Persistent drought threatens Texas oil industry (water war news)

[ensho]

http://stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=605095


-snip-

The bone-dry conditions of the past ten months have destroyed an estimated $5.2 billion worth of crops and livestock in Texas and have helped spread wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and millions of acres of land.

The state’s oil industry hasn’t taken an equivalent hit — yet. But oil companies are looking for innovative ways to secure the millions of gallons of water required for oil and natural gas drilling, which grows more difficult as municipalities begin to place limits on local water withdrawals.

The problem is worst for companies that practice the drilling method of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in which an estimated 3 to 10 million gallons of chemical-laced water a year are blasted deep into each shale-rich oil well to release natural gas.

-snip-

As a result of laws like the one in Grand Prairie, many companies must scramble to find water in new ways. Some companies have trucked water across city lines. Others have added costly infrastructure that enables recycling or reduced water use. Still others have purchased water from farmers — an option that becomes less viable as drought persists.

-snip-
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in Nov. Texans will vote on a State Water Plan

I didn't realize they fracked in Texas. article said Texans aren't worried so much about frack in their drinking water but worried about the big use of water.

[randr]

1. Is their God messing with them?

[ensho]

2. lol

perish the thought

[MrsBrady]

3. you didn't know they fracked here???

they've been fracking in Texas since forever. like the 1950's or something.

The new thing is this urban drilling or drilling on people's property against their wishes.

But fracking new? no, they've been ruining ground water here for years.

Even some rural areas can't even use their own ground water for drinking, livestock or crops, etc...

[Ilsa]

4. I'm hoping people here will get tired of letting

Big oil use up their drinking water while cities enact watering bans or ban swimming pool filling.

[Gman]

5. The Eagle Ford Shale formation is one of the best in the country for fracking

http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/eagleford/index.php

You can't hardly drive a back road in South Texas these days because of the 18-wheeler tanker trucks. And a lot of the drivers I've seen in stores can't speak English. So much for jobs for Americans. I'm often tempted to call immigration.