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Central Texas sand mines shift west, taking jobs with them

May 13, 2019
The market for McCulloch County sand has been drying up.
BRADY, TX. January 28, 2019. The Momentive Sand Plant outside of Brady.
Gabriel C. Pérez/KUT

What the Chevron-Anadarko deal means for Permian shale

Apr 12, 2019
Will there be other deals like it?
Chevron recently launched a "news" website in the Permian Basin in Texas, complete with local stories about puppies followed by advertisements for the oil giant.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Private philanthropy in Midland tries to make up for government shortfalls

May 17, 2018
Midland, which has only one homeless shelter with 20 beds but 264 homeless people, is resistant to government aid for its needy residents.
A billboard promotes the oil industry along a road in Midland on February 6, 2015 in Midland, Texas. 
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

In Texas oil town, high times, but low housing supply

Apr 25, 2018
Midland, in the heart of the Permian Basin, struggles to house workers and even longtime residents.
Flags hanging in Midland, Texas. 
Filipa Rodrigues/Marketplace

Oil boom cheers Texas town, but some worry about education

Apr 25, 2018
Midland, Texas, is doing well with high oil prices but having trouble retaining teachers for its public schools.
A state-of-the-art Midland Public Library was built using sales tax money.
Filipa Rodrigues/Marketplace

Midland, Texas, is booming as oil prices rise

Apr 24, 2018
Times are good in the Permian Basin, but schools and roads still need improvement.
Workers on an oil rig in Midland, Texas, part of the Permian Basin, where output has tripled in the past three years.
Filipa Rodrigues/Marketplace

Oil prices are on the rise, but some in oil country are feeling left out

Apr 24, 2018
In Midland, Texas, the gap between rich and poor is evident at every turn.
Flags shown in Midland, Texas.
Filipa Rodrigues/Marketplace

For public good, not for profit.

Higher oil prices and higher output give U.S. more clout

Jan 31, 2018
Prices for West Texas crude oil are hovering around $65 a barrel. That’s more than twice the price at this time just two years ago. Oil companies, including major players like Exxon Mobil and Chevron, have let investors know they’re increasing production, specifically in Texas’ Permian Basin, where output has tripled in the past three years. […]

Why oil companies might prefer West Texas over new offshore oil sites

Apr 28, 2017
President Trump’s latest executive order seeks to open new federal waters for offshore drilling, but the most popular place for oil companies is decidedly land based – the Permian Basin in Texas. Click the audio player above to hear the full story.