Russell
Crouch
The
Goliad Formation is a
Pliocene coastal plain complex consisting of incised valley, meandering
fluvial, barrier island and beach, tidal delta, lagoon, and flood plain
deposits, where serves as a major aquifer in the Coastal Bend area of
Texas. The depositional environments
present in the Goliad Formation are similar to those of the modern
Texas Gulf
Coast. This study uses outcrop measured
sections and photomosaics, well logs, and core data to develop a series
of
strike and dip cross-sections through the Goliad Formation and to
develop a
series of time-slice paleogeographic maps showing the sedimentological
and
sequence stratigraphic evolution of the Pliocene coastline of Texas. In
addition, the reservoir quality (porosity, permeability, geometry,
internal
architecture, and continuity) of the sandy units will be accessed.
These data will provide valuable information about the
evolution of the Upper Tertiary Gulf Coast of Texas and, in addition,
will
provide the geological framework that will allow for more sophisticated
groundwater modelling of this important aquifer system.