South Texas Struggling With Oil Boom

CARRIZO SPRINGS, Texas -- Once sleepy South Texas towns are finding themselves wide awake, caught in the whirlwind of an oil boom.

Residents of Carrizo Springs, formerly a town of just fewer than 6,000 people, are finding empty store shelves and crowded streets that are crumbling under the weight of nearly 3,000 newcomers.

The growth comes courtesy of the development of the Eagle Ford Shale deposit, which has been billed as the next big oil and natural gas play in Texas.

"Like with any growth, there's growing pains," said Dimmit County Commissioner Mike Uriega. "Our infrastructure has been affected; our roads are being torn up."

County roads around Carrizo Springs are now flooded with 18-wheelers, hauling oil and gas out of the area, and more rigs are in the process of going up.

Octavio Rodriguez, who moved to Carrizo Springs to work in the oil fields about 14 months ago, said it looks like the small town couldn't keep up with the pace of the growth.

"Sometimes you get to gas pumps and there's no diesel," said Rodriguez. "You go into the store and it's crowded. People get frustrated and leave."

Experts have said the Eagle Ford appears to be the real deal, which means towns like Carrizo Springs will simply have to adapt and adjust.


Source: KSAT 
For Energy Investments or Stock Updates