
A sign prohibiting oilfield traffic along county road 320 sits next to a canal full of water from the natural spring at Balmorhea State Park in Balmorhea, Texas. Houston-based Apache Corporation recently announced the discovery of an estimated 15 billion barrels of oil and gas in the area and plans to drill and use hydraulic fracturing on the 350,000 acres surrounding the town. Apache has leased the mineral rights under the town and nearby state park, but has promised not to drill on or under either.

Dean Strong, 8, prepares to jump into the crystal clear waters of the worlds largest spring-fed swimming pool in his snorkeling gear at Balmorhea State Park in Toyahvale, Texas. Houston-based Apache Corporation recently announced the discovery of an estimated 15 billion barrels of oil and gas in the area and plans to drill and use hydraulic fracturing on the 350,000 acres surrounding the park. Apache has leased the mineral rights under the park and town, but has promised not to drill on or under either.

Storage tanks can be seen through the living room window of David Gomez in Houston. Gomez has lived across from the business for eight years. "There are days when I'm sitting here and I wonder, which way am I going to run if this thing blows up," Gomez said. "Do I need a gas mask? Would I even make it out alive? I think about it all the time."

A thundercloud builds behind Mission Mary, a small adobe chapel established in 1902, Friday, Sept. 16, 2016 near Balmorhea, Texas. Houston-based Apache Corporation recently announced the discovery of an estimated 15 billion barrels of oil and gas in the area and plans to drill and use hydraulic fracturing on the 350,000 acres surrounding the town.
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325,000 Acres // Bloomberg