OIL FIELDS OF THE TEXAS-LOUISIANA GULF 
COASTAL PLAIN. 
By C. W. Hayes and William Kennedy. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Immediately after the discovery of the Spindletop oil pool by Capt. 
A. F. Lucas in January, 1901, there was a widespread demand for 
information regarding the geology of the Gulf Coastal Plain in Texas 
and Louisiana. Very little was known concerning the formations 
underlying this region, for owing to the lack of exposures it had pre- 
sented an extremely uninviting field for investigation. It was 
believed that the interests of the oil-producing industry would be 
best served by a thorough study of the stratigraphy of the region and 
the collection of all data regarding the character of the underlying 
beds obtainable from natural exposures and well records. Only upon 
such a foundation of carefully ascertained fact could any reasonable 
hypothesis regarding the origin and distribution of the oil be based. 
Many theories have been published in the daily press and elsewhere, 
which have been more or less fanciful, not to saj^ grotesque, and 
which have cast a shade of discredit upon geology by those who do 
not take the pains to discriminate. 
For the purpose of collecting all available stratigraphic data in this 
region the Survey obtained the services of Mr. William Kenned}^, 
formerly of the Texas geological survey. During his connection with 
the State survey Mr. Kennedy examined a large part of the Gulf 
Coastal Plain, but only a portion of his results was published. He 
began work for the present report in June, 1901, and continued in the 
field until February, 1902. About eight weeks were spent in the 
field by the senior author in the fall of 1901 and the spring of 1902, 
the more important and promising localities being visited. Owing 
to the press of other duties the preparation of the following report 
has fallen almost entirely upon Mr. Kennedy. He is to be given the 
entire credit for all the stratigraphic descriptions which form the 
chief permanent value of the report. He has also worked out the 
Tertiary history of the Coastal Plain, which is a distinct contribution 
to geologic science and is essential for a theory of oil accumulation in 
this region. 
