Implicit 3D structural geological modeling of the Mexico Basin: a scalable and reproducible open-source workflow

Abstract This study presents the first regional-scale 3D hydrogeological structural model of the Mexico Basin, constructed entirely with open-source tools using a reproducible and modular workflow. The methodology integrates hydrogeological cross-sections and geostatistical interpolation through the Universal Co-Kriging approach implemented in GemPy, enhanced by automation via Python scripting and GemGIS preprocessing. To address computational and structural challenges, the 9,000 km² basin was subdivided into ten overlapping submodels, ensuring continuity across domains while maintaining feasible computation times on standard hardware. The resulting model reproduces the main tectono-stratigraphic architecture of the basin, including major grabens and fault systems, and provides a coherent framework for hydrogeological analysis. Although limited by data availability and grid resolution, the workflow demonstrates that large-scale 3D structural geological modelling can be achieved with minimal resources. All datasets, scripts, and model outputs are openly available, promoting transparency, reproducibility, and adaptation to other data-limited regions.