The mining of shale oil in the southern states of the United States turned into an ecological disaster, to eliminate the consequences of which hundreds of billions of dollars may need, writes Guardian.
We are talking about the Perm basin – the oil-bearing region located on the territory of Texas and New Mexico. It is considered the center of the US oil industry, and in recent years, shale deposits are developed there.
The mining of shale oil costs more than the classic varieties due to the technological complexity of the process. In this regard, the business becomes profitable only at high global prices. In such a situation, many mining companies are bankrupt with a debt of low-level prices and actually throw wells on oil-bearing areas.
According to the law, oil workers must make unused wells and towers – so that they do not harm the environment. This is necessary because oil and concomitant substances remaining in wells, mainly methane, may be seized in the soil. In fact, many companies are not suitable for preserving. Responsible.
The publication brings an example of the Briggs Farmers family who bought a plot of land with a house in Texas several years ago. However, the same territory was bought by 7S Oil and Gas. American laws allow you to buy an underground part of the site, even if their overhead part has an owner. A few years later, 7s Oil and Gas went bankrupt, leaving several dozen wells on the plot.
According to experts, they turned out to be poorly conserved, as a result of which oil and passing substances leaked into the surrounding soil. Liquidation of the consequences may require from 68 million to 117 billion dollars.