Frac’ing with biodegradable chemicals will still result in air pollution, noise, frac quakes, water contaminated with gases (methane, ethane etc), and frac’ing the Eagle Ford has contaminated water, polluted the air and killed workers.
Geoscientist gives fracking a green-ish light:
Luis Fernando Camacho Ortegón said he’s monitored U.S. fracking for 20+ years and that current technology has reached “a very stable level of security,” citing no serious accidents in the Eagle Ford Shale region of Texas.
Frac’ing with biodegradables will still contaminate communities, air, water and wildlife, and harm climate.
Frac’ing with biodegradables will not stop worker deaths or the massive volumes of toxic waste water produced.
Using recycled water still results in masses of water permanently removed from the hydrogeological cycle, vital not to lose during the climate chaos which is causing more and more heat extremes and droughts:
… A proportion (25% to 100%) of the water used in hydraulic fracturing is not recovered, and consequently this water is lost permanently to re-use, which differs from some other water uses in which water can be recovered and processed for re-use. …
Is fracking in Mexico a done deal? Wednesday’s mañanera recapped by Peter Davies, MND Staff, April 15, 2026, Mexico News Daily
Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds
- Fracking feasibility panel debuts: Sheinbaum introduced a multidisciplinary group of Mexican scientists tasked with assessing whether “sustainable fracking” is technically and economically feasible across different regions of Mexico.
- Science minister sets the terms: Rosaura Ruiz predicted that the group would recommend biodegradable chemicals and recycled water use in any fracking operations, framing the effort as applying “science for social well-being” without harming ecosystems or water supplies.
- Geoscientist gives fracking a green-ish light: Luis Fernando Camacho Ortegón said he’s monitored U.S. fracking for 20+ years and that current technology has reached “a very stable level of security,” citing no serious accidents in the Eagle Ford Shale region of Texas.
- Is the decision already made? A reporter pressed Sheinbaum on whether the panel’s composition signaled fracking is a done deal. She flatly said “no,” insisting that scientists with opposing views are also part of the group — just not present on Wednesday.
- Communities get a veto: Sheinbaum pledged that Indigenous and local community consultations will happen before any fracking decision, saying “we’re not going to do anything against the communities.”
- Texas dependency is the real driver: The president said Mexico can’t keep sourcing 75% of its gas from Texas fracking operations, framing domestic fracking research as a matter of energy sovereignty, not just economics.
- Foreign tech yes, foreign control no: Sheinbaum floated the idea of Pemex hiring foreign fracking technology rather than ceding resource control, declaring flatly: “We’re not going to hand over our resources to foreign countries.”
Why today’s mañanera matters
President Sheinbaum’s Wednesday morning press conference focused on the possibility of “sustainable” fracking taking place in Mexico.
While Sheinbaum stressed that no decision has yet been made, she appears to be strongly in favor of allowing the controversial gas extraction technique, provided that there are guarantees 
From companies in the most polluting corrupt deadly industry on earth? Impossible for any guarantees to be kept that it won’t create environmental problems or adversely affect local communities. The main aim is to reduce Mexico’s dependency on natural gas imports from the United States.
Sheinbaum has acknowledged her previous opposition to fracking, but now asserts without any evidence that it can take place safely via the use of new technologies.Companies have boasted of these new technologies for years, but never uses them because they don’t mitigate harm or impacts, and are very expensive A scientific committee has been formed to offer an expert opinion on the topic, and it appears likely that its conclusions will be used to legitimize a government decision to allow “sustainable” fracking.Sustainable frac’ing is impossible.
Fracking has already taken place in Mexico, but the practice was largely paused by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Sheinbaum’s apparent push to launch a “sustainable” fracking initiative in Mexico represents a major break with the policy of her predecessor, political mentor and founder of the political movement she now leads.
Today’s mañanera was extremely significant as the president unveiled the experts who will assess the feasibility of “sustainable” fracking and reiterated her openness to the use of the gas extraction method. If fracking is approved by the Sheinbaum administration, the president’s Wednesday morning press conference will be seen as an important milestone on the journey to such a decision.
Sheinbaum introduces scientific group that will assess fracking feasibility
At the very start of her press conference, Sheinbaum highlighted that a group of Mexican scientists from various universities was in attendance.
“They’re going to help us with a question we posed a week ago — Under what conditions is the non-conventional exploitation of gas in our country feasible orALWAYS not feasible?” she said.
On repeated occasions, Sheinbaum has expressed her openness to allowing a form of “sustainable” fracking in Mexico.
On Wednesday, she said that the scientific group will assess whether such fracking is feasible in different parts of the country.
“This is the task that we gave them,” Sheinbaum said.
The group is slated to offer an initial opinion on the feasibility of sustainable fracking in Mexico in two months.Repeating the word “sustainable” a million times will not make frac’ing sustainable. Sustainable frac’ing is impossible.
Science minister: ‘The commitment of this government is to reach energy sovereignty’
Speaking immediately after Sheinbaum’s opening remarks, the federal minister for science, humanities, technology and innovation, Rosaura Ruiz declared that “as the president has said in recent days, the commitment of this government is to reach energy sovereignty, without compromising water security or the health of our ecosystems.”Any nation which truthfully wants to protect drinking water supplies will never frac.
Ruiz subsequently noted that the ministry she leads put together the “multidisciplinary” scientific group that will assess the viability of sustainable fracking in Mexico.
She said that the group will “recommend the use of chemicals” for fracking “that are biodegradable.”The waste water will still be toxic, the fumes of the frac crews will also remain toxic, the worker deaths will continue because the industry is too cruel, callous and greedy to protect workers adequately, groundwater and surface water will become contaminated with gases – sometimes miles from frac sites, and don’t forget the highly dangerous and damaging frac quakes
Ruiz also spoke about the importance of using recycled water in fracking so as to “not affect catchment areas and human consumption, especially in arid areas.”Using recycled water won’t make any difference to the water (25-100% of water injected) permanently lost to the hydrogeological cycle
The science minister asserted that she, other officials and the scientific group “are here to give confidence and scientific rigor to the people of Mexico.”
“We’re not improvising, we’re applying science for social well-being and the protection of our soil,” she said.If that is true as you say it, you will ensure frac’ing is forever banned
Geoscientist: Current fracking technology has a ‘very stable level of security’
Asked whether fracking in Texas affects the environment in Mexico, Sheinbaum referred the question to a member of the scientific group.
Luis Fernando Camacho Ortegón, a geoscientist from the Autonomous University of Coahuila, said that he and other scientists have been monitoring “the non-conventional hydrocarbons industry” — i.e., fracking — in the United States for over 20 years.
He said that fracking techniques were previously inefficient and acknowledged that fracking has caused “some problems.”Some? You, Sir, have obviously done selective research. The harms caused by frac’ing are many and endless.
However, Camacho asserted that fracking technology has improved a lot, and told reporters — in a contested claim — that there have been no accidents or contamination related to fracking in the Eagle Ford Shale region in Texas.
“We haven’t heard of any accident or serious problem,” he said, adding that “the current technology” used in fracking “has reached a very stable level of security.”
Reality Check:
2013: Oilfield jobs: Workers suffer “horrific deaths” May 9, 2013 By TXsharon
Reporters have a tough job learning how many oilfield workers have died in the Eagle Ford Shale boom.
How many workers have died in the Eagle Ford Shale?
Posted on 05/08/2013 by John Tedesco
When we checked out the industry’s safety record in February, we found 11 employees who had suffered horrific deaths at drilling sites in the Eagle Ford Shale.
Now we know the death toll is up to 13 workers — and that number is likely to increase as more information trickles out about accidents that occurred in 2012, a year of intense drilling activity in the shale region south of San Antonio.
It’s even harder to track the injuries. Unless they show up on emergency scanners, no one knows about the injuries.
The cliché “time is money” is Bible-truth at rig sites, and the rush to get the job done is often an underlying cause of many oilfield accidents, Ammons said.
If they are in such haste that people’s lives and limbs mean nothing, is it realistic to believe they will take care with our water and air?
End Reality Check
Sheinbaum rejects suggestion that a decision about fracking has already been made
A reporter asserted that the “composition” of the scientific group and the remarks of its members indicated that a decision about allowing fracking in Mexico has already been made.
“Fracking will be carried out, [gas] will be extracted and what we’re [really] asking is where and how,” he said.
“… Has the decision already been made?” asked the reporter, who said that the scientific group appears to be “strongly” in favor of fracking.And seem eagerly lying to make it happen
“No,” Sheinbaum responded.
“That’s why we’re consulting the scientists,” she said.
Sheinbaum asserted that “many” members of the scientific group have “spoken out against this form of gas extraction,” although few if any of them were present at today’s mañanera.
“Today we introduced those who are here,” she said.
Ruiz subsequently said that not all of the members of the scientific group were able to attend the president’s press conference. She also asserted that the scientists who are part of the group have “different positions” on the issue of fracking. The science minister echoed the president’s remarks, declaring that no decision on allowing fracking has been made.
Sheinbaum: ‘We’re not going to do anything against the communities’
Sheinbaum told reporters that consultation processes with Indigenous people and other citizens will take place before any decision about fracking is made.
“We’re not going to do anything against the communities … because we’re not like that,” she said.
“… That must be made clear,” Sheinbaum said.
“The first thing is to see the technical and scientific viability [of sustainable fracking],” added the president.
She said last week that the “sovereignty” of Mexico, “the development of the country” and its “environmental future” will be central considerations in any decision her government makes about fracking.
On Wednesday, Sheinbaum said that the scientific group will offer an opinion on the feasibility of sustainable fracking in around two months, including information on the cost of “new technologies” that could be used to extract gas from non-conventional deposits. She said the group might determine that sustainable fracking in Mexico is “too expensive.”No matter how expensive, there is no such thing as “sustainable fracking”!
Made with Flourish
Sheinbaum: We can’t continue depending on gas from Texas
Sheinbaum declared that “what we can’t do” is continue depending on gas fracked in Texas in order to meet 75% of Mexico’s gas needs.So put your money and energy into renewables. Don’t waste them on frac’ing, which is the worst energy extraction process in the world
“While we can continue buying, we have to seek energy sovereignty,” she said.
“It’s very important to continue researching [the feasibility of sustainable fracking],” Sheinbaum said.
“And we’re not hiding anything. If I wanted to hide something, we wouldn’t be publicly presenting what we’re doing,” she said.I beg to differ. You are presenting slippery shit with which to con the Mexican people.
‘We’re not going to hand over our resources to foreign countries’
Sheinbaum raised the possibility that state oil and gas company Pemex could “hire” the technology required to carry out sustainable fracking from a foreign company or companies.
In response to a reporter’s assertion that the hiring of technology would create a “technological dependency,” the president highlighted that Mexico already depends on foreign technology “in many areas,” including in the energy and health sectors.
Asked whether she could rule out foreign companies coming in to Mexico to carry out fracking, Sheinbaum declared that “we’re not going to hand over our resources to foreign countries.”
Asked whether the extraction of gas in Mexico via fracking would bring down gas prices, the president responded:
“Beyond the price, [the important thing] for all Mexicans is availability … [of] gas in our territory. That is extremely important for all Mexicans. Sovereignty is a matter for everyone. It’s not just an individual benefit, it’s a collective benefit. It’s about the homeland, the nation, the future of Mexico.”
Sheinbaum said last week that the commencement of sustainable fracking in Mexico — if approved — could take 10 to 15 years. However, it appears that the government is interested in moving as quickly as possible in order to promptly ease, if not eliminate, Mexico’s dependency on U.S. oil.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (email hidden; JavaScript is required)
6 COMMENTS
- Alejandro Mendoza Yep , it’s all about Control, just like Pemex , an economic disaster , because of government corruption, besides , ignorant bureaucrats will mismanage any economic enterprise, good luck Mexico , you “own” the oil , but you have to pay the most expensive gasoline , more expensive than Canada and the USA !!
- email hidden; JavaScript is required Hope fracking is not a reality. Too many negatives….
- Shar There is no such thing as sustainable fracking. In this world today, no country is not dependent in one way or another on other countries. Mexico should develop its resources of gas and oil but not at the expense of its environment. Unless we figure we’re all screwed anyhow looking at the climate and to hell with it.
- rory byers There are so many problems with fracking I hope Mexico does not go down that road. And there are problems in Texas with it. Particularly in the Permain Basin. Biggest problem is ground water contamination; other concerns are seismic activity from high pressure wastewater being injected into the deep wells. and wastewater management. Please do more research.
- email hidden; JavaScript is required Maybe Mexico should stop using gas that comes from fracking? We don’t want to kill the cow but we are happy to eat the meat? Perhaps Trump decides to directly attack cartels in Mexico? What can Mexico do about that? it might be the first act of war. The second act would then be for the USA to slam the valves closed on the gas coming into Mexico and nationalize Mexico’s oil assets in the USA if Mexico tried to retaliate. It’s an unfortunate scenario that needs to be considered with real risks.
The Eagleford Shale is prolific shale gas basin. It ends at the border of Texas and Mexico. The Shale does not end there but the production of gas and gas liquids does. Why cant Mexico start there? Let’s partner up with company near the border, trade ownership in their wells with ownership in Mexico future wells close their production and form a joint partnership in that region? Then we could use that basin as a training ground for future Mexico gas ventures while skills and technology transfer to a future Gasmex. Think relative risks. - BBintheBaja Well written article. Thank you.
I’d love to see what the experts have to say about seismically active areas like Mexico, and the correlation between fracking-induced seismic events.
Take note of Oklahoma and the jump in man-made/created seismic activity.
Bureaucrat’s can make anything more palatable by promising the moon and stars, however looking deeply into issues related to fracking and its environmental impacts is damning.
Like the notion of burning “clean coal” sounds appealing, so does water recycling and eco friendly chemicals.
As has been said, it’s like putting lipstick on a pig. It’s still a pig.
Refer also to:
2025: Ojital Viejo, Mexico: They Came for the Oil. They Took and Contaminated Everything.
2019: Mexico Environment Minister Wants to Prohibit Fracking Because it Damages the Environment
… A proportion (25% to 100%) of the water used in hydraulic fracturing is not recovered, and consequently this water is lost permanently to re-use, which differs from some other water uses in which water can be recovered and processed for re-use. …