Oil and gas companies are increasingly reusing “produced water” as West Texas aquifers are being depleted and the practice of injecting wastewater into disposal wells triggers more earthquakes.
Fracking uses water — about 16 million gallons per well per year in the Permian — to break open underground shales that hold oil and gas, but mostly super-salty water, buried remnants of ancient oceans.
“We have looked at getting that water and recycling it,” Shifflett said. “I’m very interested in doing that, but at present it’s just too expensive.” Frackers mix into the water proprietary solutions with scores of known and unknown chemicals which still need to be identified before they can be dealt with, he said. Then treatment technologies will need to be developed and tested for those specific toxins.
Today, injection capacity, the amount of well space permitted for fluid disposal, continues to grow, although the rate is slowing. In 13 counties of the Permian Basin, records from the Texas Railroad Commission show 6,462 injection wells permitted in the last 10 years, including 344 in the last year.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Investigators in West Texas following 5.4 earthquakeThe Texas Railroad Commission, which oversees the state's oil and gas industry, has sent investigators to west Texas following a 5.4 magnitude earthquake near Midland.
Read more »
Investigators in west Texas following 5.4 earthquakeEarthquakes in the south-central United States have been linked to oil and gas production.
Read more »
Investigators in west Texas following 5.4 earthquakeThe earthquake was preliminarily rated a 5.3 magnitude, the fourth strongest in Texas history, then upgraded by the U.S. Geological Survey to 5.4.
Read more »
West Texas parents are suing their schools over racism as others demand action over antisemitic bullyingSchool leaders in West Texas have said they don’t tolerate racism and that they regularly train teachers how to deal with bullying. But parents say inaction by officials tells a different story. “They would rather us leave than to change,' said one parent.
Read more »
WTI Crude Oil:Weekly Forecast 18th December \u2013 24th DecemberWTI Crude Oil will begin its trading this coming week in the middle of its lower range as speculators wonder about recent price weakness: Forex Trading Forecast Profit
Read more »
KATIE (Katie Kim) to release self-produced Christmas carol song 'Christmas Last Awhile' | allkpopKATIE (Katie Kim) is returning with a new Christmas song!The R&B singer/songwriter will be releasing her new song 'Christmas Last Awhile,&qu…
Read more »