Where is it?
Primary counties:
- Atascosa
- Bee
- DeWitt
- Dimmit
- Frio
- Gonzales
- Karnes
- La Salle
- Live Oak
- Maverick
- McMullen
- Webb
- Wilson
- Zavala
Adjacent counties:
- Bexar
- Jim Wells
- Nueces
- San Patricio
- Uvalde
- Victoria
Potentially affected counties:
- Brazos
- Burleson
- Edwards
- Fayette
- Houston
- Lavaca
- Lee
- Leon
- Milam
- Wood
What is Hydraulic Fracturing?
Fracturing (or "fracking") is the advanced drilling process that is used in the Eagle Ford region and in other sites around the country. Here are some informational sites explaining the process:
Other shale formations
The Eagle Ford formation isn't the only shale formation experiencing a hydraulic fracturing boom. Here are links to information about some other major areas:
- Lower 48 Shale PlaysPDF map from the Energy Information Administration
- Marcellus Shaleprimarily in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia
- Bakken formation (Williston Basin)Montana and North Dakota
- Haynesville Shaleformation in far east Texas and in Louisiana
- Shale ExpertsAn online tool used by oil and gas professionals. Provides information about shale plays such as the Bakken, Eagle Ford, Haynesville, Marcellus, and Permian Basin.
What is it?
The Eagle Ford Shale is a geological formation underlying parts of South Texas that is rich in hydrocarbons (gas and oil). Characteristics of the formation make it particularly amenable to extracting these resources through hydraulic fracturing and other advanced extraction techniques.
Consult the boxes below for more information about the formation, about hydraulic fracturing, and about the effects of the drilling on these areas.
The box on the left identifies the counties immediately and adjacently involved in the Eagle Ford Shale extraction activity.
This map is taken from the Texas Railroad Commission website. In Texas the Railroad Commission is in charge of regulating the oil and gas industry.
Research Reports and other Resources
The quickest way to find articles in our Library databases is to enter "Eagle Ford shale" (in quotes). Use the search widgets on below on the left and right, or these links. Note that the resources restricted to St. Mary's University students, faculty, and staff for off-campus use are marked with this graphic: 
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowBegin your search with this database! Contains more than 8,500 full text periodicals and indexing and abstracts for more than 12,500 journals. Includes multiple languages. Journals offered cover all areas of study.
- Business Source Complete This link opens in a new windowKey database for business and economics research. Includes scholarly journals, business and industry magazines, country reports, company and industry reports, and videos.
Active full-text, non-open access journals - 1,346
Active full-text, peer-reviewed, non-open access journals - 828
Active full-text, peer-reviewed, non-open access journals with no embargo - 340
Active full-text, non-open access journals indexed in Web of Science or Scopus - 663
- Economic Impact of the Eagle Ford Shale (AACOG) Study from the Alamo Area Council of Government. March, 2013
- Oil boom in Eagle Ford Shale brings new wealth to South Texasnewsletter report from the Dallas Federal Reserve; published 2012
- US EIA (Energy Information Adm.): Drilling Productivity Reportrecent drilling data and comparisons
UTSA Institute for Economic Development reports:
- Economic Impact for Counties with Active Drilling October, 2012
- Workforce Analysis for the Eagle Ford Shale October, 2012
Media Resources
In 2013, the San Antonio Express-News published a series of reports entitled "Life on the Shale." To find them, search "karnes and maccormack" on the paper's public website or through a subscription to the digital version. You can also access the paper through the Newsbank database if you have a library card from the San Antonio Public Library.
Other media stories about Eagle Ford issues:
- National Public Radio story on Cotullathis feature, aired on April 10, 2014, spotlights benefits and problems for this south Texas town: "Drilling Frenzy Fuels Sudden Growth In Small Texas Town"
- StateImpact (NPR project: Texas)links to National Public Radio reporting on hydraulic fracturing in Texas
Subject Guide
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This guide was originally developed by retired librarian Kathy Amen.
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