The Permian Basin, located in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico, is the largest oil field in the United States. It is also one of the most destructive to the environment.
Oil production in the Permian Basin causes subsidence and exploding of the soil. This is because oil companies use a technique called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to extract oil from shale rock. Fracking involves pumping water, sand and chemicals into the ground under high pressure, which breaks up the rock and releases the oil.
The weight of water and fracking fluids causes the ground to sink. In some cases, the ground has subsided as much as a foot. It causes damage to roads, buildings and pipelineshttps://blog.education.nationalgeographic.org/2015/03/23/new-u-s-fracking-rules-earn-disdain-from-both-sides/.
Soil subsidence also causes soil to bulge. This is because the pressure of the fracking fluids pushes the rock up. Bulging earth can cause earthquakes. In fact, the number of earthquakes in the Permian Basin has increased significantly in recent years.
In addition to earthquakes, subsidence and bulging of the earth also cause sinkholes. Sinkholes are large holes that can suddenly open in the ground. They can be very dangerous, damaging property and even killing people.
Fracturing fluids used in the Permian Basin also contaminate water sources. The fluids contain chemicals that can cause cancer and other health problems. In some cases, hydraulic fracturing fluid has leaked into groundwater.
Environmental problems caused by oil production in the Perm Basin are a serious concern. It is important to find ways to reduce the environmental impact of fracking.
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