Oil is Booming in the Permian Basin - Callaghan O'Hare's Portfolio

Sand is poured into a pile at Hi-Crush's sand mining facility in Kermit, Texas. As shale drillers turn to local sand for fracking, sand in West Texas has become a major industry.

For Bloomberg:

The oil boom in the Permian Basin, a 75,000 square mile stretch of land across West Texas and New Mexico, has transformed the once-sleepy region into a hotbed of economic activity. The region's shale production, which has positioned the US as the world's largest oil producer, shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

James Walter, co-CEO and co-founder of Colgate Energy, poses for a portrait at Colgate Energy's office in downtown Midland, Texas.

A map of west Texas counties is seen at Colgate Energy's office in downtown Midland, Texas.

Piles of sand are seen at Black Mountain Sand's Vest Facility in Winkler County, Texas.

Stacks of casing are seen at the site of one of Colgate Energy's horizontal drilling rigs in Reeves County, Texas.

Kenson Tave works out on at Aries Residence Suites in Goldsmith, Texas. According to Bloomberg, "thousands of oil workers are living in dormitory-like compounds in the Permian Basin.

Ripples of sand are at Monahans Sandhills State Park.

Contractors maneuver drilling pipe in search of oil at one of Colgate Energy's horizontal drilling rigs in Reeves County, Texas.

Dust is blown along County Road 337 in Reeves County, Texas.

A man makes his way across the sand dunes at Monahans Sandhills State Park.

Donovan Walker, of Dallas, Anthony Herber, of Fort Worth, and Jaurden Kramer, of Denham Springs, La., relax after work at Permian Lodging in Midland, Texas. Permian Lodging houses oil companies' employees at a low cost in Texas' oil-rich Permian Basin.

Horses are seen grazing in front of a pumpjack outside of Midland, Texas.

Randy Swancutt, of Lubbock, and James Stroup, of Blue Ridge, Texas, relax on their day off at Permian Lodging in Midland, Texas. Permian Lodging houses oil companies' employees at a low cost in Texas' oil-rich Permian Basin.

Hi-Crush Plant Manager Greg Edwards walks through the sand dunes at Hi-Crush's sand mining facility in Kermit, Texas.

After getting off of the night shift, Jerry Thomas, of Fort Worth, prepares to go to sleep at Permian Lodging in Midland, Texas. Permian Lodging houses oil companies' employees at a low cost in Texas' oil-rich Permian Basin.