Illegal Immigration Fueling Oil Theft in Permian Basin
The new Wild West: 30,000 barrels of liquid gold have been stolen since 2022.
We recently discussed the petroleum-rich Permian Basin as part of the Legal Insurrection update on the dunes sagebrush lizard.
The Permian Basin, straddling Texas and New Mexico, is the world’s most extensive oil field, accounting for over 40% of the nation’s petroleum production. It has also been in the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory crosshairs, as the agency flew helicopters over the area, supposedly looking for “methane super-emitters.”
Over the past few years, it has also become a rich target for organized crime, as truckloads of liquid gold have regularly been siphoned off.
30,000 barrels of oil have been stolen in the Permian Basin since October of 2022, according to a representative from ConocoPhillips.
As oilfield theft continues to cost producers millions of dollars, oil is not the only asset being stolen.
As the oilfield stays busy, so does criminal activity around it.
“The oilfield is a 24/7 operation, and there are trucks coming and going through oil leases all day and all night, and at a glance you can’t tell the good guys from the bad guys – for the most part,” said Richard Dickson, a lieutenant for the Ector County Sheriff’s Office.
It’s like the Wild West, except where the oil trucks are targeted rather than the stagecoaches.
Several members of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association are expressing concern over what they see as a dramatic increase in oilfield crime in the Permian Basin.
“There’s always been thefts, but what seems to be happening is on another level,” Ben Shepperd, president of the PBPA, told the Reporter-Telegram in a telephone interview. One member even told him a pumping unit had been stolen, he said.
To address the concerns, PBPA has organized presentations from law enforcement to gain insight into law enforcement action as well as allowing members to speak with law enforcement about their experiences and how companies can assist in preventing thefts, he said.
…“We haven’t been able to put a dollar figure to the thefts, but it has to be in the tens of millions, hundreds of millions of dollars,” he said. “That threatens our economy and also national security.”
The PBPA is working to alert all members to the issue and offer best practices that can help law enforcement recover items and prosecutors prosecute the thieves, he added.
Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) recently introduced the Protect the Permian Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. Thanks to the Biden administration, illegal immigrants are available to be recruited by organized crime to assist in on-land piracy.
The Protect the Permian Act of 2024, H.R. 9759, would increase criminal penalties for stealing, transporting, and selling oil and oil field-related equipment and expand federal resources to law enforcement agencies to target oil theft.
“It’s time to get laws on the books that hold criminals accountable for coming into West Texas to steal our energy resources — the Protect the Permian Act will do just that,” said the congressman.
…Complicating the issue, authorities have observed criminal networks exploiting illegal immigrants to assist in oil field theft, highlighting a troubling link between border security and organized crime, the summary says.
“The Permian Basin is an energy-producing powerhouse. Across West Texas and the Permian Basin region, large and small oil producers are dealing with widespread oil theft,” said Rep. Gonzales. “In addition to taking oil, criminals have hijacked trucks and stolen expensive equipment to extract copper pieces to sell.”
NEW: Oil theft is on the rise in West Texas. Today, I introduced legislation to PROTECT the Permian Basin’s energy resources.
My bill will increase penalties for criminals who steal oil and expand law enforcement agencies’ abilities to deter oil theft. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/3CYGX7Ldv2
— Rep. Tony Gonzales (@RepTonyGonzales) September 23, 2024
The FBI will be the agency tasked with protecting the basin. I will simply note that if the FBI weren’t so focused on J6 grandmothers and conservative Catholic activists, there might already be an adequate response to this serious economic and national security crisis.
It will take this country many years to recover from all the social and economic damage the Biden administration has allowed to occur because it decided to reverse all of President Trump’s works rather than govern based on what is best for the citizens of this nation.
Trump-hate is not the basis of sound policy or wise choices.
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Other things illegal immigrations is fueling:
Rapes
Murders
Thefts
Third world diseases
Drug trafficking
Human trafficking
Illegal voting
Inflation
Shortage of housing
Using up limited Government funds to support illegals instead of citizens
The Dem crime syndicate has made a point of scattering invaders all over the county without any documentation.
As far as I can tell the only solution to this is a web based reporting system where the public can submit information. That would go a long way in facilitating illegal’s eventual expulsion.
Did I miss the part about who is buying this stolen oil? Oil is not an easy product to transport. It’s like iron ore in that regard: massive unrefined raw material. You can’t just unload it at the local pawn shop, nor peddle it to bargain hunters at a roadside market.
Where are the thieves taking this stolen oil, and who is buying it?
I had same question….also, 30,000 barrels over two years..OMG!!! The US refines 19 million barrels of crude per day.
I also been trying to figure out how they would get the oil to market, so…
– find a small outfit, such as a wildcatter with a few producing wells that may be drying up. They act as the middle men to “oil launder”.
– buy the mineral rights from the owners in that area. They would still report the royalty checks, but it would be to themselves. Or, the current royalty owners would not complain about increases in their checks.
– whoever steals the crude then sells to the wildcatter who puts the stuff into the regular system.
The 30,000 barrels was a quote from one company. There are more companies in the Permian Basin.
So does this sound like a feasible way to get the stolen crude to market?
Yes
It sure makes more sense than the “secret black-market refinery” option which was all my pedestrian imagination could suggest.
We share the migrant problem with Europe where invaders from the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and other Third-World countries are replacing the native European population. Not a theory– reality. Watch the Eva Vlaardingerbroek recent speech to CPAC Hungary for a concise summary.
https://x.com/EvaVlaar/status/1784264775574188371
I had not realized how many famous European cities are now majority migrant. Some overwhelmingly majority foreign like Brussels, which is 70% migrant. The European problem is also our problem.
Guys Vlaardingerbroek is gorgeous. In this case inner beauty out does outer beauty. She is both courageous and smart. If your haven’t seen it, don’t misss it.
Theft of large bins of un-hulled harvested walnuts and almonds is a problem here in NorCal – as well as pallet stacked beehives.
All of it organized crime. There’s got to be crooked hullers, but I’ve never seen a report of a huller getting busted.
With every such story I become more and more in favor of vigilantism. If the justice system is not arresting/prosecuting/imprisoning these illegal aliens then the property owners should be free to take care of business on their own.
I share your opinion. Maybe SYG law needs to be enhanced to protect people enforcing their rights.
how do they know its not other producers? Juan and Cheech can’t just show up at a refinery with truck and collect a check.
In Mexico, they’re known as The Huachicoleros.
Theft of gas and petroleum products has been going on for decades.
Just declare those responsible for theft of/damage to infrastructure/ natural resources to be Brigands/Pirates outside the protection of the law.
So what is local law enforcement doing? Roadblocks, checkpoints, it would be easy to stop some of the trucks. And where is the oil going? It has to go to a refinery. Refiners should be able to account for the oil they get just like any business accounts for its’ raw materials.