Environmental Concerns & Regulatory Awareness - The Permian Basin's oil and gas operations are significantly driving earthquakes, primarily due to produced water reinjection, not hydrofracking [5] - Shallow wastewater disposal, intended to alleviate earthquake risks, is causing leaks and surface flows, indicating a shift in environmental hazards [6][7][14] - The Railroad Commission of Texas was aware of the hazards associated with increased reservoir pressure, including well damage, corrosion, and harm to water sources, yet proceeded with shallow disposal [15] Water Management Challenges - For every barrel of oil produced in the Permian Basin, three to five barrels of toxic wastewater are generated, containing high salinity, oil residue, heavy metals, and radioactive materials [3] - The volume of produced water is escalating, reaching 25 to 30 million barrels per day, exacerbating the water disposal problem [19] - Reusing treated produced water is being explored as a solution to supplement fresh water sources for industrial and agricultural applications, potentially addressing about half of the produced water volume [16][17][18] Permian Basin Significance - The Permian Basin is a major shale oil production area, comparable in size to the combined oil production of Iraq and Kuwait if it were an OPEC member [2] - Over-injection of water from horizontal wells is pushing crude oil through old well bores, leading to leaks and surface contamination [9]