Permian Drillers May Face Freshwater Shortages

New Mexico’s State Land Office is putting an end to the commercial sale of fresh water for oil and gas developments to protect the state’s scarce freshwater resources. Effective December 15, 2020, the State Land Office will not issue any new easements for the purpose of commercial sales of freshwater for oil and gas development, and will no longer re-issue or renew existing easements for such use once they expire, Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard said in a letter on Tuesday. As fresh water is an increasingly scarce…