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How Much Groundwater is Used in the Eagle Ford Shale?

A new study evaluates how much water is used in the fracking process in the Eagle Ford Shale while also looking at regulations in the area and making three policy recommendations.

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Trucks carry cement that will be mixed to fill the space between multiple layers of casing in preparation for the hydraulic fracturing process at a Chesapeake Energy drill site in Dimmit, Texas in the Eagle Ford Shale.
Credit: Tamir Kalifa

A new study evaluates how much water is used in the fracking process in the Eagle Ford Shale while also looking at regulations in the area and making three policy recommendation. The study recommends implementing a requirement for any users to report how much water they've used, giving tax incentives that would encourage drilling companies to use options other than fresh groundwater, and an alternative property rights system that the authors called a "futuristic idea." (Texas Water Journal)

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