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.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Chapter 3. Tabular data and graphical images in support of the U.S. Geological Survey National Oil and Gas Assessment--East Texas basin and Louisiana-Mississippi salt basins provinces, Jurassic Smackover Interior salt basins total petroleum system (504902 Chapter 3. Tabular data and graphical images in support of the U.S. Geological Survey National Oil and Gas Assessment--East Texas basin and Louisiana-Mississippi salt basins provinces, Jurassic Smackover Interior salt basins total petroleum system (504902
2003 assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Upper Cretaceous Navarro and Taylor Groups, Western Gulf Province, Gulf Coast region, Texas 2003 assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Upper Cretaceous Navarro and Taylor Groups, Western Gulf Province, Gulf Coast region, Texas
2002 assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Jurassic-Cretaceous Cotton Valley Group, Jurassic Smackover Interior Salt Basins Total Petroleum System, in the Louisiana-Mississippi Salt Basins Province of the northern Gulf Coast Region 2002 assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Jurassic-Cretaceous Cotton Valley Group, Jurassic Smackover Interior Salt Basins Total Petroleum System, in the Louisiana-Mississippi Salt Basins Province of the northern Gulf Coast Region
Potential for deep basin-centered gas accumulation in Travis Peak (Hosston) Formation, Gulf Coast Basin, U.S.A. Potential for deep basin-centered gas accumulation in Travis Peak (Hosston) Formation, Gulf Coast Basin, U.S.A.
Petroleum systems and assessment of the South Florida Basin Petroleum systems and assessment of the South Florida Basin
1995 National Assessment of United States oil and gas resources: Results, methodology, and supporting data 1995 National Assessment of United States oil and gas resources: Results, methodology, and supporting data
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.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Chapter 3. Tabular data and graphical images in support of the U.S. Geological Survey National Oil and Gas Assessment--East Texas basin and Louisiana-Mississippi salt basins provinces, Jurassic Smackover Interior salt basins total petroleum system (504902 Chapter 3. Tabular data and graphical images in support of the U.S. Geological Survey National Oil and Gas Assessment--East Texas basin and Louisiana-Mississippi salt basins provinces, Jurassic Smackover Interior salt basins total petroleum system (504902
2003 assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Upper Cretaceous Navarro and Taylor Groups, Western Gulf Province, Gulf Coast region, Texas 2003 assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Upper Cretaceous Navarro and Taylor Groups, Western Gulf Province, Gulf Coast region, Texas
2002 assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Jurassic-Cretaceous Cotton Valley Group, Jurassic Smackover Interior Salt Basins Total Petroleum System, in the Louisiana-Mississippi Salt Basins Province of the northern Gulf Coast Region 2002 assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Jurassic-Cretaceous Cotton Valley Group, Jurassic Smackover Interior Salt Basins Total Petroleum System, in the Louisiana-Mississippi Salt Basins Province of the northern Gulf Coast Region
Potential for deep basin-centered gas accumulation in Travis Peak (Hosston) Formation, Gulf Coast Basin, U.S.A. Potential for deep basin-centered gas accumulation in Travis Peak (Hosston) Formation, Gulf Coast Basin, U.S.A.
Petroleum systems and assessment of the South Florida Basin Petroleum systems and assessment of the South Florida Basin
1995 National Assessment of United States oil and gas resources: Results, methodology, and supporting data 1995 National Assessment of United States oil and gas resources: Results, methodology, and supporting data
Below are news stories associated with this project.