foxFive

Thank you for the links. I am currently reading them, and will try to apply the information gleaned.

It's named after the Permian Sea, the entire area was under water during that timeframe. I'm not a geologist though this is just what I've was told growing up in the area.

You're right, I was misinformed. Acidizing is what dissolves rock.

Yes and no. They're not mutually exclusive, but you can use one without the other and they are often used in conjunction. It just depends on what the engineers decide is the most practical way to extract the oil. I realize it may sound petty, but I wanted people to know that they are two completely different processes. It's a lot like hearing someone confuse JavaScript with Java. Easy and understandable mistake but two very different animals.

There is actually quite a fair number of windmills in this area. Wind energy has been in the basin for decades if you were to drive through the area you will actually see more windmills than pumpjacks in some parts. Solar is starting to catch up, but neither of these could compete with the profits offered by petroleum when oil was over $100/barrel.

Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing are two different processes. Horizontal drilling is just that, drilling in a horizontal direction. Fracking is injecting a liquid to break up and dissolve a rock formation to access the crude.

I live in this neck of the woods, Midland is 30 minutes away and I often am in town to work or play. On the one hand, I'm kinda glad that the oil is there, those are big numbers especially considering that the price per barrel is half of what is was two years ago. It will definitely boost the local economy. On the other, we are just now starting to see the area begin to settle down from the influx of workers who came to the area for jobs. When oil is booming crime goes up, housing costs go up, and traffic gets dangerous. Not to mention all the water that gets wasted from fracking. Water restrictions were just lifted but the area cannot support more people for long. Groundwater is being contaminated and soon what little above ground water sources we have will run dry if the area continues to see growth, add to this the fact that the shale formations will need to be broken up (by fracking) to access the crude and it looks like even more water will be used, as well as increase the possibilities of sinkholes and seismic activity throughout the entire basin. This is not going to be enjoyable for the locals.

I was looking for this info throughout the web, thanks. As an American I had never dreamed of a license to receive broadcast television, so this was all very informative.

As a budding programmer I like the ideas here, but I want to take it with a grain of salt and figure it's best to have a wide breadth of knowledge before going deep. Or rather, gain competence before striving for mastery.