Cotton Valley (upper Jurassic) and Hosston (lower Cretaceous) depositional systems and their influence on salt tectonics in the east Texas basin.

Correct interpretation of the effect of basin infilling on salt mobilization is critical to understanding salt dome growth and stability. The size of salt structures in the East Texas Basin is determined by the original thickness of the underlying Louann Salt (middle Jurassic): that is, salt structures distinctly increase in size toward the interior of the basin. Initial movement of salt apparently occurred in the marginal areas of the basin during Smackover (Late Jurassic) deposition. This movement seems to have resulted from downward creep that was induced by loading of carbonate units and was enhanced by basinward tilting.