Water requirements that are vital for oil and gas development can frequently go unseen by the public eye. While water for oil and gas development does not account for significant usage in comparison to the needs of municipal or agricultural use, its demands can have sharp impacts on local water resources, intensifying conflicts between water users in water stressed areas and during times of drought.
In the past decade since the discovery of attainable shale reserves (once considered previously inaccessible) marked the beginnings of the Eagle-Ford Shale oil boom, a fierce competition has been brewing behind the scenes for water in South Texas, and the industry has left little room for nature, and the Rio Grande, to catch its breath.
Thus, it is necessary for a historically water-scarce region like South Texas to be aware of the way its current water resources are managed. In this report, we will pull back the curtain to take a closer look at the true cost of water associated with the development of oil and gas and understand the water resources that have been required to quench a near insatiable thirst by the oil and gas industry.
For any questions, please contact:
Martin Castro
Watershed Science Director
Rio Grande International Study Center
1 West End Washington Street, Bldg. P-11, Laredo, Texas 78040
