Texas Bureau of Economic Geology

Who We Are

The Bureau of Economic Geology, established in 1909, is the oldest research unit at The University of Texas at Austin. The Bureau, part of The John A. and Katherine G. Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin, also functions as the State Geological Survey. The Bureau not only curates the largest volume of subsurface core and cuttings in the United States at three world-class centers located in Houston, Austin, and Midland, but also runs a major Texas well log library, with nearly 1 million well records on file. The Bureau serves as the Regional Lead Organization for the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council and Managing Organization for the Advanced Energy Consortium. Centers include the Gulf Coast Carbon Center and Center for Energy Economics. Bureau reports, maps, and other publications are available for a nominal price.

What we do

Our mission is to provide research and advice related to energy and environmental issues and to perform State Geological Survey functions as requested by the State Legislature. Outreach efforts involve the public, State agencies, Federal agencies, private foundations, and industry. The Bureau conducts basic and applied research related to energy resources including oil, natural gas, and coal; mineral resources; coastal processes; Earth and environmental systems; hydrogeology; carbon sequestration; nanotechnology; energy economics; and geologic mapping. The Bureau disseminates scientific knowledge by (1) publishing research results in scientific journals, in Bureau reports, and on the Internet; (2) conducting technology transfer workshops and schools; (3) participating in professional meetings; (4) training undergraduate and graduate students and postdocs by providing hands-on research experience with modern datasets; and (5) promoting K-12 and public outreach.