Abandoned Oil Wells Pose Growing Risks in Permian Basin

As the number of depleted and abandoned oil wells in the West Texas Permian Basin continues to grow in the long shadow of the United States shale revolution, associated environmental and public health hazards are ballooning in tandem. “From sinkholes to blowouts to persistent leaks, more than a century of oil drilling in the region has left a daunting array of environmental hazards,” the Texas Tribune wrote in a collaborative report with InsideClimate News earlier this week. This is not a new issue in the United States. Back in December…