Earthquakes Increase Costs Even More For Texas Shale Producers

A series of recent earthquakes in Texas are poised to hike production costs even more for U.S. shale oil producers, Reuters said on Friday, with regulators looking to crack down on some wastewater disposal wells. Wastewater is a vital part of the oil and gas production process, with water that comes up along with the oil and gas being injected back into the ground.

This wastewater reinjection, however, has been accused of contributing to earthquakes in the area, bringing a new level of scrutiny to the practice. There are now limits to how much…