Full Title: Evaporitic Sequences of Texas and Their Relevance for Current Energy Decarbonization Efforts
Endorsed by: GSA's Environmental and Engineering Geology Division
Industry tracks: Economic Geology, Energy
Led by: Ander Martinez-Donate, Lorena Moscardelli
Date: Fri. 17 Oct. 2025
Time: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Format: In-Person
Location: Off-site
CEUs: 0.8
Evaporites play a vital role in petroleum systems, often functioning as regional seals and presenting potential drilling hazards. Their significance has expanded with the growing interest in halite-bearing evaporitic sequences for hydrogen storage in solution-mined salt caverns. Halite's high solubility and inert properties make it an ideal medium for hydrogen storage, but the inherent heterogeneity of evaporitic sequences—characterized by interbedded sulfates, carbonates, and siliciclastic rocks—presents challenges, including hazardous reactions with hydrogen that can affect purity and compromise cavern integrity. This one-day short course, hosted by the State of Texas Advanced Resource Recovery (STARR) program at the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG), will start with presentations highlighting the technical work conducted by the STARR research group over the past two years, followed by a hands-on core workshop. We will have the opportunity to examine and discuss core samples from the Castile and Salado Formations of the Delaware Basin and Louann domal salt from the Gulf Coast. Participants will gain hands-on experience in analyzing core samples to understand their sedimentology, stratigraphy, depositional interpretations, and geomechanics. The course will integrate core data with seismic, geochemical, and petrophysical datasets, highlighting the role of evaporitic sequences in advancing energy decarbonization efforts, including hydrogen storage in salt caverns. This workshop is ideal for geoscientists and engineers exploring the new role of the subsurface as part of ongoing the energy transition/expansion.
By purchasing this item, you are buying a seat for an in-person course.
Short courses offer continuing education units (CEUs). One CEU equals 10 hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction.
Learn more about this and other GSA Connects 2025 events.
For additional information, please contact Rebecca Taormina, rtaormina@geosociety.org, GSA Field Trip and Short Program Coordinator.
Product Code: SC25CN508
Product Category: SHORTC