Oil Industry Seeks New Disposal Method Amid Wastewater Crisis in Texas

Texas' oil boom has created a massive pollution problem: nearly 1 billion gallons of produced water are dumped every day.

The Permian Basin in west Texas produces this waste, which can contain salts, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, naturally occurring radioactive materials, and chemicals used in oil production. To dispose of it, the industry has primarily injected wastewater deep underground.

However, the Railroad Commission has acknowledged 'physical limitations' of disposal reservoirs and imposed new restrictions on injection due to earthquakes and even oil well blowouts caused by large-scale wastewater injection.

The industry wants another outlet for its waste stream: our land and rivers. Texas regulators are considering treating produced water to remove known contaminants and releasing it into rivers and streams, but the risks of contamination are still unknown.