Lea County in New Mexico has seen the fastest growth among U.S. counties in oil production in recent years, becoming a key driver of the shale boom in the Permian basin. The Permian shale boom has made New Mexico the second-largest U.S.-producing state, second only to Texas. Lea County, with a population of about 75,000 residents in the southeastern tip of New Mexico, is fueling America’s oil production growth and helping the United States keep its status as the world’s largest crude oil producer. While fracking boomed in the shale…
