Midland lies at the heart of the Permian Basin, a region that produces 14 percent of the world's oil. And with oil prices above $80 a barrel on the world market and hydraulic fracturing techniques making it easier to extract large amounts of oil, drilling is continuing at breakneck speed. But the boom, which has given Midland the lowest unemployment rate in the state, has also strained Midland like never before, with housing shortages, busy roads and bursting schools. Photos by Jerod Foster.

 

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