A nonprofit science organization, the Academy of Medicine, Engineering, and Science of Texas, recently released a study showing oil and gas drilling in Texas can be linked to pollution and earthquakes. The study found drilling for oil and gas in shale rock not only pollutes the air, erodes, soil and contaminates water, but the disposal of millions of gallons of wastewater causes earthquakes.
The study also found the shale oil boom has degraded natural resources, overwhelmed smaller communities, and increased the frequency and severity of traffic collisions as workers travel to oil fields with their equipment.
The organization began the study two years ago by creating a task force of attorneys, geologists, seismologists, engineers, and representatives from oil companies and an environmental group to study the ecological and social effects of drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Fracking is the process of injecting liquid at high pressure into the ground to force open existing fissures to extract oil or gas.
Fracking is a practice spreading rapidly across Texas. Because of the breadth of this method, the report calls for the state to improve monitoring and collecting data about the environmental impact. Because oil and gas drilling is such an essential part of the Texas economy, it’s essential to understand the positive and negative consequences of this industry.
If you’re an oil worker who was injured on the job, or you’re the family member of an oil worker who was harmed or killed while working, don’t hesitate to give our San Antonio oil field accident attorney a call. The Law Office of George P. Escobedo & Associates, PLLC has more than a decade of experience helping injured workers seek compensation for their injuries and illnesses and assisting families struggling with the wrongful deaths of their loved ones. Let us see what we can do for you.
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