Mysterious 100-foot geyser erupts in US state’s oilfield recently hit by earthquakes

On Wednesday, a mysterious geyser erupted in a West Texas oil field, sending salty, oil-contaminated water 100 feet into the air.

Respondents reported an odor of oil and rotten eggs coming from the geyser, which is a sign of hydrogen sulfide gas.

The fumes are toxic and are typically present in natural gas deposits. At high concentrations, exposure can cause shock, convulsions, coma and death.

The geyser was located off Interstate 20 near Toyah in Reeves County, an area known for its hydraulic fracture sites that inject wastewater into the ground.

This comes amid a series of earthquakes that have rocked the region and which experts have suggested are due to fracking.

Reeves County Emergency Management responded to the geyser and reported that the toxic fumes coming from the eruption were 250 parts per million.

The measurement is considered a moderately high level and can lead to complaints such as nausea, burning throat, dizziness and headache.

Oil and gas attorney Sarah Stogner and well control specialist Hawk Dunlap also responded to the blowout and reported it Houston Chronicle that the area has been plagued by geyser eruptions, such as this one, which sprang from ‘zombie springs’.

A zombie well is an abandoned oil or gas well that leaks toxic waste into the groundwater but can erupt if not properly filled.

Local officials blame the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) for the blowouts and say the wells should be closed once they are no longer needed for hydraulic fracturing.

West Texas has been hit by a recent wave of earthquakes – the strongest of which was a magnitude 3.2 that occurred that same day and originated 130 miles away from the geyser in Midland, Texas.

Wastewater injections have been linked to increased seismic activity, and in January the commission suspended 23 permits that allow oil and gas companies to inject wastewater into the ground after finding that their practices created fault lines, which trigger earthquakes.

Scientists have attributed the recent spate of earthquakes in Texas to hydraulic fracturing and determined that the increase in seismic activity could cause the geysers to erupt. Pictured: Hydraulic fracturing sites and injection wells in Texas

Texas is listed as the number one state for hydraulic fracturing – or fracking – and as of 2023 that number had risen to 373,133 active wells.

Fracking involves miners drilling deep into the Earth’s surface and releasing high-pressure water, causing a small explosion, releasing natural gas and oil that can be used to generate energy.

The action brings groundwater to the surface and when it is injected back into the ground, it puts pressure on fault lines, resulting in more earthquakes.

The RRC told hydraulic fracturing operators last year that it plans to begin suspending permits that allow companies to inject wastewater into the ground, although it did not indicate when this would take effect.

DailyMail.com has contacted the Texas Railroad Commission and Reeves County Emergency Management for comment.