University study: fracking adds to Texas water woes

AUSTIN — Water is scarce in much of Texas. Yet in the areas where it is most scarce, such as the Permian Basin in arid West Texas, water has had a new consumer, hydraulic fracturing, and the drilling technique is taking in millions of gallons of water.

A recent economic and policy analysis released by Texas A&M University concludes that fracking is adding to the state's "overuse of its water resources," but that it's only part of the problem.

Overall, agriculture uses far more water. Irrigation in 2012 used 9.49 million acre-feet, compared with about 166,000 acre-feet for mining, according to the Texas Water Development Board.

In fracking, water, chemicals and sand are mixed and shot into the ground at high pressure, breaking up the rock formations that hold oil and natural gas.

"While fracking is not the only contributor to water scarcity in Texas, the fact that each well using this technology in oil and gas production requires roughly 5 million gallons of water is a stress factor, especially given the water demands of the growing population," the release states.

Texas is experiencing an oil and gas renaissance, particularly around West and South Texas.

The student study from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M confirmed that within the Eagle Ford Shale, a formation rich in oil and gas in South Texas, fresh groundwater aquifers are overdrawn annually at 2½ times the recharge rate. Irrigation takes up more than half of all the groundwater used in the Eagle Ford Shale, the report states.

Fracking is the third- largest use of groundwater in the area, although irrigation by itself exceeds the recharge rate by 50 percent, according to the study.

The research team recommended encouraging incentives for using brackish water instead of fresh water and recognizing companies with a "Green Star" from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The paper also calls for "accurate and transparent data reporting on all water consumption (irrigation, municipal use, mining, and others) and policy changes to address inefficient water use practices in all sectors are needed."

A September study from the University of Texas' Bureau of Economic Geology, meanwhile, found that producing oil through fracking uses similar amounts of water on average as oil produced by conventional means.

"The oil and gas industry is using more water because they have increased the rate of production in the United States and are producing more domestic energy," said Bridget Scanlon, a research scientist at the bureau.

State Rep. Jim Keffer, R-Eastland, the chairman of the House Energy Resources Committee, said the state is looking at everything from desalinating seawater to harvesting rainwater.

"Anything we can do to take pressure off the traditional rainfall," Keffer said.

State Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, the chairman of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, said the state has been pushing for more brackish water use.

"We've been very successful at that," Fraser said. "I want to make it cost effective" to use brackish water, he said.

Asked about possible incentives for using brackish water, Fraser said there is "nothing specific" but "we'll entertain anything."

Matthew Waller covers state news as the Scripps Austin Bureau chief. Contact him at matthew.waller@scripps.com or follow him on Twitter @waller_matthew.

http://www.caller.com/news/state/sta...-woes_68262831


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