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Stanley T. Paxton

Publications and source records attributed to Stanley T. Paxton.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2026

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Bossier Formation within the onshore United States and State waters of the Gulf Coast Region, 2025

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 3 million barrels of oil and 343.5 trillion cubic feet of gas in reservoirs of the Bossier Formation within the onshore United States and State waters of the Gulf Coast region.

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi↗
USGS2026

Assessment of water and proppant quantities associated with hydrocarbon production from the Haynesville Formation within the onshore United States and State waters of the Gulf Coast Basin, 2024

Building on a geology-based assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable hydrocarbon resources within the Haynesville Formation, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated the water and proppant necessary for development of the remaining resources associated with the Haynesville Sabine Uplift Continuous Gas Assessment Unit. Additionally, projections have been made on the volume of wastewater expected as a byproduct of possible future development. This fact sheet presents an overview of the methodology, along with the inputs and results of the Haynesville water and proppant assessment.

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi↗
USGS2025

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Haynesville Formation within the onshore United States and State waters of the Gulf Coast Basin, 2024

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 152 million barrels of oil and 47.9 trillion cubic feet of gas in reservoirs of the Haynesville Formation within the onshore United States and State waters of the Gulf Coast Basin.

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi↗
USGS2025

Exploring Martian geothermal and liquid water potential with basin modeling

Assessing the potential for geothermal energy and liquid water presence in the Martian subsurface is crucial for future exploration and habitability studies. In this work, we employed comprehensive finite element model simulations adapted specifically for Martian conditions to estimate subsurface temperatures and the potential for liquid water at depth within Martian crater basins. Rock and fluid property values for basin fill were carefully adjusted to match Martian gravity, radiogenic heat generation, and compositional characteristics derived from rover analyses, Martian meteorite samples, and orbital spectroscopy data. Multiple modeling scenarios were explored to systematically evaluate end-member cases across critical variables such as heat flow, lithological composition, and average surface temperature. Sensitivity testing revealed that heat flow and average annual surface temperatures are the most important variables. Results were used in calculations based on a database of Martian craters to estimate the temperature of crater fill at depth. Our model results indicate significant potential for sustained liquid water in the subsurface within sedimentary deposits across a range of crater sizes and latitudes. They further suggest that viable geothermal reservoirs likely exist and are potentially accessible for future Martian missions seeking energy sources or exploring astrobiological hypotheses. This study provides a methodological framework for geothermal and hydrological assessments for the subsurface of Mars, contributing to ongoing planetary exploration strategies.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2025

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Lower Cretaceous Hosston and Travis Peak Formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2024

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 28 million barrels of oil and 35.8 trillion cubic feet of gas in conventional and continuous accumulations within the Lower Cretaceous Hosston and Travis Peak Formations of the onshore U.S. Gulf Coast region.

Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi↗
USGS2025

Geologic models underpinning the 2024 U.S. Geological Survey assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Hosston and Travis Peak Formations of the onshore Gulf Coast region, U.S.A.

The Early Cretaceous (Berriasian–Hauterivian) Hosston Formation in Louisiana and eastward is time correlative to the Travis Peak Formation of Texas and southern Arkansas. The formation is a first-order clastic sequence with a regional carbonate transgressive surface as an upper contact. The Hosston and Travis Peak formations contain conventional natural gas and oil accumulations that have been produced for nearly a century. These mature reservoirs contain terrigenous fluvial-deltaic, shore-zone, and paralic deposits across the productive trend; organic-lean mudstone and siltstone lithologies are found outboard of the Lower Cretaceous shelf margin. Producing reservoirs exhibit normal pressure gradients from 0.43 to 0.55 psi/ft (9.7 to 12.4 kpa/m), depths from 4000 to over 20,000 ft (1220 to 6100 m), and temperatures from 150 to 385°F (65 to 196°C). Wells are primarily vertical completions. The number of new field wildcats has been declining since the late 1990s. This paper presents comprehensive geologic models, which include lithofacies maps, structure and isopach maps, burial history models, regional seismic interpretations, and events charts that underpin the recently completed U.S. Geological Survey assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable hydrocarbons within the Hosston and Travis Peak formations. This study also provides geographic and stratigraphic distributions of Hosston–Travis Peak reservoir properties, including geopressure, reservoir temperature, porosity, permeability, API gravity, and gas-oil ratios. Results indicate estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 28 million barrels of oil and 35.8 trillion cubic ft of gas in conventional and continuous accumulations within the Lower Cretaceous Hosston and Travis Peak formations of the onshore U.S. Gulf Coast region. Quantitative assessment results are detailed in U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2025–3021 and associated Data Release.

GCAGS Journal↗
USGS2024

Assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable conventional oil and gas resources in the Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2022

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 143 million barrels of oil and 1,084 billion cubic feet of natural gas in conventional accumulations for the Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation in the onshore U.S. Gulf Coast region.

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi↗
USGS2022

Geologic models underpinning the 2018 US Geological Survey assessment of hydrocarbon resources in the Eagle Ford Group and associated Cenomanian–Turonian strata, United States Gulf Coast, Texas

The availability of new geologic and production data has greatly increased since 2010, when the US Geological Survey (USGS) last assessed undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in the Cenomanian–Turonian (CT) Eagle Ford Group (EFG) across Texas. This new information facilitated an updated assessment of undiscovered continuous oil and gas resources in the Eagle Ford and associated CT strata. Literature and USGS research data were used to build the geologic models for the assessment units (AUs). The USGS defined six continuous AUs within the EFG: (1) Eagle Ford Marl Continuous Oil, (2) Eagle Ford Marl Continuous Gas, (3) Submarine Plateau-Karnes Trough Continuous Oil, (4) Submarine Plateau-Karnes Trough Continuous Gas, (5) CT Mudstone Continuous Oil, and (6) CT Mudstone Continuous Gas. An additional AU, the CT Slope Continuous Gas AU, was defined but not quantitatively assessed. The boundaries of these AUs were defined by thickness, lithofacies, thermal maturity, regional geology, and the spatial distribution of productive fairways. The resulting total mean estimates for undiscovered, technically recoverable resources for these six AUs are 8.5 billion bbl of oil and 66 trillion ft 3 of gas. These results for both oil and gas resources are within the top five volumes of previously assessed continuous accumulations in the United States and attest to the importance of the EFG and associated CT strata as a significant source of petroleum well into the future.

Texas↗
USGS2021

Multimineral petrophysics of thermally immature Eagle Ford Group and Cretaceous mudstones, U.S. Geological Survey Gulf Coast 1 research wellbore in central Texas

Traditional petrophysical methods to evaluate organic richness and mineralogy using gamma-ray and resistivity log responses are not diagnostic in source rocks. We have developed a deterministic, nonproprietary method to quantify formation variability in total organic carbon (TOC) and three key mudrock mineralogical components of nonhydrocarbon-bearing source rock strata of the Eagle Ford Group by developing a set of log-derived multimineral models calibrated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy core data from the research borehole U.S. Geological Survey Gulf Coast 1 West Woodway. We determined that bulk density response is a reliable indicator of organic content in these thermally immature, water-bearing source rocks. Multimineral findings indicate that a high degree of laminae-scale mineralogical heterogeneity exists due to thinly interbedded carbonate cements amid clay-rich mudstone layers. The lower part of the Eagle Ford Group contains the highest average TOC content (4.7 wt%) and the highest average carbonate volume (64.1 vol%), making it the optimal target in thermally mature areas for source-rock potential and hydraulic-fracture placement. In contrast, the uppermost portion of the Eagle Ford Group contains the highest average volume of clay minerals (42.6 vol%), which increases the potential for wellbore stability issues. Petrophysical characterization reveals that porosity is approximately 30% in this relatively uncompacted formation. In this thermally immature source rock, water saturation is nearly 100% and no free hydrocarbons were observed on the resistivity logs. No evidence of borehole ellipticity was observed on the three-arm caliper log, and horizontal stresses are presumed to be directionally uniform in the vicinity of this near-surface wellbore. This shallow wellbore has a temperature gradient of 1.87°F/100 ft (16.3°C/km) and is likely influenced by earth surface heating.

Texas↗
USGS2020

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Upper Cretaceous Austin Chalk and Tokio and Eutaw Formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2019

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 6.9 billion barrels of oil and 41.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in conventional and continuous accumulations in the Upper Cretaceous Austin Chalk and Tokio and Eutaw Formations onshore and in State waters of the U.S. Gulf Coast region.

Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahom↗
USGS2020

Assessment of water and proppant quantities associated with petroleum production from the Eagle Ford Group, Gulf Coast, Texas, 2019

Building on a geology-based assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable petroleum resources in the Eagle Ford Group in south Texas, the U.S. Geological Survey has estimated the required water and proppant demands and formation water production volumes associated with possible future development of these petroleum resources. The results of the water and proppant assessment are presented here, along with related drilling information and relevant water budget volumes for the region.

Texas↗
USGS2018

U.S. Geological Survey input-data forms for the assessment of the Upper Jurassic Haynesville Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016

Introduction In 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an updated assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in the Upper Jurassic Haynesville Formation of the onshore U.S. Gulf Coast Province (Paxton and others, 2017). The Haynesville Formation was assessed using both the standard continuous (unconventional) and conventional methodologies established by the USGS for four assessment units (AUs): (1) Haynesville Western Shelf Carbonate Gas and Oil AU, (2) Haynesville Eastern Shelf Sandstone and Carbonate Oil and Gas AU, (3) Haynesville Shale Continuous Gas AU, and (4) Haynesville Shale Peripheral Continuous Gas AU. The revised assessment resulted in total estimated mean resources of 1.1 billion barrels of oil, 195.8 trillion cubic feet of gas, and 866 million barrels of natural gas liquids. The purpose of this report is to provide supplemental documentation of the input parameters used in the USGS 2016 Haynesville Formation assessment.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2018

U.S. Geological Survey input-data forms for the assessment of the Upper Jurassic Bossier Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016

Introduction In 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an updated assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in the Upper Jurassic Bossier Formation of the onshore U.S. Gulf Coast Province (Paxton and others, 2017). The Bossier Formation was assessed using both the standard continuous (unconventional) and conventional methodologies established by the USGS for three assessment units (AUs): (1) Bossier Eastern Shelf Sandstone Gas and Oil AU, (2) Bossier Western Shelf Sandstone Gas AU, and (3) Bossier Shale Continuous Gas AU. A fourth assessment unit, the Upper Jurassic Downdip Continuous Gas AU, was also defined but was not quantitatively assessed because of limited well data within the extent of the AU. The revised assessment resulted in total estimated mean resources of 2.9 billion barrels of oil, 108.6 trillion cubic feet of gas, and 1.1 billion barrels of natural gas liquids. The purpose of this report is to provide supplemental documentation of the input parameters used in the USGS 2016 Bossier Formation assessment.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2018

Assessment of oil and gas resources in the Upper Jurassic Haynesville and Bossier Formations, U.S. Gulf Coast, 2016

The U.S. Geological Survey completed a geology-based assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in the Haynesville and Bossier Formations of the onshore and State waters portion of the U.S. Gulf Coast region. Haynesville Formation conventional oil and gas production began in the late 1930s, whereas Bossier Formation production began in the early 1970s. Production of continuous gas resources from both formations began in 2006–7. Most of the current activity is focused on natural gas production from Haynesville and Bossier shales using horizontal wells and hydraulic fracturing. In 2016, t he U.S. Geological Survey assessed technically recoverable mean resources of 4 billion barrels of oil and 304.4 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Haynesville and Bossier Formations of the onshore and State waters portion of the U.S. Gulf Coast region.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2018

Assessment of undiscovered continuous oil and gas resources in the Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa marine shale of the U.S. Gulf Coast, 2018

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey assessed mean undiscovered, technically recoverable continuous resources of 1.5 billion barrels of oil and 4.6 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa marine shale in onshore and State waters of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.

Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa Marine Shale↗
USGS2018

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Eagle Ford Group and associated Cenomanian–Turonian Strata, U.S. Gulf Coast, Texas, 2018

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 8.5 billion barrels of oil and 66 trillion cubic feet of gas in continuous accumulations in the Upper Cretaceous Eagle Ford Group and associated Cenomanian–Turonian strata in onshore lands of the U.S. Gulf Coast region, Texas.

Louisiana, Texas↗