The Fossil Energy component conducts approximately two-thirds of the current Bureau research effort. This component of the Bureau focuses on research involving energy resources, primarily oil and natural gas. It includes four Industrial Associates programs for basic research, as well as numerous sponsored-research projects funded by the State of Texas, the DOE, and individual companies or groups of companies.

Main areas of focus include salt tectonics, carbonate and clastic reservoir characterization, fracture characterization and prediction, multicomponent seismic applications, and basin analysis. We are noted for continuing to bring insight and innovation from outcrop studies to the evolving science of reservoir characterization. With 70% of in-place reserves typically remaining in the ground at the time of oil field abandonment, this research has enduring economic and societal importance.

Carbonates

Clastics

The diverse Geoscience and Environmental studies group conducts a wide range of basic and applied research in groundwater resources, vadose-zone hydrology, coastal studies, near-surface geophysics, and geologic mapping. We also have additional programs that relate energy and the environment, including our major initiative in sequestration of greenhouse gases. The group investigates characteristics and processes of shallow Earth systems and impacts of human activities on those systems. Many of our projects address the needs of State and Federal agencies in Texas, although we conduct research in other states and in Latin America as well.

The Bureau owns and operates an airborne laser terrain mapping system (lidar) and a ground-based system, which provide unique opportunities for conducting research requiring lidar data. Our projects are well supported by appropriate hardware and advanced software for data analysis and modeling, and we apply related technologies in GIS, GPS, and remote sensing.

Coastal Studies

Desalination

Energy and Environment

Geologic Mapping

Sustainable Water Resources

Near-Surface Geophysics