Core Samples Studied for Enhanced Production in East Texas

Core samples for research can provide a wealth of information for both producers and researchers seeking to unearth information regarding the production potential of a specific geographic area. Case in point: The Bureau of Economic Geology, part of the University of Texas system, is currently studying core samples that were removed from an East Texas field in the 1930s. The samples reflect a rich black color that is certainly indicative of the vast amounts of oil that have been struck in the region. To date, the East Texas field has produced more than 5 million barrels of crude oil.

Researchers are now studying the core samples to determine how enhanced oil recovery techniques might produce even more life from what has already been a very profitable field. The process is not unlike the one that was used in order to open up what has now become the booming Eagle Ford Shale field. In the case of the Eagle Ford Shale field, geologists utilized cuttings and core samples retrieved from the field in order to evaluate the best methods for accessing the oil and gas trapped within the field.