Initiation of diapirs is one of the least understood aspects of salt tectonics. Sedimentary differential loading and erosion are both effective, but not universal, causes of diapir initiation.

Shorelines bordering the bays of Texas are generally not as dynamic as those along the Gulf of Mexico. Nevertheless, the predominantly erosional movement of these bay shorelines translates to large losses of wetlands, arable uplands, and recreational and residential property.

Discovery of volcanic glass detritus in fluvial deposits of the middle Frio Formation (Seeligson and Stratton fields) of South Texas has resulted in a new classification of reservoir types (type I and type II) within this formation.

In a five-county area of South Texas, geopressured-geothermal reservoirs in the Paleocene-Eocene Wilcox Group lie below medium- to heavy-oil reservoirs in the Eocene Jackson Group. This fortuitous association suggests the use of geothermal fluids for thermally enhanced oil recovery (TEOR).

Formation evaluation in heterogeneous carbonate reservoirs is complicated by the presence of multiple pore types. Acoustic properties, Archie cementation exponents, and permeability transforms differ according to pore type.