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New Mexico Debates What to Do With Oil and Gas Wastewater

Inside Climate News · By Martha Pskowski · last updated
State regulators say discharges of treated produced water into rivers are too risky. But they see a pathway for produced water to be reused in industry.

By Martha Pskowski

The question of what to do with the vast quantities of toxic wastewater from oil and gas drilling in New Mexico is up for debate. 

Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: petroleum

State of Play

While electric-powered vehicles may be the ride of the future, oil remains at least for now the dominant fuel for transportation around the world. And after a period of time at the end of the 20th century when oil was subject to wide fluctuations in price, new supplies in North America as a result of non-conventional recovery techniques have helped stabilize prices.

More informationabout ENERGY BASICS: petroleum