The title is completely misleading as the content has nothing to do with fracking. Instead it’s the flaring of what here in New Mexico is called “casing head” gas, co-produced with the oil but unable to be captured as pipeline infrastructure has not yet caught up with the drilling and oil production.
I have to agree with the farmer’s views - it should not be wasted but if flaring is not allowed, the wells must be shut in which also prevents revenue from the oil stream. Obviously the solution is more infrastructure or, as the article discusses, new technology for storage as CNG and use to power the drilling rigs and other equipment.
I always wondered why this gas could not be burned i a gas turbine genset to backfeed power to the grid... package mini generating plants that can be dropped off the back of a rollback.
I did some RR work in NM and the flare in Eunice was right next to the yard... impressive... further south I think before coming down the hill into Jal,, there was the gas plant on the east side of Highway 18... That flare was MASSIVE.