The shale oil surge has helped Texas soar through an economic recovery that’s still sagging in other states, and it has touched off a manufacturing Renaissance in the state, creating thousands of jobs. But the reality of the drilling boom to some residents hasn’t been quite as rosy.
According to the Texas Tribune, farmers in Glasscock County, population 1,251, east of Midland, have lost out amid thousands of new drilling sites. The farmers own the land, but not the mineral rights, having sold those off decades ago. Because of that, they’re powerless to stop development from creeping onto their farms.
The Tribune said that restitution from oil companies for a new drilling site usually comes out to just $10,000, a nonnegotiable sum. That has brought complaints from landowners. But the drilling has also lead to a huge increase in revenue from taxes that oil and gas operators pay to the county.
Related: Damage award in Texas fracking case raises stakes in air quality debate
Below, take a look at a map showing the location of thousands of wells recently surveyed by FracFocus, an industry-backed website dedicated to disclosing hydraulic fracturing chemical data.
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