NEWS & INFORMATION
A Sneak Preview of “The Long Game”
The producers of The Rational Middle of Energy, in collaboration with the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, will introduce “The Long Game,” a short-documentary series that addresses energy development's impact in the greater Big Bend region of far West Texas, and what is being done to minimize impact to landowners and communities and conserve this unique area's natural resources.
How The Oil And Gas Industry Isn’t Backing Down Amid Growth In Wind Power
Lobbyists are challenging the value of subsidies Texas gives to wind-power companies. It’s part of a larger effort to weaken the renewable-energy industry.
The Oilman Who Loved Sustainable Energy
The list of words describing Mitchell is lengthy — oilman, philanthropist, developer, sustainability pioneer, environmentalist, entrepreneur, futurist, Renaissance man, visionary. Some of the labels seem contradictory because Mitchell was a man of incongruous passions.
Shining Cities On The Hills: Check Out This Map Of Texas Cities Showing Their Brightness In Peaks
This map called Earth at Night, Mountains of Light was developed by cartographer Jacob Wasilkowski using NASA satellite imagery to map the world according to nighttime brightness.
If you check out West Texas, you might notice the light peaks don’t necessarily correspond to cities — some of those are oil fields where natural gas is flared to dispose of it.
How a "Monster" Texas Oil Field Made the U.S. a Star in the World Market
In a global collapse of oil prices five years ago, scores of American oil companies went bankrupt. But one field withstood the onslaught, and even thrived: the Permian Basin, straddling Texas and New Mexico.
A combination of technical innovation, aggressive investing and copious layers of oil-rich shale have transformed the Permian, once considered a worn-out patch, into the world’s second-most-productive oil field.
Texas Oil Fields on Fire With Polluting Flares From Fracking
In West Texas, an oil boom is creating a major problem for producers and locals alike: wasting natural gas by burning or flaring it, which sends billions of cubic feet of CO2 into the atmosphere. Not only does the flaring cost the industry money, but the release of gases damages the climate and could be toxic to those living near the fracking rigs dotting Texas oil fields.
Activists and Researchers are Working to Keep Tabs on Oil and Gas Emissions Near Balmorhea
Wilson’s camera can reveal plumes of smoke pouring into the air, though the camera can’t tell the difference between say, steam or toxic chemicals. But, Wilson is pretty sure what she’s seeing is pollution. “If you’re seeing something and it’s coming from the equipment on an oil and gas site then the gases are most likely going to be hydrocarbons. No matter what the industry tries to tell us. It certainly not cotton candy.”
Apache Corp. Creates Endowment for Iconic West Texas State Park
Houston oil company Apache Corp. has doubled a gift to help save a revered West Texas swimming hole.
In addition to donating $1 million to repair the shuttered Balmorhea State Park Pool, the company has donated an additional $1 million to create an endowment to preserve and support the iconic West Texas state park.
Oil vs. Astronomy: The Race to Protect the Night Sky in West Texas
West Texas is famed worldwide for its vast crude oil reserves. But for more than 75 years, a small patch of the Permian Basin has also been valued for its pitch-black night sky. Those two prized natural resources have clashed in recent years as oil drilling has brightened the sky near the McDonald Observatory.
How an Oil Boom in West Texas is Reshaping the World
The Permian Basin, the heart of American oil country, is where the massive oil and gas boom is changing not just Texas but also the nation and the world.