Texas Water Shortages Could Put Limit on Fracking
- info2824713
- May 2, 2013
- 1 min read
Credit Eddie Seal, Texas Tribune
Fracking uses a lot of water in drawing gas and oil out of the ground.
Shortages of water could limit the growth of fracking in Texas, according to a report from Ceres, a nonprofit group that advises investors about corporations’ sustainability practices.
Monika Freyman, who wrote the report for Ceres, says that fracking accounts for more than 20 percent of the water used in some Texas counties.
“We’re calling for more disclosure to investors,” Freyman said. “They want to have a better understanding of how the business is going to grow, and how much water is needed in the future and where that water is going to come from.”
Freyman says the shale energy industry’s growth depends on increased water recycling and better water management planning. Fracking injects large amounts of water, mixed with chemicals and sand, deep underground to break up shale rock and release the oil or gas within it.