Environmental monitors in southern New Mexico are documenting extensive pollution from oil and gas operations near the Black River and Pecos River. Thermographer Charlie Barrett, who works for the watchdog group Oilfield Witness, regularly observes violations including the disposal of produced water—a toxic, highly saline byproduct of oil and gas extraction—at roadside pullouts and evidence of flaring near residential areas despite state restrictions.
The volume of produced water in the region has grown substantially as fossil fuel production in the Permian Basin has expanded. Oil and gas operations generate more than three barrels of wastewater for every barrel of oil extracted on average, and this ratio increases as wells age. New Mexico regulations prohibit the use of produced water outside oilfield operations, creating demand for specialized transportation and deep injection infrastructure. However, the injection of large volumes of wastewater deep underground has contributed to increased seismic activity in the region and has led to dramatic failures at injection wells that spill toxic water.
The Pecos River, which flows south through New Mexico for more than 500 miles, faces mounting environmental pressures from both climate change and industrial activity. Long-term U.S. Geological Survey data shows declining snowpack in the mountains that feed the river’s headwaters, with corresponding reductions in flow. The American Rivers environmental organization has designated the Pecos as one of the nation’s most endangered rivers in recent designations.
The lower Pecos, where it passes through the Permian Basin near the Texas border, now functions more as a managed waterway delivering allocated supplies rather than as a natural river system. The region contains approximately 75,000 square miles of oil and gas wells across 55 counties in New Mexico and Texas, making it the country’s most productive fossil fuel basin. This concentration of energy infrastructure sits directly adjacent to and above the river system.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI