment Unit Boundaries and Assessment Input Forms
Petroleum geology data from Mesozoic rock samples in the eastern U.S. Gulf Coast collected 2011 to 2017 Petroleum geology data from Mesozoic rock samples in the eastern U.S. Gulf Coast collected 2011 to 2017
Below are publications associated with this project.
Assessment of oil and gas resources in the Upper Jurassic Haynesville and Bossier Formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016 Assessment of oil and gas resources in the Upper Jurassic Haynesville and Bossier Formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016
U.S. Geological Survey input-data forms for the assessment of the Upper Jurassic Haynesville Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016 U.S. Geological Survey input-data forms for the assessment of the Upper Jurassic Haynesville Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016
U.S. Geological Survey input-data forms for the assessment of the Upper Jurassic Bossier Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016 U.S. Geological Survey input-data forms for the assessment of the Upper Jurassic Bossier Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016
Assessment of undiscovered continuous oil and gas resources in the Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa marine shale of the U.S. Gulf Coast, 2018 Assessment of undiscovered continuous oil and gas resources in the Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa marine shale of the U.S. Gulf Coast, 2018
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Eagle Ford Group and associated Cenomanian–Turonian Strata, U.S. Gulf Coast, Texas, 2018 Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Eagle Ford Group and associated Cenomanian–Turonian Strata, U.S. Gulf Coast, Texas, 2018
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the downdip Paleogene formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2017 Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the downdip Paleogene formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2017
Geologic characterization of the hydrocarbon resource potential of the Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa marine shale in Mississippi and Louisiana, U.S.A. Geologic characterization of the hydrocarbon resource potential of the Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa marine shale in Mississippi and Louisiana, U.S.A.
Geologic assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the Lower Paleogene Midway and Wilcox Groups, and the Carrizo Sand of the Claiborne Group, of the Northern Gulf coast region Geologic assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the Lower Paleogene Midway and Wilcox Groups, and the Carrizo Sand of the Claiborne Group, of the Northern Gulf coast region
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Bossier Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016 Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Bossier Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Haynesville Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016 Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Haynesville Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016
Geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources—Lower Cretaceous Albian to Upper Cretaceous Cenomanian carbonate rocks of the Fredericksburg and Washita Groups, United States Gulf of Mexico Coastal Plain and State Waters Geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources—Lower Cretaceous Albian to Upper Cretaceous Cenomanian carbonate rocks of the Fredericksburg and Washita Groups, United States Gulf of Mexico Coastal Plain and State Waters
Geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Albian Clastic and Updip Albian Clastic Assessment Units, U.S. Gulf Coast Region Geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Albian Clastic and Updip Albian Clastic Assessment Units, U.S. Gulf Coast Region
Below are news stories associated with this project.
One of the main goals of the Gulf Coast Geologic Energy Assessments and Research (GEAR) project is to conduct assessments of undiscovered, technically recoverable petroleum resources of the U.S. Gulf Coast region. This goal is in accordance with the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) and is performed in collaboration with the USGS National Oil and Gas Assessment project. These high-quality, scientifically unbiased resource assessments provide crucial information to stakeholders and decision makers at the local, State, and Federal levels.
The hydrocarbon resource assessments in the U.S. Gulf Coast focus on the onshore and State waters portion of this region. The offshore Gulf of America basin outboard of the State-Federal boundary is within the purview of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. These geologic-based quantitative assessments use different methodologies for conventional and continuous oil and gas accumulations. Conventional oil and gas accumulations develop through migration of generated hydrocarbons into a porous and permeable rock unit, while continuous accumulations are regional accumulations of oil and/or gas that are dispersed throughout the matrix of the host rock unit.
Listed below are USGS publications related to the most recent assessments results for the Gulf Coast. Access to supporting data can be found by click on the ‘Data’ tab above. A summary of associated research within the Gulf Coast GEAR project and resulting publications can be found on the Gulf Coast GEAR Research page.
Recent Assessments
- 2024 Haynesville Formation Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2024 Lower Cretaceous Hosston and Travis Peak Formations Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2023 Escondido, Olmos, and San Miguel Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2023 Norphlet Formation Conventional (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2022 Smackover Formation Conventional (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2022 Smackover Formation Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2021 Deep Tuscaloosa Group Sandstones Conventional (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2019 Austin Chalk and Tokio and Eutaw Formations Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2018 Eagle Ford Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2018 Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2017 Bossier Formation Conventional and Continuous (Open File Report, Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial Data, Input data)
- 2017 Downdip Paleogene Conventional (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2016 Haynesville Formation Conventional and Continuous (Open File Report, Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial Data, Input data)
- 2016 South Florida Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial and Input Data)
- 2015 Cotton Valley Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial Data)
Previous Assessments (select publications):
- 2011 Eagle Ford Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet)
- 2010 Austin Chalk Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet)
- 2010 Jurassic and Cretaceous Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial Data)
- 2007 Tuscaloosa and Woodbine Formations Conventional (Fact Sheet)
- 2007 Tertiary Strata Conventional and Continuous (Fact Sheet, Assessment Unit Spatial Data)
- 2003 Navarro and Taylor Groups (Fact Sheet, Geologic Report, Assessment Unit Spatial Data)
- 2002 Cotton Valley Group and Travis Peak and Hosston Formations (Cotton Valley Fact Sheet, Travis Peak and Hosston Fact Sheet, Geologic Report)
- 2000 South Florida Basin Conventional and Continuous (Digital Data Series Report)
- 1995 Assessment of Western Gulf and East Texas Basin & Louisiana-Mississippi Salt Basins
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
USGS Gulf Coast Petroleum Systems and National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Projects-Louisiana-Mississippi Salt Basins and Western Gulf Provinces, Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Assessment Unit Boundaries and Assessment Input Data Forms USGS Gulf Coast Petroleum Systems and National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Projects-Louisiana-Mississippi Salt Basins and Western Gulf Provinces, Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Assessment Unit Boundaries and Assessment Input Data Forms
Petroleum geology data from Cenozoic rock samples in the eastern U.S. Gulf Coast collected 2014 to 2016 Petroleum geology data from Cenozoic rock samples in the eastern U.S. Gulf Coast collected 2014 to 2016
USGS Gulf Coast Petroleum Systems, and National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Projects - USGS Province 50 Assessment Unit Boundaries and Assessment Input Forms USGS Gulf Coast Petroleum Systems, and National and Global Oil and Gas Assessment Projects - USGS Province 50 Assessment Unit Boundaries and Assessment Input Forms
Petroleum geology data from Mesozoic rock samples in the eastern U.S. Gulf Coast collected 2011 to 2017 Petroleum geology data from Mesozoic rock samples in the eastern U.S. Gulf Coast collected 2011 to 2017
Below are publications associated with this project.
Assessment of oil and gas resources in the Upper Jurassic Haynesville and Bossier Formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016 Assessment of oil and gas resources in the Upper Jurassic Haynesville and Bossier Formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016
U.S. Geological Survey input-data forms for the assessment of the Upper Jurassic Haynesville Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016 U.S. Geological Survey input-data forms for the assessment of the Upper Jurassic Haynesville Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016
U.S. Geological Survey input-data forms for the assessment of the Upper Jurassic Bossier Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016 U.S. Geological Survey input-data forms for the assessment of the Upper Jurassic Bossier Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016
Assessment of undiscovered continuous oil and gas resources in the Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa marine shale of the U.S. Gulf Coast, 2018 Assessment of undiscovered continuous oil and gas resources in the Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa marine shale of the U.S. Gulf Coast, 2018
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Eagle Ford Group and associated Cenomanian–Turonian Strata, U.S. Gulf Coast, Texas, 2018 Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Eagle Ford Group and associated Cenomanian–Turonian Strata, U.S. Gulf Coast, Texas, 2018
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the downdip Paleogene formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2017 Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the downdip Paleogene formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2017
Geologic characterization of the hydrocarbon resource potential of the Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa marine shale in Mississippi and Louisiana, U.S.A. Geologic characterization of the hydrocarbon resource potential of the Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa marine shale in Mississippi and Louisiana, U.S.A.
Geologic assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the Lower Paleogene Midway and Wilcox Groups, and the Carrizo Sand of the Claiborne Group, of the Northern Gulf coast region Geologic assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the Lower Paleogene Midway and Wilcox Groups, and the Carrizo Sand of the Claiborne Group, of the Northern Gulf coast region
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Bossier Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016 Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Bossier Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Haynesville Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016 Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Haynesville Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016
Geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources—Lower Cretaceous Albian to Upper Cretaceous Cenomanian carbonate rocks of the Fredericksburg and Washita Groups, United States Gulf of Mexico Coastal Plain and State Waters Geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources—Lower Cretaceous Albian to Upper Cretaceous Cenomanian carbonate rocks of the Fredericksburg and Washita Groups, United States Gulf of Mexico Coastal Plain and State Waters
Geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Albian Clastic and Updip Albian Clastic Assessment Units, U.S. Gulf Coast Region Geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Albian Clastic and Updip Albian Clastic Assessment Units, U.S. Gulf Coast Region
Below are news stories associated with this project.