Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 1 day ago
New Mexico oilfield wastewater raises pollution and safety concerns
In southern New Mexico, oil and gas production creates large amounts of wastewater called produced water.
A watchdog worker found mud, salt and crystals at a roadside pullout near the Black River, which appeared to have come from dumped wastewater.
The water can contain high levels of salt, petroleum compounds and oilfield chemicals, and may also be radioactive.
State rules prohibit using it outside the oilfield, so companies transport it to disposal sites and inject it underground.
The article says this practice has contributed to more seismic activity and to blowouts when injection wells fail.
The worker also recorded four active flares near a home, even though New Mexico has banned nearly all flaring since 2022; the article does not say what happens next.
An apparent dump of oilfield wastewater near the Black River in southern New Mexico raised pollution and safety concerns.
Oilfield watchdog Charlie Barrett found muddy ground and salt crystals at a roadside pullout near Malaga.
Produced water is a highly saline, potentially toxic byproduct of oil and gas production, and it can also be radioactive.
Hundreds of trucks haul produced water each day to disposal stations, while New Mexico rules prohibit its use outside the oilfield.
The article says wastewater injection has contributed to increased seismic activity and that failed injection wells have caused toxic-water blowouts.
- Who
- Charlie Barrett, a thermographer with the watchdog group Oilfield Witness, observed the apparent dump.
- What
- Apparent oilfield wastewater was found at a roadside pullout, raising pollution and safety concerns.
- When
- An early May afternoon; the year is not stated.
- Where
- At a county-road pullout near the Black River in southern New Mexico, about a mile from its confluence with the Pecos River.
- Why
- The wastewater is a byproduct of oil and gas production and appears to have been dumped there; who dumped it and why are not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
New Mexico had banned nearly all flaring.
Barrett found a muddy roadside pullout with salt crystals and filmed nearby oil and gas equipment.
- Wastewater-to-oil ratio
- More than three barrels of wastewater per barrel of oil, on average in New Mexico
- Transport
- Hundreds of semi trucks haul produced water every day
- State rule
- Produced water is banned from uses outside the oilfield
- Location
- Roadside pullout near the Black River in southern New Mexico
- Flaring restriction
- New Mexico banned nearly all flaring since 2022
What people are saying
Unfortunately this is pretty common.
It’s also quite dangerous.
Oh, man, that’s fucking terrible.
Got a person’s home here and then this mess … all producing CO2 and methane and other volatile organic compounds, blowing right into their home.
Sources
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