Core and Research Facilities

Austin Core Research Center

The Austin Core Research Center (CRC), located adjacent to Bureau headquarters, is the Bureau's main core repository for core and rock material donated to the University. More than 700,000 boxes of core and cuttings from wells drilled throughout Texas, the U.S., and the world are available at this facility for public viewing and research. Public facilities include core examination layout rooms and processing rooms for slabbing core. Nominal fees are charged to rent table space and to view core. Other services are available upon request.

Houston Research Center

Located on the west side of Houston, Texas, six miles north of I-10 and two miles south of U.S. Highway 290, this state-of-the-art climate-controlled facility is equipped to permanently store and curate over 900,000 boxes of geologic core and cuttings. The HRC complex has offices, laboratories, and a well-lit core layout room available for visiting scientists. There are also two conference rooms to accommodate guests attending short courses and seminars.

Midland Core Research Center

BEG will be permanently closing the Midland Core Research Center to the public effective November 1, 2024. Please direct any questions to BEG Facility Manager Nathan Ivicic at nathan.ivicic@beg.utexas.edu.

Devine Geophysical Test Site

The 100-acre Devine Geophysical Test Site is located less than 50 miles southwest of San Antonio, in Medina County, Texas. It is a state-of-the-art, public geophysical research facility for academia and industry, donated to the Bureau of Economic Geology by BP. The test site is used for surface-based seismic and field experiments performed in conjunction with downhole and crosswell experiments. To arrange a test or other utilization of the Devine Geophysical Test Site, contact Mohsen Ahmadian