Degree of reduction of sediments in the East Texas basin as an index of source beds

The research project on source beds, sponsored jointly by the U. S. Geological Survey and the American Petroleum Institute, for the past 18 months has undertaken a study of the degree of reduction as an index of source beds. As indicated in a previous paper on this same subject presented before the Institute at the Los Angeles meeting, this index has to be tested in several petroliferous provinces before its value can be definitely ascertained. Thus far it has been found to prevail in two petroliferous regions, viz., the Rocky Mountains and the Mid Continent; as sediments regarded as source beds in these areas have been observed commonly to have a relatively high degree of reduction. In this paper this relationship is extended to the East Texas basin, as most of the sediments associated with oil zones there in general have been found to have a comparatively high degree of reduction. The relationship, as in other areas, however, has not been observed to hold invariably. Each succeeding area in which the relationship is found to prevail strengthens the probability that it is real and not anomalous. If it is found to hold in the three remaining petroliferous provinces that are now being studied, viz., California, Gulf Coast, and Appalachian, the probability will be strong that it is a true relationship, with the result that it can be recommended to geologists for consideration in prospecting for oil.