permian basin
Credit: pancaketom/Big Stock Photo
Drilling in Permian Basin linked to high ozone levels in New Mexico park
Oil and gas drilling in the Permian Basin is causing excessive ozone pollution at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, a new study reveals.
In short:
- The study found summer ozone levels at Carlsbad Caverns frequently exceed EPA health standards, linking this to increased drilling in the Permian Basin.
- Researchers identified oil and gas extraction as major contributors to high ozone levels, with nitrogen oxide emissions from drilling operations being significant.
- The study suggests electrified, grid-powered drill rigs could help mitigate ozone pollution.
Key quote:
"Our measurements confirm that activity such as drilling and natural gas flaring is a major driver of the high ozone levels we see."
— Andrey Marsavin, PhD candidate, Colorado State University.
Why this matters:
Ozone pollution can cause asthma and other health issues and harm crops and ecosystems. Understanding its sources helps in developing strategies to protect both human health and the environment.
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Credit: Chris Bentley/Flickr
Living near fossil gas leaks can seriously harm your health
Scientists use leaked methane to map toxic health threats in affected communities.
In short:
- Communities in the Permian Basin are experiencing health risks from pollutants released by oil and gas production.
- Studies link these pollutants to premature deaths and childhood asthma, with a significant annual health bill in the US.
- New technologies are helping to detect and map methane leaks, potentially reducing exposure to harmful emissions.
Key quote:
"The highest concentrations of these non-methane hydrocarbons are in gas at wellheads, which also have the highest emission rates."
— Amy Townsend-Small, professor and climate scientist at the University of Cincinnati
Why this matters:
Living near fossil gas infrastructure poses severe health risks, including respiratory issues and cancer. Detecting and reducing methane emissions can improve air quality and public health outcomes. Read more: Oil and gas production responsible for $77 billion in annual US health damages.
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Photo by Zbynek Burival on Unsplash
Well permits suspended to reduce earthquakes in West Texas
Injecting saltwater back into the ground “is likely contributing to recent seismic activity,” the Railroad Commission of Texas has said.
Mewbourne Oil Company faces $5.5M fine for New Mexico air pollution
Tyler, Texas-based Mewbourne Oil Company has been fined $5.5 million by federal authorities for violating air pollution regulations at its fossil fuel facilities in the Permian Basin across New Mexico and West Texas, reports Adrian Hedden for the Carlsbad Current-Argus.
In a nutshell:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the New Mexico Environment Department uncovered air pollution violations in 2019 through inspections and document reviews. Mewbourne is required to invest $4.6 million to enhance over 400 oil and gas tank battery sites to prevent future emissions violations, resulting in an annual reduction of more than 11,000 tons of air pollution. The company failed to secure necessary permits, control emissions, and meet inspection requirements at multiple production sites, prompting corrective actions to minimize VOC emissions and comply with clean air regulations.
Key quote:
“Good air quality is essential to the health of our communities, and we need to ensure that oil and gas facilities are properly designed, maintained and monitored in order to meet national standards,” Assistant Attorney Todd Kim said.
The big picture:
Pollution stemming from the operations of oil and gas companies has been linked to a range of concerning health impacts. The release of pollutants like volatile organic compounds and hazardous particulates into the air can contribute to respiratory issues such as asthma and bronchitis, especially among vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. Prolonged exposure to these pollutants has also been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, and in some cases, even certain cancers. Additionally, ground-level ozone formation resulting from pollution can exacerbate lung problems and pose serious threats to overall air quality, necessitating stringent measures to mitigate these health risks.
Read the full article at the Carlsbad Current-Argus.
Fining companies that violate air pollution regulations is a good sign; however, as Brian Bienkowski pointed out in this 2017 article, more than 17 million people in the United States live within a mile of an active oil or natural gas well.
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Developer confirms funding for massive Rio Grande gas terminal
The Port of Brownsville was the last major deepwater port of Texas still undeveloped by large fossil fuel projects. Dylan Baddour has the story for Inside Climate News.
In a nutshell:
The LNG development of the Port of Brownsville will result in one of the largest gas export terminals in the world and further reinforce the industrial domination of the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the border with Mexico. Legal moves and countermoves continue to fly with opponents challenging the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on impact decisions such as air quality, environmental justice and a determination by FERC that the project is in the public interest.
Key quote:
“The oil and gas companies and the politicians can’t find it in their hearts to keep the industry in an industrial space,” said Lela Burnell, the daughter of a shrimper in the Port of Brownsville and the plaintiff in multiple lawsuits against plans for Rio Grande LNG. “Why do they feel like they need to just inundate and take over the whole coast? They don’t want to leave one spot where there is a sanctuary or a safe zone for nature.”
Big picture:
Since Congress legalized oil and gas exports in 2015, seven LNG export terminals have been built with three more under construction and beyond that 11 additional projects have been permitted. The greenlighting of the Brownsville terminal would signify a heartbreaking defeat for those who had hoped to keep the Rio Grande Delta free of major fossil fuel facilities and also make way for fracked gas transport from the Permian Basin via the proposed Rio Bravo pipeline and subsequent export via ocean-going tankers. Fossil-fuel supporters laud LNG as an emissions-friendly successor to coal and key to a lower-carbon future while LNG opponents dismiss such rosy platitudes as just so much greenwashing.
Get the full story in Inside Climate News.
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Developer confirms funding for massive Rio Grande gas terminal
The Port of Brownsville was the last major deepwater port of Texas still undeveloped by large fossil fuel projects.
Photo by Zbynek Burival on Unsplash
Lawsuit: State allowance on oil and gas violates New Mexico Constitution
In a complaint spanning 100 pages, environmental groups, youth activists and individuals from the Pueblos, the Permian Basin and Navajo Nation sued the state of New Mexico, top officials and rulemaking bodies on oil and gas.
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