Depositional framework and hydrocarbon resources of the early Miocene (Fleming) episode, northwest Gulf Coast Basin

The Fleming Group and its basinward equivalents constitute deposits of a major Cenozoic depositional episode of the northern Gulf Coast Basin. The facies complex is bounded above by the Amphistegina B Shale and below by the Anahuac Shale. Initially, early Miocene (Oakville) progradation built across the broad, submerged shelf platform constructed during the earlier Frio depositional episode. At the Frio paleocontinental margin the rate of outbuilding slowed as large-scale growth faulting created a narrow early Miocene expansion zone. The later part of the episode was characterized by a stable to retreating shoreline and consequent aggradational to retrogradational deposition (Lagarto Formation).