Climate Changed
Water Is Almost as Precious as Oil in the Permian Basin
- Shale drillers need tremendous amounts for fracking jobs
- Per-acre price is highest for area in at least a decade
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Toby Darden stomped on the ATV’s gas pedal, carving through blustery winds to reach the far northern corner of his 37,000-acre West Texas ranch. He wanted to show off the crown jewel.
This wasn’t the spectacular views of the Davis Mountains or the herds of aoudad rams with their distinctive curved horns. It was a big hole in the ground, the first cut at a well -- not to bring oil up but water, the precious commodity of the Permian Basin drilling play.