Letter: The produced water challenge
The recent earthquake near Stanton, along with other tremors linked to injection of produced water in Texas oil fields (A-J, Jan. 19), raises concerns that are being addressed by the newly created Texas Tech University Produced Water Consortium (PWC). Produced water is the label applied to contaminated water brought to the surface as a byproduct of drilling for oil and natural gas. A common way to dispose of this water is to inject it back into the earth, risking destabilized geological formations and seismic activity. The PWC was created last year by the Texas Legislature to find alternative ways of treating produced water that will make it a usable asset instead of a potentially harmful waste product.
State Sen. Charles Perry is to be commended for his role in birthing the PWC. The PWC (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/research/tx-water-consortium/) aims to “develop an economic model for using produced water in a way that is economic and efficient and protects public health and the environment.” It is now up to us to track the Consortium’s progress, to insure that its activities are faithful to the commitments to public health and safety enunciated in its claims.
Edward V. George/Lubbock
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Letter to the editor the produced water challenge
