This is a development that was unexpected even for the often surprising Elon Musk. As reported by Bloomberg, the Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) SpaceX CEO revealed in a regulatory hearing that he plans to drill for natural gas near his Boca Chica spacecraft development facility in the southeast corner of Texas, near Brownsville.
Attorney Tim George said during the trial, which was held by the Texas Railroad Commission and aimed to help resolve a dispute, that SpaceX would use the methane extracted from its efforts “in connection with their operations for rockets. ” No further details were immediately available. George represents Lone Star Mineral Development, the SpaceX subsidiary that was established last June and is responsible for the drilling.
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Such activities have not yet begun because Lone Star Mineral Development is caught up in a battle with rival energy company Dallas Petroleum Group. Lone Star bought its 806-acre site from the private company Houston, Mesquite Energy; Dallas Petroleum claims to own numerous inactive wells on the property.
Another subsidiary of SpaceX, the acquisition company Dogleg Park, claims that Dallas Petroleum blocked SpaceX’s access to the site in an attempt to extort money from Musk’s company.
Boca Chica is the place where SpaceX’s spaceship and Super Heavy rocket are currently being developed and tested. Last month, an unmanned Starship prototype from Boca Chica was unveiled. With the flight, Starship reached a new altitude record (about 40,000 feet) and reached certain targets, although it exploded during the landing during an impact.
Texas is something of a new base for Musk and his businesses, including the sensational Tesla – currently Tesla is building one of its Gigafactories near the capital Austin.