Reuters via Rigzone is reporting:
At
a dusty Texas oilfield, Apache Corp has eliminated its reliance on what
arguably could be the biggest long-term constraint for fracking wells
in the arid western United States: scarce freshwater.
For only one well, millions of gallons of water are used for hydraulic
fracturing, or fracking, the process that has helped reduce U.S.
reliance on foreign oil over the past five years by cracking rock deep
underground to release oil and gas.
In Irion County, where Apache is drilling dozens of Wolfcamp shale wells
in the Permian Basin, the company is meeting its water needs for
hydraulic fracturing by using brackish water from the Santa Rosa aquifer
and recycling water from wells and fracking using chemicals.
The company's approach could have broader significance for areas prone
to drought. Apache, which has the most rigs running in the Permian, the
oil-rich region that spans 59 Texas counties, says the model can cut
costs and truck traffic rattling small towns stretched by the country's
drilling boom.
Water is not an issue, in the big scheme of things, in the Bakken. Folks can make it an issue if they want.
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