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Inspectors for the Texas Railroad Fee are investigating a 5.4 magnitude earthquake that was recorded west of Pecos close to the border of Reeves and Culberson counties on Wednesday, the company stated.
The earthquake, confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey, was the biggest recorded within the state since 1995 and the third-largest in Texas historical past, in line with the USGS Nationwide Earthquake Info Heart. It might be felt as far-off as Carlsbad, New Mexico, and El Paso.
The biggest quake in Texas historical past was 5.8 magnitude recorded in 1931 southwest of Valentine, in line with the USGS Nationwide Earthquake Info Heart.
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The variety of earthquakes recorded in Texas has spiked lately, notably in West Texas’ Permian Basin, the best oil and fuel area within the state. Scientific research have linked the seismic exercise to the disposal of contaminated, salty water deep underground — a standard follow by oil firms on the finish of the hydraulic fracturing course of that may awaken dormant fault traces.
Between three and 6 barrels of salty, polluted water additionally come as much as the floor with each barrel of oil in the course of the fracking course of — historic water that was trapped underground by rock formations.
Years of pumping a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of gallons of contaminated water per day underground in Texas has coincided with extra frequent and extra highly effective earthquakes within the state: An evaluation by The Texas Tribune discovered that the variety of earthquakes of three.0 magnitude and larger had doubled in 2021 from the earlier 12 months.
The overwhelming majority of seismicity within the final 20 years that’s occurred close to Pecos was possible triggered by elevated wastewater disposal, a 2021 examine by USGS and College of Texas scientists discovered.
Lately, the Railroad Fee, which regulates oil and fuel exercise within the state and points permits for the water injection wells, has created a number of “seismic response areas” in West Texas, the place the company has requested firms to restrict their water disposal actions and conform to an industry-led plan to scale back seismic exercise.
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This week’s quake occurred in a response space in Culberson and Reeves counties created earlier this 12 months. The company stated its inspectors are reviewing the {industry} teams’ plan and inspecting water disposal exercise close by. Operators could also be required to scale back wastewater injections on account of the quake, in line with an announcement from the Railroad Fee.
It might take a number of months to a 12 months after decreasing or stopping wastewater injection for the realm to cease shaking; the Railroad Fee warned in an announcement Thursday that historic exercise suggests the time lag might be between 12 and 18 months.
Disclosure: The College of Texas at Austin has been a monetary supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan information group that’s funded partly by donations from members, foundations and company sponsors. Monetary supporters play no function within the Tribune’s journalism. Discover a full checklist of them right here.
Nathan Eovaldi pitched seven scoreless innings, Dustin Harris had a homer and two-run double in his second MLB game, and the defending champion Texas Rangers closed out their season with an 8-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.
Nathaniel Lowe also homered, and Josh Smith drove in two runs for the Rangers, who were eliminated from postseason contention on Sept. 20. Texas finished the season with its first sweep of a three-game series since late August against the Chicago White Sox.
The Rangers finished 78-84, one season after going 90-72 and charging through the postseason on the way to their first World Series title in franchise history.
Angels rookie starter Jack Kochanowicz (2-6) gave up three runs on six hits over seven innings in the 11th start of his career after making his big league debut July 11. The Angels finished with the most losses in franchise history at 63-99 after going 73-89 last season.
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Texas scored first when Lowe hit a leadoff double to center in the fourth and Jonah Heim knocked him in one batter later with a single to left.
Harris delivered a two-run double in the seventh inning to right field on his first career hit for a 3-0 lead.
The Angels nearly broke through in the seventh, but Matt Thaiss was thrown out at home by Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford. Thaiss was trying to score from second on a single by Michael Stefanic.
In the eighth inning, Langford led off with a single before Lowe homered to right, his 16th of the season, for a 5-0 advantage. Lowe had five hits and five RBIs over the last two games of the season.
Harris’ first career home run, in the ninth inning off Roansy Contreras, just cleared the wall in right field. Smith added a two-run double later in the inning off Contreras.
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Eovaldi (12-8) gave up four hits over seven innings, with a walk and five strikeouts. Jose Leclerc pitched a scoreless eighth inning with two strikeouts, and David Robertson handled the ninth inning, closing out the 12th shutout of the season for Texas.
The Angels drew a crowd of 35,145 for the season finale and finished the season at 2,577,597, slightly down from their total attendance of 2,640,575 in 2023.
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Rangers: Spring training opener, Feb. 21 vs. Royals at Surprise, Arizona.
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A Texas state trooper died Saturday, more than a week after he was struck by a vehicle, authorities said.
“Today is a very somber day, as our hearts weigh heavy in reporting the tragic death of Texas Highway Patrol Trooper Kevin Ramirez Vasquez,” a regional director said in a statement shared by the Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association.
Ramirez Vasquez, 25, was investigating a crash along State Highway 302 about 9 a.m. September 17 when he was struck by a vehicle. He was taken to Medical Center Hospital in Odessa then airlifted to Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock.
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He died Saturday with his family by his side, according to the statement
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Ramirez Vasquez was a U.S. Army veteran and serving in the U.S. National Guard. He joined DPS last year and was stationed in Odessa.
“There are no words to ease the loss of one of our brothers in uniform,” DPS Director Steven McCraw said in a news release. “Texas Highway Patrol Trooper Kevin Alexis Ramirez Vasquez served this state honorably to his very last breath. His commitment to keeping the roads safe, protecting the people of Texas and the sacrifice he made will never be forgotten.”
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Ramirez Vasquez is survived by his parents and three siblings.
DPS Troopers Foundation is collecting donations through HelpAHero.com.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
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ANAHEIM — Few Texas Rangers prospects in recent memory arrived with higher expectations than Wyatt Langford.
The Rangers 2023 No. 4 overall pick hasn’t disappointed, especially in the second half of the season. And most notably, he has steadily progressed into the type of hitter the organization envisioned during a torrid final month of the season.
In fact, few Rangers have put together a better month than the 22-year-old Langford.
He added to it again Saturday in the Rangers’ 9-8 comeback win over the Los Angeles Angels at Angels Stadium. He hit his fourth homer in the past six games. Nine of his 16 homers have come in his past 30 games.
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Langford is the first Rangers player with 22 or more runs, seven or more home runs, 19 or more RBI, and six or more stolen bases in a month.
Only four MLB rookies had previously posted similar totals in a single month, including Nomar Garciaparra (August 1997), Mike Trout (July and August 2012), Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. (August 2018), and Arizona’s Corbin Carroll (June 2023).
After falling behind 7-1 in the third, the Rangers added runs in the fourth and sixth before scoring twice in the eighth and four in the ninth to finish their largest comeback win of the season. The previous largest rally was five runs in their home finale on Sunday.
Sep 28, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Andrew Heaney (44) pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
It was arguably Andrew Heaney’s worst start of the season, but he’ll be celebrating anyway. Heaney, the Rangers most durable starting pitcher with a team and career-high 31 starts in 2024, was charged with a season-high seven runs on a career-tying high 10 hits in four innings and dropped to 5-15 with the loss. Heaney, 33, however, earned a $1.5 million incentive bonus by reaching 160 innings pitched. He started the game with 156.
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Sep 27, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Texas Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia (53) is greeted by third base coach Tony Beasley (27) after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels. during the first inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Adolis García, who hit his 25th home run in Friday’s win, left Saturday’s game after running out a groundout in the sixth inning. García came up limping on his left knee, which has been bothering him of late.
Garcia is the seventh player in Rangers history with four or more 25-homer seasons. He’s the fourth Rangers player with 25 or more homers in at least four consecutive seasons. He joins Juan Gonzalez (5, 1995-99), Rafael Palmeiro (5, 1999-2003), and Mark Teixeira (4, 2003-06). García is
one of five 5 American League players with 25 or more homers in the past four seasons, joining Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, Boston’s Rafael Devers, Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and the New Yor Yankees’s Aaron Judge.
Sep 17, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim (left) talks with starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (right) during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (11-8, 3.96) faces Angels right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (2-5, 4.01) in the season finale at 2:07 p.m. Sunday.