How many times have we heard that the Barnett Shale does not contain H2S (Hydrogen Sulfide) or that the Barnett Shale does not have "wet gas"?
The Barnett Shale DOES contain H2S. In fact, back in 1987, a lawsuit was brought against Mitchell Energy and the Texas Railroad Commission for ignoring reports of Hydrogen Sulfide leaks. Of course it took years to go to court. There was even a ruling awarding the property owners $4 million in actual damages and $200 million in exemplary damages. But the Texas Supreme Court threw out the verdict years later. Read a few paragraphs from the Star Telegram article.
The Bartletts sued Mitchell in 1987, but the suit went to trial in 1996. It centered on allegations that Mitchell — and the Texas Railroad Commission — had ignored reports of hydrogen sulfide leaks, improper surface casings and other problems with Mitchell’s wells.
The Railroad Commission, perhaps embarrassed by revelations about its conduct during the Bartlett trial, announced in 1996 that it was conducting a "sweep" of wells in Wise County. The sweep found that 114 gas wells didn’t have enough surface casing to protect groundwater and that records about the surface casing had been falsified.
Some may think this means "Oil and Gas can do what they want and not have to be accountable". But the real message here is that gas companies can't be trusted and the people of Texas can't rely on the Texas Railroad Commission to protect our health, safety, and quality of life.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Texas leads the nation in drilling activity and worst regulation
This comes as no surprise to us Texans. In a recent article in ProPublica it is reported that Texas leads the nation for the worst drilling regulations. Read a few paragraphs from the article.
No state has more drilling than Texas, which has 273,660 wells and just 106 regulators to oversee them.
Eighty-three of Texas' regulatory staffers conduct field inspections, according to the commission, meaning each person is responsible for almost 3,300 wells, many of them requiring several visits in a year.
In late 2007, a Texas state auditor's report [3] (PDF) examined the Railroad Commission's enforcement record and found that nearly half of the state's wells hadn't been inspected in the five years between 2001 and 2006, when the data was collected.
Along with the fact that there are too many wells and not enough inspectors, the below paragraph reveals a disturbing problem with the Texas Railroad Commission.
(It also said regulators' routine acceptance of gifts from the companies they police raised questions about their objectivity and conflicts of interest, and the commission imposed a $50 limit on gifts as a result.)
In addition to the above, the TRC elected officials receive a major amount of their campaign donations from the very industry they regulate! No wonder Texas has the worst regulation record in the nation.
No state has more drilling than Texas, which has 273,660 wells and just 106 regulators to oversee them.
Eighty-three of Texas' regulatory staffers conduct field inspections, according to the commission, meaning each person is responsible for almost 3,300 wells, many of them requiring several visits in a year.
In late 2007, a Texas state auditor's report [3] (PDF) examined the Railroad Commission's enforcement record and found that nearly half of the state's wells hadn't been inspected in the five years between 2001 and 2006, when the data was collected.
Along with the fact that there are too many wells and not enough inspectors, the below paragraph reveals a disturbing problem with the Texas Railroad Commission.
(It also said regulators' routine acceptance of gifts from the companies they police raised questions about their objectivity and conflicts of interest, and the commission imposed a $50 limit on gifts as a result.)
In addition to the above, the TRC elected officials receive a major amount of their campaign donations from the very industry they regulate! No wonder Texas has the worst regulation record in the nation.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Water. We can't live without it!
We all know that water, the excessive use of it and the contamination of it, is a big issue for gas drilling. Yes, other industries use water and contaminate it but not at the pace the gas and oil industry does and this is a blog about gas drilling issues.
TXsharon posted a great article about how important water is. Check out Natural Gas Production Causing Water Bankruptcy
Again, on-site recycling and purification must be a standard practice!!!! If gas companies were truly "good neighbors", they would want to do this..... period.
TXsharon posted a great article about how important water is. Check out Natural Gas Production Causing Water Bankruptcy
Again, on-site recycling and purification must be a standard practice!!!! If gas companies were truly "good neighbors", they would want to do this..... period.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Star Telegram article about air quality concerns
In a recent article in the Star Telegram about air quality concerns, Steve Dixon was quoted saying the following:
"I truly believe there are some wells in the Barnett Shale that are polluting, and I encourage those leaders to issue moratoriums," Dixon said. "If we had data that any of the wells in Flower Mound showed harmful levels, I would have voted for the moratorium."
But with some of the preliminary testing showing high levels of benzene in areas of North Texas, holding off till the TCEQ and the EPA releases their study results and recommendations, would have been the right thing to do for the residents of Flower Mound. Councilmen Filidoro and Hayden voted for the temporary suspension until it was certain that there was not an air quality issue around Flower Mound.
Allowing any more drilling activity and a Waste Water Collection Facility in the Town before the TCEQ and EPA results are available is reckless endangerment of all the residents.
"I truly believe there are some wells in the Barnett Shale that are polluting, and I encourage those leaders to issue moratoriums," Dixon said. "If we had data that any of the wells in Flower Mound showed harmful levels, I would have voted for the moratorium."
But with some of the preliminary testing showing high levels of benzene in areas of North Texas, holding off till the TCEQ and the EPA releases their study results and recommendations, would have been the right thing to do for the residents of Flower Mound. Councilmen Filidoro and Hayden voted for the temporary suspension until it was certain that there was not an air quality issue around Flower Mound.
Councilmen Al Filidoro and Tom Hayden argued that a temporary halt made sense until more data become available.
"I hope that the study says everything is fine, but I don’t know," Filidoro said. "I had enough doubts to know that I wanted to protect the residents of our community."
Flower Mound is asking for testing to be done at gas wells in the area. The Town has not been included in any testing to date. See map from txsharon on TCEQ testing. It is really the future that many Flower Mound residents are worried about. The Town received applications for 18 new gas wells and a compressor station during the 30 day period. They have also been debating a proposed Waste Water Collection Facility that could be the site of an excessive amount of Tank Batteries filled with toxic drilling waste. Pipelines buried 4 feet underground that will transport the drilling waste to the site could be subject to eminent domain. This could allow the pipelines to run through neighborhoods. The Town could vote on whether to add this type of facility to the ordinance.Allowing any more drilling activity and a Waste Water Collection Facility in the Town before the TCEQ and EPA results are available is reckless endangerment of all the residents.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
TCEQ Releases New Rules
The TCEQ has released new rules for responding to citizen complaints. This is a great start towards better regulations but there is still much more that needs to be done.
Many thanks to the TXOGAP and the Town of Dish who have been working so hard for better regulations and reform for the oil and gas industry. The TXOGAP needs support to continue their hard work.
We need the EPA to help by removing the Oil and Gas Industry exemptions from the following:
Safe Drinking Water Act
Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act
National Environmental Policy Act
Toxic Release Inventory under the Emergency Planning
Community Right-to-Know Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response
Compensation and Liability Act
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
And make any new rules or regulations retro-active to apply to all gas drilling activity.
Many thanks to the TXOGAP and the Town of Dish who have been working so hard for better regulations and reform for the oil and gas industry. The TXOGAP needs support to continue their hard work.
We need the EPA to help by removing the Oil and Gas Industry exemptions from the following:
Safe Drinking Water Act
Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act
National Environmental Policy Act
Toxic Release Inventory under the Emergency Planning
Community Right-to-Know Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response
Compensation and Liability Act
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
And make any new rules or regulations retro-active to apply to all gas drilling activity.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
The Gathering Line
The National Alliance for Drilling Reform wishes you a Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas and plenty of clean air and safe water for all!
Gathering Line - a special pipeline that transports gas from the field to the main pipeline.
The Gathering Line is a round-up of oil & gas drilling news brought to you by National Alliance for Drilling Reform (NA4DR), a broad alliance of grassroots activists from states across the nation that are affected with drilling development.
Whodunnit? The New Mexico Environment Department reached a $5.1 million settlement over "alleged" air emission violations. Find out at Northern New Mexico Conservation Project.
BARNETT SHALE GAS THREATENS HUMAN HEALTH !!! TXsharon posted the Final Results of the DISH TX health survey at Bluedaze.
Citizens for Environmental Clean-Up sets the record straight: The Exxon back out clause is purely industry spin aided by lazy journalism because there is nothing in the FRAC Act or anywhere else about banning hydraulic fracturing.
Flower Mound Town Council denies temporary suspension of Natural Gas Production until TCEQ and EPA releases their study results and recommendations. It appears Council members Dixon, Levenick, and Wallace aren't buying the recent concerns and results of the studies already conducted by the TCEQ, the Federal EPA, and Town of Dish! Read about it at stopthedrilling.blogspot.com.
Sierra Club executive director Carl Pope has been spotted traveling around the country promoting natural gas's environmental benefits with none other than Aubrey McClendon, chief executive of Chesapeake Energy Corporation. Read more at Marcellus Effect
Peacegirl read a powerful blog post this week from Don Young of Texas who viewed the recent film "Flame and Citron," a true story about a pair of heroic resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied Denmark. The film tag-line is haunting in light of what is happening when gas drillers come to your town: "Do you remember when they came?" Check out Peacegirl's post, Do you remember when they came? and visit her blog at Gas drillers are occupiers, and they are in charge. Do you see the parallels?
Gathering Line - a special pipeline that transports gas from the field to the main pipeline.
The Gathering Line is a round-up of oil & gas drilling news brought to you by National Alliance for Drilling Reform (NA4DR), a broad alliance of grassroots activists from states across the nation that are affected with drilling development.
Whodunnit? The New Mexico Environment Department reached a $5.1 million settlement over "alleged" air emission violations. Find out at Northern New Mexico Conservation Project.
BARNETT SHALE GAS THREATENS HUMAN HEALTH !!! TXsharon posted the Final Results of the DISH TX health survey at Bluedaze.
Citizens for Environmental Clean-Up sets the record straight: The Exxon back out clause is purely industry spin aided by lazy journalism because there is nothing in the FRAC Act or anywhere else about banning hydraulic fracturing.
Flower Mound Town Council denies temporary suspension of Natural Gas Production until TCEQ and EPA releases their study results and recommendations. It appears Council members Dixon, Levenick, and Wallace aren't buying the recent concerns and results of the studies already conducted by the TCEQ, the Federal EPA, and Town of Dish! Read about it at stopthedrilling.blogspot.com.
Sierra Club executive director Carl Pope has been spotted traveling around the country promoting natural gas's environmental benefits with none other than Aubrey McClendon, chief executive of Chesapeake Energy Corporation. Read more at Marcellus Effect
Peacegirl read a powerful blog post this week from Don Young of Texas who viewed the recent film "Flame and Citron," a true story about a pair of heroic resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied Denmark. The film tag-line is haunting in light of what is happening when gas drillers come to your town: "Do you remember when they came?" Check out Peacegirl's post, Do you remember when they came? and visit her blog at Gas drillers are occupiers, and they are in charge. Do you see the parallels?
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Recent article on Denton County Air
Breathing Denton County's air may be risky. A recent article by Peggy Heinkle-Wolfe in the Denton RC stated the following:
Denton County residents faced the same risk of developing neurological conditions as the national average. But the risk posed for cancer and respiratory diseases is nearly 25 percent higher in Denton County than the national average and 41 times the EPA’s target of 1 person per million, according to its Web site.
A 2004 National Cancer Institute study of workers in a shoe manufacturing plant showed that exposure as low as one part per million of benzene in the air was enough to change the workers’ white blood cell counts.
According to the National Institutes of Health, people who are regularly exposed to low levels of benzene can develop severe anemia, leukemia and lymphoma.
We have heard quite a bit about Leukemia right here in Flower Mound in the past month.
Hydrocarbons have other effects. This study on Prenatal Airborne Hydrocarbon Exposure mentions the effect that Benzene has on a child's IQ.
Denton County residents faced the same risk of developing neurological conditions as the national average. But the risk posed for cancer and respiratory diseases is nearly 25 percent higher in Denton County than the national average and 41 times the EPA’s target of 1 person per million, according to its Web site.
The Oil & Gas industry (and apparently some members of the Flower Mound Town Council) don't seem to believe that natural gas production has anything to do with the high benzene levels found at some Denton County pad sites. The article goes on to mention the following.
However, recent inspections by the TCEQ have found substantial emissions elsewhere at gas plants and wellheads, near condensate tanks, vent stacks and even unlit flares.
The article also mentions studies by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health.A 2004 National Cancer Institute study of workers in a shoe manufacturing plant showed that exposure as low as one part per million of benzene in the air was enough to change the workers’ white blood cell counts.
According to the National Institutes of Health, people who are regularly exposed to low levels of benzene can develop severe anemia, leukemia and lymphoma.
We have heard quite a bit about Leukemia right here in Flower Mound in the past month.
Hydrocarbons have other effects. This study on Prenatal Airborne Hydrocarbon Exposure mentions the effect that Benzene has on a child's IQ.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Flower Mound Council Denies Temporary Suspension of Natural Gas Production UPDATE
Flower Mound Council Members Dixon, Levenick, and Wallace voted to deny the temporary suspension of Natural Gas Drilling and Production in the Town of Flower Mound. Leaving Council Members Filidoro and Hayden in favor of it.
It appears Council members Dixon, Levenick, and Wallace aren't buying the recent concerns and results of the studies already conducted by the TCEQ, the Federal EPA, and Town of Dish! They don't seem to believe it is important enough to wait for the completed study results and recommendations from the TCEQ and the EPA before allowing increased drilling activity.
It was mentioned by one of the members that the Town of Flower Mound hasn't had any air quality problems to date.
See the WFAA report on last nights meeting.
Well, the Town of Flower Mound hasn't had any air quality testing at all so how would anyone know what the air quality is like in the Town.
Even though more residents spoke in favor of the temporary suspension until the TCEQ and EPA release their results and recommendations, that is if you don't count the 10+ employees of Williams, Chesapeake, and their lawyers that spoke against it, the three council members chose to listen to the gas drilling companies.
Applications for 18 Gas Wells and a Compressor Station were received by the Town in the last 30 days. You can bet there will be more to come before the TCEQ and EPA make their recommendations. Someone mentioned the number 100 or more wells to be drilled.
Most of these wells will be in the area where we have been told of 5 child Leukemia cases and 2 adult Leukemia cases. Again, we have no evidence that gas drilling is related to this but it sure makes you wonder.
So ask yourself the following questions:
How many more compressor stations will that bring?
How many tank batteries will be needed at the proposed Waste Water Collection Facility?
How many pipelines will there be and where will they be?
What about eminent domain?
What will we be breathing?
Flower Mound may be on it's way to becoming the next Dish.
It appears Council members Dixon, Levenick, and Wallace aren't buying the recent concerns and results of the studies already conducted by the TCEQ, the Federal EPA, and Town of Dish! They don't seem to believe it is important enough to wait for the completed study results and recommendations from the TCEQ and the EPA before allowing increased drilling activity.
It was mentioned by one of the members that the Town of Flower Mound hasn't had any air quality problems to date.
See the WFAA report on last nights meeting.
Well, the Town of Flower Mound hasn't had any air quality testing at all so how would anyone know what the air quality is like in the Town.
Even though more residents spoke in favor of the temporary suspension until the TCEQ and EPA release their results and recommendations, that is if you don't count the 10+ employees of Williams, Chesapeake, and their lawyers that spoke against it, the three council members chose to listen to the gas drilling companies.
Applications for 18 Gas Wells and a Compressor Station were received by the Town in the last 30 days. You can bet there will be more to come before the TCEQ and EPA make their recommendations. Someone mentioned the number 100 or more wells to be drilled.
Most of these wells will be in the area where we have been told of 5 child Leukemia cases and 2 adult Leukemia cases. Again, we have no evidence that gas drilling is related to this but it sure makes you wonder.
So ask yourself the following questions:
How many more compressor stations will that bring?
How many tank batteries will be needed at the proposed Waste Water Collection Facility?
How many pipelines will there be and where will they be?
What about eminent domain?
What will we be breathing?
Flower Mound may be on it's way to becoming the next Dish.
Dish Health Survey Results Show Health Conditions Related to Chemicals in Gas Drilling
Of the 31 residents surveyed, close to three quarters of them are experiencing health conditions related to the chemicals found in the Dish air quality study conducted by Wolf Eagle in summer of 2009. The same chemicals associated with gas drilling activity. Of course, long term effects can't be determined yet.
This was a survey and not a medical study. What this survey does is support the need for further medical testing of these individuals.
NEWS RELEASE
For Release: Thursday, December 17, 8:30 am Central
http://earthworksaction.org/PR_DISH_HealthSurveyRelease.cfm
Community Health Survey Shows Shale Gas Threatens Human Health Groups, Town of DISH urge Texas regulators to act immediately in behalf of impacted citizens
EARTHWORKS * Texas Oil & Gas Accountability Project * Town of DISH
DISH, Texas, 12/17 -- Today, public interest groups and the Town of DISH released the final results of a health survey of area residents focused on the impacts of Barnett Shale gas infrastructure. The results show that more than half of surveyed maladies can be attributed to toxics first revealed in September in a DISH-commissioned study of area air quality. Based on the results, EARTHWORKS, the Texas Oil & Gas Accountability Project and the Town of DISH are calling on state regulators to immediately perform an in-depth health investigation, implement continuous 24-hour emissions monitoring, and establish a same-day community odor and symptom tracking system.
"We need action immediately," said Calvin Tillman, DISH mayor. "I get odor complaints from residents almost everyday, and we now know that these odors and emissions are harmful to health."
After years of state inaction, the community-based health survey conducted by Earthworks and the Texas Oil & Gas Accountability Project compiled information on residents medical background, proximity to shale gas infrastructure, experience of odor events, and associated health symptoms. The report reveals that area residents are experiencing odor events as often as two times per day and associate the majority of these odors with shale gas infrastructure.
"What is most revealing is that the community is reporting health symptoms that overlap significantly with the known health effects of chemicals already detected," says Wilma Subra, of Earthworks and author of the survey. "We are seeing not only respiratory ailments and headaches, but brain disorders, pre-cancerous lesions and impairment of motor skills.
"Earthworks launched the health survey in September when Wolf Eagle Environmental and the Town of DISH released air-sampling results showing neurotoxins and carcinogens exceeding the state regulatory limits.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is due to release a final air-sampling report later this month, and the Texas Department of Health Services announced that an area health investigation was scheduled for 2010. The Department of Health Services health investigation will be among the first state health analysis of oil and gas health impacts.
"The people of the Barnett Shale cannot afford to wait until spring for appropriate action in DISH," says Jennifer Goldman of Earthworks. "The state has ignored multiple requests for action on this issue. Only immediate action will reassure affected residents throughout the Barnett Shale that their concerns will be addressed. Kicking the can down the road will no longer suffice."
"I moved from DISH because of the health impacts," says Megan Collins, who now lives in Fort Worth. "But you cant keep moving. A month after I moved to Fort Worth a rig went up 2,000 feet from my house. I smelled odors and started to experience a relapse of symptoms. Theres really no where to go when you look at where the gas is and all the wells they want to drill."
"DISH is the canary in the proverbial coal mine," says Don Young, founder of Fort Worth CANDO and Texas OGAP steering committee member. "We are seeing the same emissions issues in Fort Worth and throughout the Barnett Shale. We are definitely looking to the State to show us the same type of leadership that Mayor Tillman and the Town Commissioners in DISH have. The State has got to help us get in front of these impacts."
Contacts:
* Calvin Tillman, Mayor of DISH Texas, (940) 453-3640
* Wilma Subra, EARTHWORKS, (337) 578-3994
* Jennifer Goldman, EARTHWORKS, (406) 587-4473
* Don Young, FW CANDO and Texas OGAP, (817) 874-5277
* Megan Collins, Former DISH Resident, (817) 229-5460
Texas OGAP (Oil and Gas Accountability Project)
This was a survey and not a medical study. What this survey does is support the need for further medical testing of these individuals.
NEWS RELEASE
For Release: Thursday, December 17, 8:30 am Central
http://earthworksaction.org/PR_DISH_HealthSurveyRelease.cfm
Community Health Survey Shows Shale Gas Threatens Human Health Groups, Town of DISH urge Texas regulators to act immediately in behalf of impacted citizens
EARTHWORKS * Texas Oil & Gas Accountability Project * Town of DISH
DISH, Texas, 12/17 -- Today, public interest groups and the Town of DISH released the final results of a health survey of area residents focused on the impacts of Barnett Shale gas infrastructure. The results show that more than half of surveyed maladies can be attributed to toxics first revealed in September in a DISH-commissioned study of area air quality. Based on the results, EARTHWORKS, the Texas Oil & Gas Accountability Project and the Town of DISH are calling on state regulators to immediately perform an in-depth health investigation, implement continuous 24-hour emissions monitoring, and establish a same-day community odor and symptom tracking system.
"We need action immediately," said Calvin Tillman, DISH mayor. "I get odor complaints from residents almost everyday, and we now know that these odors and emissions are harmful to health."
After years of state inaction, the community-based health survey conducted by Earthworks and the Texas Oil & Gas Accountability Project compiled information on residents medical background, proximity to shale gas infrastructure, experience of odor events, and associated health symptoms. The report reveals that area residents are experiencing odor events as often as two times per day and associate the majority of these odors with shale gas infrastructure.
"What is most revealing is that the community is reporting health symptoms that overlap significantly with the known health effects of chemicals already detected," says Wilma Subra, of Earthworks and author of the survey. "We are seeing not only respiratory ailments and headaches, but brain disorders, pre-cancerous lesions and impairment of motor skills.
"Earthworks launched the health survey in September when Wolf Eagle Environmental and the Town of DISH released air-sampling results showing neurotoxins and carcinogens exceeding the state regulatory limits.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is due to release a final air-sampling report later this month, and the Texas Department of Health Services announced that an area health investigation was scheduled for 2010. The Department of Health Services health investigation will be among the first state health analysis of oil and gas health impacts.
"The people of the Barnett Shale cannot afford to wait until spring for appropriate action in DISH," says Jennifer Goldman of Earthworks. "The state has ignored multiple requests for action on this issue. Only immediate action will reassure affected residents throughout the Barnett Shale that their concerns will be addressed. Kicking the can down the road will no longer suffice."
"I moved from DISH because of the health impacts," says Megan Collins, who now lives in Fort Worth. "But you cant keep moving. A month after I moved to Fort Worth a rig went up 2,000 feet from my house. I smelled odors and started to experience a relapse of symptoms. Theres really no where to go when you look at where the gas is and all the wells they want to drill."
"DISH is the canary in the proverbial coal mine," says Don Young, founder of Fort Worth CANDO and Texas OGAP steering committee member. "We are seeing the same emissions issues in Fort Worth and throughout the Barnett Shale. We are definitely looking to the State to show us the same type of leadership that Mayor Tillman and the Town Commissioners in DISH have. The State has got to help us get in front of these impacts."
Contacts:
* Calvin Tillman, Mayor of DISH Texas, (940) 453-3640
* Wilma Subra, EARTHWORKS, (337) 578-3994
* Jennifer Goldman, EARTHWORKS, (406) 587-4473
* Don Young, FW CANDO and Texas OGAP, (817) 874-5277
* Megan Collins, Former DISH Resident, (817) 229-5460
Texas OGAP (Oil and Gas Accountability Project)
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Important Reminder: Flower Mound Town Council Meeting, Thursday Night, Dec. 17th
This is a reminder about the the Town Council Meeting tomorrow night, December 17th, 6:00pm at Town Hall.
Recently in the news, the Town of Dish has asked for a Congressional Investigation into how the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Railroad Commission have handled air quality concerns in the Barnett Shale. More information on the effects of the toxic air here in the Barnett Shale area come in daily.
It is important that you SHOW UP AND WRITE LETTERS to the Town Council to support a moratorium on Natural Gas Production until TCEQ and the EPA completes their study of the Barnett Shale Air Quality.
mayor@flower-mound.com
place1@flower-mound.com
place2@flower-mound.com
place3@flower-mound.com
place4@flower-mound.com
place5@flower-mound.com
Remember applications for 18 gas wells and a compressor station were received by the Town in the last 30 days. Also, Williams is proposing the Waste Water Collection Facility and waste water pipelines.
There is no limit to the amount of Tanks and Compressors at this Waste Water Collection Facility which they can have, only space limitations.These pipelines will be buried 4 feet underground, may allow portions of residential property to be condemned through eminent domain, and will be pressurized to move the toxic chemicals from anywhere the Company, in this case, William Production, has a well site back to the collection facility. The Town cannot limit the distance so, Flower Mound could become the point of collection for other communities.
The first proposed site is within a 2 mile radius of 4775 Residences (see map). Dr. Armendariz, formerly with SMU and now with the EPA, conducted a recent study indicating that most of the barnett shale air quality issues come from tank batteries and compressor stations.
Again, we can't stress enough how important it is for you to show up to protect your family, health, quality of life and property values.
Recently in the news, the Town of Dish has asked for a Congressional Investigation into how the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Railroad Commission have handled air quality concerns in the Barnett Shale. More information on the effects of the toxic air here in the Barnett Shale area come in daily.
It is important that you SHOW UP AND WRITE LETTERS to the Town Council to support a moratorium on Natural Gas Production until TCEQ and the EPA completes their study of the Barnett Shale Air Quality.
mayor@flower-mound.com
place1@flower-mound.com
place2@flower-mound.com
place3@flower-mound.com
place4@flower-mound.com
place5@flower-mound.com
Remember applications for 18 gas wells and a compressor station were received by the Town in the last 30 days. Also, Williams is proposing the Waste Water Collection Facility and waste water pipelines.
There is no limit to the amount of Tanks and Compressors at this Waste Water Collection Facility which they can have, only space limitations.These pipelines will be buried 4 feet underground, may allow portions of residential property to be condemned through eminent domain, and will be pressurized to move the toxic chemicals from anywhere the Company, in this case, William Production, has a well site back to the collection facility. The Town cannot limit the distance so, Flower Mound could become the point of collection for other communities.
The first proposed site is within a 2 mile radius of 4775 Residences (see map). Dr. Armendariz, formerly with SMU and now with the EPA, conducted a recent study indicating that most of the barnett shale air quality issues come from tank batteries and compressor stations.
Again, we can't stress enough how important it is for you to show up to protect your family, health, quality of life and property values.
Good Neighbor?
Yuck!
In a recent WFAA report, Aruba Petroleum claimed to be a "good neighbor". Hmm...where have we heard that one before?
See the video at TXsharon from an Aruba Petroleum gas well leak here in the Barnett Shale area. You can see for yourself what a "good neighbor" they are.
In a recent WFAA report, Aruba Petroleum claimed to be a "good neighbor". Hmm...where have we heard that one before?
See the video at TXsharon from an Aruba Petroleum gas well leak here in the Barnett Shale area. You can see for yourself what a "good neighbor" they are.
Dish Official Wants Congressional Investigation
Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe wrote about the following in an article for the Denton Record Chronicle. Dish Official Wants Congressional Investigation.
TX Sharon attended the meeting Monday night and had this to say and much more.
Here's something that made my eyes bug out:
When a relief valve goes off, it releases
100 MILLION cubic feet of gas into the air.
The other option is to let the facility blow up.
Read the entire post at TXSharon
TX Sharon attended the meeting Monday night and had this to say and much more.
Here's something that made my eyes bug out:
When a relief valve goes off, it releases
100 MILLION cubic feet of gas into the air.
The other option is to let the facility blow up.
Read the entire post at TXSharon
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Flower Mound Gas Drilling Action Alert
Action Alert:
Attend this Thursday’s Town Council Meeting, December 17th, 6:00 PM, at Flower Mound Town Hall. Speak up and speak out. It makes a difference!
Ask Town Council to approve item #13 on the agenda. The moratorium on Natural Gas Production and related items. http://www.flower-mound.com/agenda/TCarchive/TCA-12-17-09.pdf
Last night, Monday, December 14th, Planning and Zoning approved a Special Use Permit for Centralized Collection Facility and Compressor Stations in Agricultural Zoned areas with a vote 6 to 0.
This vote is the first step, but one of the most important steps, in allowing for our community to move to an industrial community.
The Centralized Collection Facility and Compressor Stations have been broken up into three different ordinances.
Land Use and Zoning – Land Development Regulations
Application - Oil and Gas Ordinance
Pipelines –Pipeline Ordinance
This application will allow Agricultural zoned land to be turned into Industrial Toxic Gas Fracking Fluid collection stations. There is no limit to the amount of Tanks and Compressors which they can have, only space limitations.
These pipelines will be buried 4 feet underground, may allow portions of residential property to be condemned through eminent domain, and will be pressurized to move the toxic chemicals from anywhere the Company, in this case, William Production, has a well site back to the collection facility. The Town cannot limit the distance so, Flower Mound could become the point of collection for other communities.
The first proposed site is within a 2 mile radius of 4775 Residences (see map). Dr. Armendariz, formerly with SMU and now with the EPA, conducted a recent study indicating that most of the barnett shale air quality issues come from tank batteries and compressor stations.
This application could devalue our homes, impact our health, safety and overall welfare.
Approval of a request to amend the Land Development Regulations LDR 04-09 – Centralized Gas Production Facilities by amending Section 98-2 (Definitions). Section 98-952 (Use Classifications), and 98-273 (Agricultural District Specific Uses), to provide for a Centralized Natural Gas Production Facility definition, use regulations, and special use conditions.
Section 98-2 Definitions Centralized Natural Gas Production Facility means production equipment that serves multiple gas well pad sites and may include the following: produced water storage and collection facilities, natural gas compression facilities, natural gas lift facilities and any pipelines and related infrastructure to serve those facilities.
Section 98-273 (listed as a specific use) Centralized Natural Gas Production Facility, subject to all of the requirements set forth in Chapter 34 “Environment”, Article 7 (Oil and Natural Gas Well Drilling and Operations) and Article 8 (Oil and Gas Pipeline Standards) of this Code, the terms of which articles are incorporated by reference.
Let Flower Mound Town Council know you do not want our town to turn into ONE BIG INDUSTRIAL ZONE.
Attend this Thursday’s Town Council Meeting, December 17th, 6:00 PM, at Flower Mound Town Hall. Speak up and speak out. It makes a difference!
Ask Town Council to approve item #13 on the agenda. The moratorium on Natural Gas Production and related items. http://www.flower-mound.com/agenda/TCarchive/TCA-12-17-09.pdf
Last night, Monday, December 14th, Planning and Zoning approved a Special Use Permit for Centralized Collection Facility and Compressor Stations in Agricultural Zoned areas with a vote 6 to 0.
This vote is the first step, but one of the most important steps, in allowing for our community to move to an industrial community.
The Centralized Collection Facility and Compressor Stations have been broken up into three different ordinances.
Land Use and Zoning – Land Development Regulations
Application - Oil and Gas Ordinance
Pipelines –Pipeline Ordinance
This application will allow Agricultural zoned land to be turned into Industrial Toxic Gas Fracking Fluid collection stations. There is no limit to the amount of Tanks and Compressors which they can have, only space limitations.
These pipelines will be buried 4 feet underground, may allow portions of residential property to be condemned through eminent domain, and will be pressurized to move the toxic chemicals from anywhere the Company, in this case, William Production, has a well site back to the collection facility. The Town cannot limit the distance so, Flower Mound could become the point of collection for other communities.
The first proposed site is within a 2 mile radius of 4775 Residences (see map). Dr. Armendariz, formerly with SMU and now with the EPA, conducted a recent study indicating that most of the barnett shale air quality issues come from tank batteries and compressor stations.
This application could devalue our homes, impact our health, safety and overall welfare.
Approval of a request to amend the Land Development Regulations LDR 04-09 – Centralized Gas Production Facilities by amending Section 98-2 (Definitions). Section 98-952 (Use Classifications), and 98-273 (Agricultural District Specific Uses), to provide for a Centralized Natural Gas Production Facility definition, use regulations, and special use conditions.
Section 98-2 Definitions Centralized Natural Gas Production Facility means production equipment that serves multiple gas well pad sites and may include the following: produced water storage and collection facilities, natural gas compression facilities, natural gas lift facilities and any pipelines and related infrastructure to serve those facilities.
Section 98-273 (listed as a specific use) Centralized Natural Gas Production Facility, subject to all of the requirements set forth in Chapter 34 “Environment”, Article 7 (Oil and Natural Gas Well Drilling and Operations) and Article 8 (Oil and Gas Pipeline Standards) of this Code, the terms of which articles are incorporated by reference.
Let Flower Mound Town Council know you do not want our town to turn into ONE BIG INDUSTRIAL ZONE.
The Gathering Line
Gathering Line - a special pipeline that transports gas from the field to the main pipeline.
The Gathering Line is a round-up of oil & gas drilling news brought to you by National Alliance for Drilling Reform (NA4DR), a broad alliance of grassroots activists from states across the nation that are affected with drilling development.
TXsharon @ Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS helps you follow the money to see why Governor Perry and others want Texans to keep breathing toxic air.
Some think cold weather caused this pipeline to become weak and brittle Truth be known, it's just old as the dirt it's been buried in! Read it at Cheap Tricks and Costly Truths.
Flower Mound receives applications for 18 new gas wells and a compressor station in the last 30 days. These wells will be in the same 5 mile radius area where 5 children have been diagnosed with Leukemia in the past few years. Read about it at http://www.stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/.
How can towns protect their roads and bridges once gas drilling begins? Given the thousands of truck trips expected to develop one well site, upstate NY highway supervisors are struggling to protect taxpayer investment in infrastructure. Read about it at Marcellus Effect
Hydraulic Fracturing contaminates groundwater. Environmentalist say government slow to monitor and not looking hard enough for contamination. Citizens for Environmental Clean-Up
The story of Aruba Petroleum's assault on Christine and Tim Reggiero's property touched many when we originally posted it. We received quite a few e-mails asking why this is not against the law or in any violation of regulations. Though it may be legal, it is certainly not ethical or neighborly.
WFAA did a great story on Christine and Tim last night
WFAA did a great story on Christine and Tim last night
Monday, December 14, 2009
Exxon Mobil to buy XTO
Exxon Mobile to buy XTO in a reported $41 billion deal.
Great just what we need in this area. A gas drilling company with deep pockets to spew more propaganda about how "clean burning" natural gas will change our lives for the better.
It would be nice if they took that money and spent it on better emission controls, on-site water recycling and purification, and research to make the extraction of natural gas "cleaner".
Great just what we need in this area. A gas drilling company with deep pockets to spew more propaganda about how "clean burning" natural gas will change our lives for the better.
It would be nice if they took that money and spent it on better emission controls, on-site water recycling and purification, and research to make the extraction of natural gas "cleaner".
TCEQ Barnett Shale Website
The TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) has launched a new website just for the Barnett Shale area. There links for Data Collection, Air Quality Issues, Health Effects, etc.
Better Drilling Practices Include Recycling Waste Water
A recent article in Propublica by Abrahm Lustgarten addresses what to do with fracking waste water. Guess what? It doesn't include piping it underground to a large waste water collection facility or injecting it into a salt water disposal well.
The pressure to reuse rather than dispose of waste water also may have been increased by a series of earthquakes this year near Dallas. Researchers said the earthquakes may have been caused by the company's normal disposal process: injecting waste water underground.
It is on-site recycling and purification. What a great idea. Less fresh water to be wasted on fracking and less fracking waste water to be hauled or piped away to contaminate our air, water, or ground! Gas drilling companies are starting to pursue ways to recycle waste water on site because in some areas they are regulated to do so. The paragraph below is an example of why recycling should be added to standard drilling regulations on the federal, state, and local level.
When change does happen, it is usually foisted on the industry by excessive costs, fear of catastrophe, or regulations.
Asked why his company pursued "green" drilling and fracturing fluid innovations for drilling in the North Sea -- products that it now sometimes uses onshore too -- BJ Services' Dunlap was unequivocal: The law made him do it.
Let's face it, most gas drilling companies won't do it until they are forced to use better drilling practices.
The pressure to reuse rather than dispose of waste water also may have been increased by a series of earthquakes this year near Dallas. Researchers said the earthquakes may have been caused by the company's normal disposal process: injecting waste water underground.
It is on-site recycling and purification. What a great idea. Less fresh water to be wasted on fracking and less fracking waste water to be hauled or piped away to contaminate our air, water, or ground! Gas drilling companies are starting to pursue ways to recycle waste water on site because in some areas they are regulated to do so. The paragraph below is an example of why recycling should be added to standard drilling regulations on the federal, state, and local level.
When change does happen, it is usually foisted on the industry by excessive costs, fear of catastrophe, or regulations.
Asked why his company pursued "green" drilling and fracturing fluid innovations for drilling in the North Sea -- products that it now sometimes uses onshore too -- BJ Services' Dunlap was unequivocal: The law made him do it.
Let's face it, most gas drilling companies won't do it until they are forced to use better drilling practices.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Distribution Plant that supplies sand to Oil and Gas industry causes problem for Fort Worth resident
Dust and sand from TexSand Distributors is invading Steve Menchaca's property and the rest of the neighborhood. Even though he has filed three complaints with the TCEQ, the problem still exists. Sounds like Mr. Menchaca may be getting the "run-around." Read the paragraphs below from the article.
In January, a commission investigator visited the neighborhood and reported seeing no dust leaving plant property.
But in April, two state investigators watched trucks pull out of the plant onto Terminal Road with sand falling off the top, according to an investigator’s report.
"It was also noted that as traffic increased, the sand that had fallen onto the road from the trucks was blown toward the complainant’s property," the report said.
However, the commission regulates only emissions from the plant itself. The sand that falls off trucks on Terminal Road is considered to be from a mobile source, so the complaint was referred to Fort Worth, the road’s owner, the report said.
Jimmy McClurg, an environmental specialist for the city, said he visited the neighborhood more than a dozen times after receiving Menchaca’s complaints and never saw much sand in the street.
Sometimes Menchaca would call him on a Friday evening to complain about the sand, McClurg said. By the time he could visit the plant on Monday morning, the street had been swept.
To cite the company for illegally discharging sand, McClurg would have to witness sand falling off a truck or prove that the sand came from the plant, he said.
Complicating matters is the fact that a railroad yard and a trucking company near Menchaca’s home could be a source of dust, he said. Also, while Fort Worth owns the street, the plant is in Saginaw.
Imagine breathing in this dust everyday!
In January, a commission investigator visited the neighborhood and reported seeing no dust leaving plant property.
But in April, two state investigators watched trucks pull out of the plant onto Terminal Road with sand falling off the top, according to an investigator’s report.
"It was also noted that as traffic increased, the sand that had fallen onto the road from the trucks was blown toward the complainant’s property," the report said.
However, the commission regulates only emissions from the plant itself. The sand that falls off trucks on Terminal Road is considered to be from a mobile source, so the complaint was referred to Fort Worth, the road’s owner, the report said.
Jimmy McClurg, an environmental specialist for the city, said he visited the neighborhood more than a dozen times after receiving Menchaca’s complaints and never saw much sand in the street.
Sometimes Menchaca would call him on a Friday evening to complain about the sand, McClurg said. By the time he could visit the plant on Monday morning, the street had been swept.
To cite the company for illegally discharging sand, McClurg would have to witness sand falling off a truck or prove that the sand came from the plant, he said.
Complicating matters is the fact that a railroad yard and a trucking company near Menchaca’s home could be a source of dust, he said. Also, while Fort Worth owns the street, the plant is in Saginaw.
Imagine breathing in this dust everyday!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Any connection between earthquakes and drilling? UPDATE
A day after the post below, there is more information about earthquakes in an area that usually doesn't see a lot of this type of activity. Read about an earthquake swarm in Oklahoma
A geothermal project in California has been stopped. Do you think it might be because of "earthquakes"? The project was to extract vast amounts of renewable energy from deep, hot bedrock. The location was 100 miles north of San Francisco called the Geysers. Read a few paragraphs from the article
The project’s apparent collapse comes a day after Swiss government officials permanently shut down a similar project in Basel, because of the damaging earthquakes it produced in 2006 and 2007.
A geothermal project in California has been stopped. Do you think it might be because of "earthquakes"? The project was to extract vast amounts of renewable energy from deep, hot bedrock. The location was 100 miles north of San Francisco called the Geysers. Read a few paragraphs from the article
The project’s apparent collapse comes a day after Swiss government officials permanently shut down a similar project in Basel, because of the damaging earthquakes it produced in 2006 and 2007.
The project’s safety was also under review at the Energy Department after federal officials said the company had not been entirely forthcoming about the earthquakes produced in Basel in making the case for the Geysers project.
The results of that review have not yet been announced, but the type of geothermal energy explored in Basel and at the Geysers requires fracturing the bedrock then circulating water through the cracks to produce steam.
The next line makes the most sense ever!
By its nature, fracturing creates earthquakes, though most of them are small.
Small yes but can still be felt. Even small earthquakes can do some damage over a period of time.
Major damage to a foundation is often identified and fixed soon after an earthquake, but attention should also be given to small cracks that can develop into larger problems over time. Small cracks can shift with time due to soil conditions or small earthquakes, so cracks should be measured every couple of months. If cracks widen, then seek the help of a home inspector to determine if the foundation is sound.
Recent Texas earthquakes all near drilling.
2.8 in Ellis County December 4th
Cleburne earthquakes
DFW area quakes, which led to Chesapeake shutting down two injection wells.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Governor Perry wants EPA to back off
Unbelievable. With everything in the news lately about the toxic air quality in the Barnett Shale area, Governor Perry has the guts to urge the EPA to back off.
A few of the paragraphs jumped out:
The policy could have a far-reaching impact on Texas, which produces more carbon dioxide than any other state and many countries.
The "impact" on Texas will be cleaner air with less toxic chemicals floating around. Stronger regulations for the gas and oil industry which is currently exempt from just about everything relating to clear air and clean water! Other industries, including agriculture, don't receive the same exemptions so it seems logical that better regulations won't impact them as much as the gas and oil.
Dallas-Fort Worth has been struggling for years with an ozone pollution problem, linked to automobile traffic and industries. In the last few months, state regulators have conducted tests showing that toxic chemicals are being released from some natural gas wells in the Barnett Shale field, which surrounds Fort Worth.
Tom "Smitty" Smith, director of the Texas office of Public Citizen, said
"What Perry is doing, typically, is pandering to the polluters who are lining his pockets,"
Smitty just hit the nail on the head!
Click here for Perry's money trail.
A few of the paragraphs jumped out:
The policy could have a far-reaching impact on Texas, which produces more carbon dioxide than any other state and many countries.
The "impact" on Texas will be cleaner air with less toxic chemicals floating around. Stronger regulations for the gas and oil industry which is currently exempt from just about everything relating to clear air and clean water! Other industries, including agriculture, don't receive the same exemptions so it seems logical that better regulations won't impact them as much as the gas and oil.
Dallas-Fort Worth has been struggling for years with an ozone pollution problem, linked to automobile traffic and industries. In the last few months, state regulators have conducted tests showing that toxic chemicals are being released from some natural gas wells in the Barnett Shale field, which surrounds Fort Worth.
Tom "Smitty" Smith, director of the Texas office of Public Citizen, said
"What Perry is doing, typically, is pandering to the polluters who are lining his pockets,"
Smitty just hit the nail on the head!
Click here for Perry's money trail.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Flower Mound Action Alert. Important Planning and Zoning Meeting UPDATE
NOTE: The agenda is available for the P & Z Public Hearing Monday night. If you wish to speak about the Waste Water Collection Facility, you may do so when it comes up on the agenda.
http://www.flower-mound.com/agenda/PZarchive/PZA-12-14-09.pdf
Monday, December 14th @ 6:00 Planning & Zoning will be reviewing Zoning for the Centralized Collection Facility.
LDR 04-09
Centralized Natural Gas Production Facility
Public Hearing to consider an amendment to the Land Development Regulations (LDR 04-09), by amending Section 98-2 (Definitions), Sections 98-952 (Use Classifications), and 98-273 (Agricultural District Specific Uses), to provide for a Centralized Natural Gas Production Facility definition, use regulations, and special use conditions.
Currently, Flower Mound does not have a zoning that includes this industrial type of activity. (Not even in our Industrial Zones). The intent is to create a Special Use Permit (SUP) to 1) Create a definition 2) Create a use classification 3) Allow the Special Use to be permitted on Agricultural zone land. This would include regulations and special use conditions.
Planning and Zoning will help define the criteria for this type of zoning. Once they have completed this, they will pass on their recommendations to Town Council.
Having the zoning is one step closer to allowing it into our community.
Our position is that the Planning and Zoning along with the Town should table this until the EPA & TCEQ come out with their report and recommendations before moving forward on any review of our ordinances.
http://www.flower-mound.com/agenda/PZarchive/PZA-12-14-09.pdf
Monday, December 14th @ 6:00 Planning & Zoning will be reviewing Zoning for the Centralized Collection Facility.
LDR 04-09
Centralized Natural Gas Production Facility
Public Hearing to consider an amendment to the Land Development Regulations (LDR 04-09), by amending Section 98-2 (Definitions), Sections 98-952 (Use Classifications), and 98-273 (Agricultural District Specific Uses), to provide for a Centralized Natural Gas Production Facility definition, use regulations, and special use conditions.
Currently, Flower Mound does not have a zoning that includes this industrial type of activity. (Not even in our Industrial Zones). The intent is to create a Special Use Permit (SUP) to 1) Create a definition 2) Create a use classification 3) Allow the Special Use to be permitted on Agricultural zone land. This would include regulations and special use conditions.
Planning and Zoning will help define the criteria for this type of zoning. Once they have completed this, they will pass on their recommendations to Town Council.
Having the zoning is one step closer to allowing it into our community.
Our position is that the Planning and Zoning along with the Town should table this until the EPA & TCEQ come out with their report and recommendations before moving forward on any review of our ordinances.
Recent Video of Dish, TX Emissions
TXSharon took a trip out to Dish, TX the other day. It appears the gas companies operating in the area didn't take the recent air study, which found high levels of toxins in the air, seriously.
Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS: VIDEO: DISH, Texas emissions
No more drilling activity until gas companies clean up their act!
Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS: VIDEO: DISH, Texas emissions
No more drilling activity until gas companies clean up their act!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Flower Mound may get 18 new gas wells and 1 compressor station
In the last 30 days, Flower Mound has received applications for 11 gas wells, an amendment to a previous application for 7 additional gas wells and a large compression station. 18 new wells!!!
The applications are as follows:
Titan has filed for 1 well at the Hilliard Site
Williams has filed applications for 4 wells for Pad B and 2 wells for Pad C on the Bob Smith property. In addition to the Pad B and C wells they applied for amendment on this lease for 7 additional wells for Pad A on the Bob Smith property.
Williams has submitted an application in for a compression station on the Sam Wilson property. This may be near the proposed Waste Water Collection Facility "Tank Farm" where many tank batteries will be on-site and pipelines incoming and outgoing would be located.
Only the amended application for the additional 7 wells on Bob Smith Pad A have been approved because they did not need any setbacks. There are already 3 wells on this pad site. The others have just been received and not completely reviewed by the town officials, when they are finished reviewing them, they will be added to the next Gas Well Status Report. For more information, contact Brandon Bammel at 972-874-6354.
Many thanks to Brandon for the information today.
The compression station and the proposed Waste Water Collection Facility "tank farm" would be less than a mile from Liberty Elementary and a proposed LISD Middle School. Also 1 to 2 milesof Wellington Elementary, most of the Wellington sub-division, and a large portion of Bridlewood. The health effects from being near this much activity has been all over the news. The Town of Dish, just 15 short miles from Flower Mound, air quality has been in the news for the last two months. The study of Dish showed high levels of toxins in their air that can cause short term and long term human health effects. Also the problem with NORM (naturally occurring radioactive material) has shown up in the drinking water of the towns of Chico, Aledo, and Hudson Oaks.
Monday night at the Flower Mound Town Council Meeting, two fathers spoke with us about their children who are battling leukemia. One of these families live in the Wellington area and said he knew of 3 other families in the Wellington area with children battling this disease. The other family lives in Southern Flower Mound about 4 miles from the far northern property of DFW. Let's make it very clear no one is saying this is directly from drilling activity and there is currently no evidence of this yet. But, it makes you wonder why 5 children from the same 5 mile radius area have been diagnosed with Leukemia in the last 2 to 4 years?
The Hilliard well will be a little over 1200' from Shadow Ridge Middle School.
As you can see by the map the other wells are within 1 to 5 miles of many homes, schools, and parks.
What will Flower Mound's air quality and water quality be like when all this activity is going on? Since independent (not those only conducted by the gas drilling company) air or water quality tests are not being done on a regular basis, we may never know.
Until we are sure of the effects from the Barnett Shale, we need a moratorium on all gas drilling in North Texas!!!!
That saying "What you don't know may kill you" comes to mind.
The applications are as follows:
Titan has filed for 1 well at the Hilliard Site
Williams has filed applications for 4 wells for Pad B and 2 wells for Pad C on the Bob Smith property. In addition to the Pad B and C wells they applied for amendment on this lease for 7 additional wells for Pad A on the Bob Smith property.
Williams has submitted an application in for a compression station on the Sam Wilson property. This may be near the proposed Waste Water Collection Facility "Tank Farm" where many tank batteries will be on-site and pipelines incoming and outgoing would be located.
Only the amended application for the additional 7 wells on Bob Smith Pad A have been approved because they did not need any setbacks. There are already 3 wells on this pad site. The others have just been received and not completely reviewed by the town officials, when they are finished reviewing them, they will be added to the next Gas Well Status Report. For more information, contact Brandon Bammel at 972-874-6354.
Many thanks to Brandon for the information today.
The compression station and the proposed Waste Water Collection Facility "tank farm" would be less than a mile from Liberty Elementary and a proposed LISD Middle School. Also 1 to 2 miles
Monday night at the Flower Mound Town Council Meeting, two fathers spoke with us about their children who are battling leukemia. One of these families live in the Wellington area and said he knew of 3 other families in the Wellington area with children battling this disease. The other family lives in Southern Flower Mound about 4 miles from the far northern property of DFW. Let's make it very clear no one is saying this is directly from drilling activity and there is currently no evidence of this yet. But, it makes you wonder why 5 children from the same 5 mile radius area have been diagnosed with Leukemia in the last 2 to 4 years?
The Hilliard well will be a little over 1200' from Shadow Ridge Middle School.
As you can see by the map the other wells are within 1 to 5 miles of many homes, schools, and parks.
What will Flower Mound's air quality and water quality be like when all this activity is going on? Since independent (not those only conducted by the gas drilling company) air or water quality tests are not being done on a regular basis, we may never know.
Until we are sure of the effects from the Barnett Shale, we need a moratorium on all gas drilling in North Texas!!!!
That saying "What you don't know may kill you" comes to mind.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Fort Worth City Leaders Looking for Answers About Toxic Air Quality From Gas Drilling
Tonight Fort Worth City leaders were looking for some information and answers from the TCEQ. Unfortunately, it appears the agency sent someone unfamiliar with the issues Fort Worth and many other towns in North Texas are facing when it comes to air quality and toxins in the Barnett Shale area.
Read the NBC 5 report from the Fort Worth Town Council meeting
The administrator, Keith Sheedy, had no information to share about air quality and provided only a general overview of the state agency’s work.
Sheedy, from Austin, also could not answer the council’s basic questions about whether drilling in the Barnett Shale is releasing potentially harmful chemicals into the air, including benzene.
The following paragraphs from the report make the most sense since it appears the TCEQ might not have a clue on what is really happening here in North Texas and gas drilling in the Barnett Shale.
Meanwhile, some environmental groups are calling for a moratorium on new natural-gas drilling.
"Increasing numbers of people are saying, ‘Let's call a halt to this until we can figure out what's going on with the air quality.’”
Read the NBC 5 report from the Fort Worth Town Council meeting
The administrator, Keith Sheedy, had no information to share about air quality and provided only a general overview of the state agency’s work.
Sheedy, from Austin, also could not answer the council’s basic questions about whether drilling in the Barnett Shale is releasing potentially harmful chemicals into the air, including benzene.
The following paragraphs from the report make the most sense since it appears the TCEQ might not have a clue on what is really happening here in North Texas and gas drilling in the Barnett Shale.
Meanwhile, some environmental groups are calling for a moratorium on new natural-gas drilling.
"Increasing numbers of people are saying, ‘Let's call a halt to this until we can figure out what's going on with the air quality.’”
The Gathering Line
We're back from the holidays!
Gathering Line - a special pipeline that transports gas from the field to the main pipeline.
The Gathering Line is a round-up of oil & gas drilling news brought to you by National Alliance for Drilling Reform (NA4DR), a broad alliance of grassroots activists from states across the nation that are affected with drilling development.
Another Pipeline Rupture!!! We can be thankful that only the soil is contaminated! Read it at Cheap Tricks and Costly Truths.
Texas is the first state to conduct testing of citizens to determine if their health symptoms are caused from exposure to drilling toxins. But TXsharon is not sure this is such a great idea. Find out why on Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.
Gas leasing in upstate NY has become the number one land use issue. The access roads and pipeline right-of-ways that accompany development threaten to fragment the agricultural landscape. Read more at Marcellus Effect.
Citizens for Environmental Clean-Up reported on the TCEQ water discharge hearing.
Flower Mound amends Oil and Gas Ordinance to prohibit seismic testing on public roads and right-a-ways read about it at www.stopthedrilling.blogspot.com
Gathering Line - a special pipeline that transports gas from the field to the main pipeline.
The Gathering Line is a round-up of oil & gas drilling news brought to you by National Alliance for Drilling Reform (NA4DR), a broad alliance of grassroots activists from states across the nation that are affected with drilling development.
Another Pipeline Rupture!!! We can be thankful that only the soil is contaminated! Read it at Cheap Tricks and Costly Truths.
Texas is the first state to conduct testing of citizens to determine if their health symptoms are caused from exposure to drilling toxins. But TXsharon is not sure this is such a great idea. Find out why on Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.
Gas leasing in upstate NY has become the number one land use issue. The access roads and pipeline right-of-ways that accompany development threaten to fragment the agricultural landscape. Read more at Marcellus Effect.
Citizens for Environmental Clean-Up reported on the TCEQ water discharge hearing.
Flower Mound amends Oil and Gas Ordinance to prohibit seismic testing on public roads and right-a-ways read about it at www.stopthedrilling.blogspot.com
Monday, December 7, 2009
Hooray for the EPA!
The EPA announced that greenhouse gasses endanger human health!!! They stated that the threat of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels is one of the main pollutants and should be regulated under the Clean Air Act.
The EPA said that the scientific evidence surrounding climate change clearly shows that greenhouse gases "threaten the public health and welfare of the American people" and that the pollutants — mainly carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels — should be regulated under the Clean Air Act.
Of course the oil and gas industry is claiming business will be greatly affected by the decision.
Instead of whining maybe they need to go back to the drawing board and come up with ways to clean up their act!
"The implications of today's action by EPA are far-reaching...individual Americans and consumers and businesses alike will be dramatically affected by this decision," said Charles T. Drevna, the president of the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association. Drevna, in a statement, said "it is hardly the time to risk the remainder of the U.S. industrial sector in an attempt to achieve a short-term international public relations victory."
The EPA said that the scientific evidence surrounding climate change clearly shows that greenhouse gases "threaten the public health and welfare of the American people" and that the pollutants — mainly carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels — should be regulated under the Clean Air Act.
Of course the oil and gas industry is claiming business will be greatly affected by the decision.
Instead of whining maybe they need to go back to the drawing board and come up with ways to clean up their act!
"The implications of today's action by EPA are far-reaching...individual Americans and consumers and businesses alike will be dramatically affected by this decision," said Charles T. Drevna, the president of the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association. Drevna, in a statement, said "it is hardly the time to risk the remainder of the U.S. industrial sector in an attempt to achieve a short-term international public relations victory."
No Seismic Testing in Flower Mound UPDATE!!
There has been some confusion in the wording of the vote last night. It was unclear at the time. Here is what we have been told by a town council member.
The Flower Mound Town Council voted 4 to 1 to prohibit seismic testing on public roads and right-a-ways. The motion was as follows and will be added to the Oil and Gas Ordinance.
Move to approve an ordinance amending Article VII, “Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Operations.” Of Chapter 34, “Environment,” of the Town’s Code of Ordinances, prohibiting seismic testing operations to occur on Town property or rights-of-way.
Many residents showed up wearing green to show their support of keeping Flower Mound's Oil and Gas Ordinance strong.
Media from Channel 8, Channel 11, The Dallas Morning News, The Flower Mound Leader and a young reporter from The Marcus High School Newspaper were present.
Council Members Filidoro, Hayden, Wallace and Levenick voted to prohibit seismic testing on public roads and right-a-ways and amend the Oil and Gas Ordinance, leaving Council Member Dixon NOT in favor of prohibiting seismic testing.
Next up... Waste Water Pipelines and Collection Facility. We will keep you posted on the dates of the meetings.
The Flower Mound Town Council voted 4 to 1 to prohibit seismic testing on public roads and right-a-ways. The motion was as follows and will be added to the Oil and Gas Ordinance.
Move to approve an ordinance amending Article VII, “Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Operations.” Of Chapter 34, “Environment,” of the Town’s Code of Ordinances, prohibiting seismic testing operations to occur on Town property or rights-of-way.
Many residents showed up wearing green to show their support of keeping Flower Mound's Oil and Gas Ordinance strong.
Media from Channel 8, Channel 11, The Dallas Morning News, The Flower Mound Leader and a young reporter from The Marcus High School Newspaper were present.
Council Members Filidoro, Hayden, Wallace and Levenick voted to prohibit seismic testing on public roads and right-a-ways and amend the Oil and Gas Ordinance, leaving Council Member Dixon NOT in favor of prohibiting seismic testing.
Next up... Waste Water Pipelines and Collection Facility. We will keep you posted on the dates of the meetings.
IMPORTANT! Flower Mound Council Meeting Tonight
Flower Mound Town Council is expected to vote on one of the major gas drilling issues facing the town. Seismic Testing could be added to the Oil and Gas Ordinance which would allow any gas company to conduct seismic testing on ALL town roads. Some HOA's have been receiving letters from Titan stating they may Seismic testing in Northshore area. Williams contacted HOA's last month and even released a preliminary list of streets in which they desire to conduct testing.
There is always the possibility of damage and that could lead to legal issues with seismic testing. In Lewisville, Titan has contacted residents in the Central Park area. Even though Titan is promising compensation for any damage caused, this usually puts the burden of proof will be on the homeowners. There can be damage to foundations and to sewer and septic systems.
The Town of Flower Mound hired a seismic consultant and during the November 2 Council Meeting he stated that Flower Mound had exceptionally bad ground!
Many residents have voiced their concern since this seismic testing will be done in the most populated areas of town. Some of the insurance companies we consulted with said most homeowners insurance policies do not cover "earth movement". Some do offer a special policy for this at an additional charge. Some won't cover "earth movement" at all. The current ordinance already allows seismic testing to be done on private property. So why push this on all the residents here in Town?
Show up to the meeting tonight and let the Town Council know how you feel. Tell them we want to protect our property rights and values.
Flower Mound Town Hall
6:00 pm.
There is always the possibility of damage and that could lead to legal issues with seismic testing. In Lewisville, Titan has contacted residents in the Central Park area. Even though Titan is promising compensation for any damage caused, this usually puts the burden of proof will be on the homeowners. There can be damage to foundations and to sewer and septic systems.
The Town of Flower Mound hired a seismic consultant and during the November 2 Council Meeting he stated that Flower Mound had exceptionally bad ground!
Many residents have voiced their concern since this seismic testing will be done in the most populated areas of town. Some of the insurance companies we consulted with said most homeowners insurance policies do not cover "earth movement". Some do offer a special policy for this at an additional charge. Some won't cover "earth movement" at all. The current ordinance already allows seismic testing to be done on private property. So why push this on all the residents here in Town?
Show up to the meeting tonight and let the Town Council know how you feel. Tell them we want to protect our property rights and values.
Flower Mound Town Hall
6:00 pm.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Application for Salt Water (Fracking Waste) Disposal Well in Argyle near the Flower Mound Border!
WMS Corporation (not sure if it is Williams or not, Williams has about 10 or more companies listed) has bought land near the Bartonville, Argyle, and Flower Mound borders. The land is actually in Argyle. An application has been filed with the Texas Railroad Commission for a salt water (fracking waste) disposal well located on or near Jeter Road in Argyle. The operating company will be Bosque Disposal Systems based in Glen Rose.
What does this mean for all residents in the area? Increased truck traffic in the area and the possibility of ground, soil and water contamination. If allowed by the Flower Mound Town Council, the proposed Waste Water Collection Facility will most like feed this disposal well. Creating quite a bit of truck traffic through Flower Mound and all the neighboring towns.
The Town of Argyle Water Website already has "special notice" on their water website reading the following
SPECIAL NOTICE
FOR THE ELDERLY, INFANTS, CANCER PATIENTS, PEOPLE WITH HIV/AIDS OR OTHER IMMUNE PROBLEMS
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immunocompromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections.
Radioactive water seems to be popping up everywhere. The Town of Chico in Wise County, as well as The Towns of Aledo and Hudson Oaks in Parker County. Many contaminants are naturally occurring but the amounts of NORM in the drinking water are way above the EPA and TCEQ standards. Something tells me this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Here is some info on disposal wells from the Texas Railroad Commission. The numbers are frightening. Over 50,000 permitted oil and gas injection and disposal wells and only 20 percent of them were inspected in 2006. Again, we can't depend on the TRRC to safely and accurately regulate this industry!!!
Texas has more than 50,000 permitted oil and gas injection and disposal wells
During Fiscal Year 06, there were 2,338 inspections related to Commercial Disposal Wells and 8,208 inspections related to non-commercial Disposal/Injection Wells.
Besides contaminated drinking water, ground and soil. Disposal wells have been linked to sinkholes as published in a recent Wall Street Journal article.
In 2006, the Texas oil and gas industry injected 6.7 billion barrels of liquid, mostly water, beneath the ground, and experts say that amount has been rising as new wells have multiplied and old wells are revived. Federal regulators, environmentalists and community groups worry that lax oversight is allowing some of the water -- which can be 10 times as salty as seawater and often contains oil, heavy metals and even radioactive material -- to escape from underground reservoirs. That could lead to the contamination of underground drinking-water supplies, the pollution of soil and surface water, and more sinkholes as underground structures are eroded.
What does this mean for all residents in the area? Increased truck traffic in the area and the possibility of ground, soil and water contamination. If allowed by the Flower Mound Town Council, the proposed Waste Water Collection Facility will most like feed this disposal well. Creating quite a bit of truck traffic through Flower Mound and all the neighboring towns.
The Town of Argyle Water Website already has "special notice" on their water website reading the following
SPECIAL NOTICE
FOR THE ELDERLY, INFANTS, CANCER PATIENTS, PEOPLE WITH HIV/AIDS OR OTHER IMMUNE PROBLEMS
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immunocompromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections.
Radioactive water seems to be popping up everywhere. The Town of Chico in Wise County, as well as The Towns of Aledo and Hudson Oaks in Parker County. Many contaminants are naturally occurring but the amounts of NORM in the drinking water are way above the EPA and TCEQ standards. Something tells me this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Here is some info on disposal wells from the Texas Railroad Commission. The numbers are frightening. Over 50,000 permitted oil and gas injection and disposal wells and only 20 percent of them were inspected in 2006. Again, we can't depend on the TRRC to safely and accurately regulate this industry!!!
Texas has more than 50,000 permitted oil and gas injection and disposal wells
During Fiscal Year 06, there were 2,338 inspections related to Commercial Disposal Wells and 8,208 inspections related to non-commercial Disposal/Injection Wells.
Besides contaminated drinking water, ground and soil. Disposal wells have been linked to sinkholes as published in a recent Wall Street Journal article.
In 2006, the Texas oil and gas industry injected 6.7 billion barrels of liquid, mostly water, beneath the ground, and experts say that amount has been rising as new wells have multiplied and old wells are revived. Federal regulators, environmentalists and community groups worry that lax oversight is allowing some of the water -- which can be 10 times as salty as seawater and often contains oil, heavy metals and even radioactive material -- to escape from underground reservoirs. That could lead to the contamination of underground drinking-water supplies, the pollution of soil and surface water, and more sinkholes as underground structures are eroded.
Friday, December 4, 2009
State Officials Concered About Air Quality In North Texas
The Dallas Morning News has printed an article about State Officials concerns over North Texas Air Quality from gas drilling.
State Rep. Lon Burnam is calling for a moratorium on permits issued by all cities and the Texas Railroad Commission until TCEQ completes it testing and monitoring of the air in North Texas.
Finally a politician with the guts to stand up to the oil and gas industry.
All we are asking is that gas drilling be done right and until that is a reality, don't do it at all!!!
Chesapeake Energy spokeswoman Jerri Robbins wrote in an e-mail that her company operates in areas of the Barnett Shale that don't contain liquid hydrocarbons that produce volatile organic compound emissions. She wrote that Tarrant and Johnson counties, where Chesapeake mostly drills, has what is called "dry gas."
State Rep. Lon Burnam is calling for a moratorium on permits issued by all cities and the Texas Railroad Commission until TCEQ completes it testing and monitoring of the air in North Texas.
Finally a politician with the guts to stand up to the oil and gas industry.
One state representative doesn't want to wait on the tests. State Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, on Thursday called for a moratorium on permits issued by all cities and the Texas Railroad Commission for wells in the Barnett Shale. He wants the moratorium in place for a year beginning Jan. 1 or until TCEQ has completed its mobile monitoring project, analyzed and published the results and completed a review of air permitting requirements.
Preliminary results have been extremely high in some areas tested.Tests at one natural gas site found benzene at 1,100 parts per billion. Honeycutt said people can start experiencing dizziness and nausea at 180 parts per billion with short-term exposure.
At another site, the concentration was 15,000 parts per billion at the source of a leak. That level, however, would have been lower outside the property. The OSHA limits for short-term exposure to benzene among workers is 500 parts per billion.
Chesapeake is claiming the gas drilling in Tarrant and Johnson counties doesn't contain liquid hydrocarbons, but the TCEQ has found benzene in these areas. Instead of coming up with excuses, just do it right. Why are some gas drilling companies fighting emission controls?All we are asking is that gas drilling be done right and until that is a reality, don't do it at all!!!
Chesapeake Energy spokeswoman Jerri Robbins wrote in an e-mail that her company operates in areas of the Barnett Shale that don't contain liquid hydrocarbons that produce volatile organic compound emissions. She wrote that Tarrant and Johnson counties, where Chesapeake mostly drills, has what is called "dry gas."
TCEQ officials said that benzene is still found in "dry gas."
Thursday, December 3, 2009
FLOWER MOUND PROTECT YOUR TOWN!!!
ATTENTION! Your Property may be at risk.
You Need to show up at Flower Mound Town Council Meeting
2121 Cross Timbers
Monday, Dec. 7th at 6:00 PM
You Need to show up at Flower Mound Town Council Meeting
2121 Cross Timbers
Monday, Dec. 7th at 6:00 PM
You Better Watch Out, You Better Not Pout, You Better Speak Out!
Flower Mound Neighbors & Friends:
It’s not Santa who is coming to our Town this year - It is the Gas Drilling Companies. They aren’t bringing candy and presents, either. No, they’re asking our Town Council to have residents subsidize their operations, put our families’ health and safety at risk, and reduce the value of our properties. You may or may not have signed a gas lease.
You may not even own your mineral rights. But everyone, regardless if you have a lease or not, may be affected by:·
A 60,000 lb. Seismic Testing truck rolling down Flower Mound streets while sending out earth-shaking vibrations that the Town says may damage Town-owned streets.
- This is for all Town-Owned Streets.
- The Town and the Drilling Companies will be indemnified.
- Residents may be responsible for possible damage to their homes.
- Homeowners Insurance does not cover seismic activity damage
Adding a pipeline ordinance that may allow Drilling Companies to seize and condemn portions of residential property through eminent domain so they can bury pipelines 4 feet under our yards and homes for transporting toxic produced wastewater and drilling fluids.
Creating a new “Industrial type Zoning use” less than a mile from schools and more dense neighborhoods, for a Centralized Collection Facility (CCF) for storing toxic wastewater and drilling fluids and also to allow compressor stations.
- Recent 2009 studies by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) showed dangerous levels of cancer-causing toxins in Denton County related to these types of facilities. A recent air quality study in Dish, Texas showed similar toxins in the air and prompted the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to step in and demand more testing of the Barnett Shale air. (http://www.wfaa.com/news/State-Senator-Calls-for-Action-after-Cancer-Causing-Toxin-Found-in-Barnett-Shale-testing-68882797.html)
- Williams Production Company is the first company to request this zoning change, but all drilling companies (Red Oak, Titan, Keystone, and others) would have the right to take advantage of the new ordinances.
Every resident needs to stand up now to protect their homes and the health of their families. It is imperative.Why the hurry before the state and federal governments have time to act?
There seems to be a rush to push these ordinances through before Texas TCEQ and Federal EPA release the results of their new air quality study prompted by serious concerns raised by gas drilling activities on the Barnett Shale.
Judging from Town Council Member comments at work sessions, it appears that there may be a split Council.. Council member Mike Wallace may hold the deciding vote for both issues. You can email him at PLACE3@flower-mound.com to ask him to keep the oil & gas ordinance strong and not to change it.
Did you know Mayor Jody Smith and Mayor Pro Tem Jean Levenick have both signed leases with Williams Production Company? (http://www.flower-mound.com/council/council.php)
December 7th – Town Council Public Hearing and vote on whether to allow Seismic Testing on public roads.
December 14th – Planning & Zoning Public Hearing to discuss Pipelines, Centralized Collection Facilities, and Compressor Stations.
December 21st – (Schedule may change) Town Council Public Hearing and vote on whether to allow Centralized Collection Facilities and Compressor Stations.
THIS WILL CHANGE OUR COMMUNITY FROM RURAL TO INDUSTRIAL!
Wear green to the council meetings to show your support for maintaining our Quality of Life.
For more information: http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/ or email fmcuadgroup@yahoo.com to sign up for alerts and notices.
Don’t forget to sign the “Keep Flower Mound Ordinances Strong” Petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/fmogord9/petition.html
Anyone over 18 can sign. One signature per line only.
From your Flower Mound Neighbors: Sue Ann Lorig – Wellington
Tammi Vajda & Virginia Jellison – Lake View Estates
To Read more about what is happening in Denton Co. ... Toxic, Cancer-Causing Airborne Chemicals, Worst air in the nation, Radioactive WaterGo to: http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com
Did You Know……..The Gas Drilling Industry is Exempt from Following Federal Standards
Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Toxic Release Inventory under the Emergency Planning, Community Right-to-Know Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Titan may be gearing up to do seismic testing in the Northshore area
This was just forwarded to us. If you think the seismic testing is just about Williams....Read this. Titan may be banking on the yes vote from the Town Council on Monday. They are talking seismic testing for the Northshore Sub-Division!!
Once again, who is going to pay for any damages to your property or home? Not Titan, Williams or any other gas drilling company and not the Town of Flower Mound.
Show up Monday night and say no to seismic testing, waste water pipelines and collection (tank farms) facilities.
SIGN THE PETITION TO KEEP FLOWER MOUND'S ORDINANCE STRONG
http://www.petitiononline.com/fmogord9/petition.html
See e-mail sent to us.
Subject: The Villages of Northshore eMail Bulletin
Dear Residents,
In the weeks to come many residents will be receiving a letter from Titan Operating LLC regarding their mineral rights. As you know, your neighborhood falls within the Barnett Shale – a rock formation 8000 ft below surface containing “micro bubbles” of natural gas that spans across DFW. Over the past two years most of you have been contacted by Cherokee Horn to lease your mineral rights. Each individual home that signs a lease is then packaged together to form a large unit of producible acreage. Cherokee Horn is working in partnership with Titan to produce 1750 acres across Flower Mound. As a participant in this unit, leased residents will receive royalty payments on the natural gas that is produced. The packet you receive from Titan addresses Geophysical Surveys. The survey is a noninvasive mapping tool that increases production efficiency. For more information please visit the following links:
www.norwoodland.com/faq.php
http://www.titanoperating.com/
Cody B. Crocker Cherokee Horn Production
ccrocker@cherokeehorn.com
http://www.cherokeehorn.com/
Once again, who is going to pay for any damages to your property or home? Not Titan, Williams or any other gas drilling company and not the Town of Flower Mound.
Show up Monday night and say no to seismic testing, waste water pipelines and collection (tank farms) facilities.
SIGN THE PETITION TO KEEP FLOWER MOUND'S ORDINANCE STRONG
http://www.petitiononline.com/fmogord9/petition.html
See e-mail sent to us.
Subject: The Villages of Northshore eMail Bulletin
Dear Residents,
In the weeks to come many residents will be receiving a letter from Titan Operating LLC regarding their mineral rights. As you know, your neighborhood falls within the Barnett Shale – a rock formation 8000 ft below surface containing “micro bubbles” of natural gas that spans across DFW. Over the past two years most of you have been contacted by Cherokee Horn to lease your mineral rights. Each individual home that signs a lease is then packaged together to form a large unit of producible acreage. Cherokee Horn is working in partnership with Titan to produce 1750 acres across Flower Mound. As a participant in this unit, leased residents will receive royalty payments on the natural gas that is produced. The packet you receive from Titan addresses Geophysical Surveys. The survey is a noninvasive mapping tool that increases production efficiency. For more information please visit the following links:
www.norwoodland.com/faq.php
http://www.titanoperating.com/
Cody B. Crocker Cherokee Horn Production
ccrocker@cherokeehorn.com
http://www.cherokeehorn.com/
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Opposition of Natural Gas Drilling is Growing Nationwide
All over the country, opposition to natural gas drilling is growing. Many aren't opposed to the importance of natural gas but are opposed to the process in which it is extracted.
The Gas and Oil Industry is exempt from many federal environmental and health acts. Many states have loose regulations and/or very little regulations in place for natural gas drilling. Here is where the problem lies. The industry has enjoyed public support for years and it seems it has taken advantage of this support by cutting corners when it comes to extracting natural gas. Natural gas may be more clean burning but the extraction of it is toxic and deadly. Many areas where shale gas is being extracted has experienced toxic water, air, and ground. People are getting sick and are now finally speaking up. I agree with the statement below we may not be able to stop it.
Nationwide, few expect rising public concern to put a stop to new natural gas development.
But believe the next statements by Don Young to be true. We can demand the industry make the gas drilling process cleaner, safer and better for humans and the environment. Everything about the way gas and oil operate is about to change. They will be held accountable. Politicians everywhere should stop and listen.
In Fort Worth where the Barnett Shale is located, natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing has been going on literally right under the city for roughly a decade. Opposition here is getting a bit hotter, he said.
"The crowds are greater, and the hard questions are a little more frequent," said Young, "At first it was all about the money, but now it's about health, safety and the environment too."
Read the whole article from CNNMoney.com
http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/02/news/economy/drilling/index.htm
The Gas and Oil Industry is exempt from many federal environmental and health acts. Many states have loose regulations and/or very little regulations in place for natural gas drilling. Here is where the problem lies. The industry has enjoyed public support for years and it seems it has taken advantage of this support by cutting corners when it comes to extracting natural gas. Natural gas may be more clean burning but the extraction of it is toxic and deadly. Many areas where shale gas is being extracted has experienced toxic water, air, and ground. People are getting sick and are now finally speaking up. I agree with the statement below we may not be able to stop it.
Nationwide, few expect rising public concern to put a stop to new natural gas development.
But believe the next statements by Don Young to be true. We can demand the industry make the gas drilling process cleaner, safer and better for humans and the environment. Everything about the way gas and oil operate is about to change. They will be held accountable. Politicians everywhere should stop and listen.
In Fort Worth where the Barnett Shale is located, natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing has been going on literally right under the city for roughly a decade. Opposition here is getting a bit hotter, he said.
"The crowds are greater, and the hard questions are a little more frequent," said Young, "At first it was all about the money, but now it's about health, safety and the environment too."
Read the whole article from CNNMoney.com
http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/02/news/economy/drilling/index.htm
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Update: Important Meeting of the North Central Texas Communities Alliance
The NCTCA is
North Central Texas Communities Alliance is a broad-based coalition of individuals, organizations, and communities throughout the Barnett Shale area working on local, state, and national levels for positive solutions to the problems related to natural gas drilling and pipelines.
There was a great crowd for the first meeting of the NCTCA. Communities from Arlington, Fort Worth, Denton and Flower Mound were represented.
The motto tonight was "Together We Bargain..Divided We Beg"
The speakers tonight included residents from the Carter Street area in Fort Worth who have been fighting a high pressured gas pipeline that would carry raw, odorless, wet gas, under their homes.
Mayor Calvin Tillman of Dish, Texas had a message via video since he was called out of town for business at the last minute. The Texas Department of Health and Human Services will be testing 50 Dish residents for toxins in their system. More information to come when available.
Citizens unite to address the problems related to Barnett Shale gas drilling and pipelines.
Gary Hogan and Don Young were on hand. They were the first to really try to call attention to the environmental, health and safety issues from gas drilling.
Tim Reggiero spoke about Aruba Petroleum's assault on his property, home and family.
http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2009/11/wise-county-messenger-tells-story-of.html
Sharon Wilson from the Oil and Gas Accountability Project http://www.ogap.org/ and Bluedaze Drilling Reform For Texas http://www.txsharon.blogspot.com/. The OGAP is forming a Texas Chapter. They have been very successful in New Mexico and Colorado in bringing state reform for the oil and gas industry.
They will work to:
North Central Texas Communities Alliance is a broad-based coalition of individuals, organizations, and communities throughout the Barnett Shale area working on local, state, and national levels for positive solutions to the problems related to natural gas drilling and pipelines.
There was a great crowd for the first meeting of the NCTCA. Communities from Arlington, Fort Worth, Denton and Flower Mound were represented.
The motto tonight was "Together We Bargain..Divided We Beg"
The speakers tonight included residents from the Carter Street area in Fort Worth who have been fighting a high pressured gas pipeline that would carry raw, odorless, wet gas, under their homes.
Mayor Calvin Tillman of Dish, Texas had a message via video since he was called out of town for business at the last minute. The Texas Department of Health and Human Services will be testing 50 Dish residents for toxins in their system. More information to come when available.
Citizens unite to address the problems related to Barnett Shale gas drilling and pipelines.
Gary Hogan and Don Young were on hand. They were the first to really try to call attention to the environmental, health and safety issues from gas drilling.
Tim Reggiero spoke about Aruba Petroleum's assault on his property, home and family.
http://stopthedrilling.blogspot.com/2009/11/wise-county-messenger-tells-story-of.html
Sharon Wilson from the Oil and Gas Accountability Project http://www.ogap.org/ and Bluedaze Drilling Reform For Texas http://www.txsharon.blogspot.com/. The OGAP is forming a Texas Chapter. They have been very successful in New Mexico and Colorado in bringing state reform for the oil and gas industry.
They will work to:
- Establish strong local and state oil and gas regulations in Texas
- Ensure that where oil and gas resources are developed, companies utilize best practices to prevent and reduce their impact.
- Protect key areas threatened by energy development such as the LBJ Grasslands and urban green space.
- End Industry exemptions to our nation's environmental and public health laws such as the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act.
- Advocate for an energy future that is based on clean, safe and renewable energy sources.
Here is the nctca website:
http://www.nctca.net/
Mayor Tillman of Dish, TX asks for a halt in operations of gas drilling activity
Advisory - Town of DISH, TX
DISH TX Calls For Five Natural Gas Compression Stations to Halt OperationsBased on results of recent air study, local officials in the town of DISH, TX has asked operators for a safety stand down.
DISH, TX -- The results of a DISH, Texas municipal Ambient Air Quality Study recently revealed high concentrations of toxic air emissions, including neurotoxins and carcinogens, near and on residential properties in the small town of DISH, Texas. . In a letter sent to company officials dated November 16, 2009, local officials from the Town of DISH have asked operators to cease and desist operations, until they can guarantee the safety of area citizens. This letter was sent to company officials from; Texas Midstream Gas Services, LLC, Enbridge Holdings, LLC, Energy Transfer Partners, Atmos Pipeline Texas, and Crosstex, Energy Services. To date one of the companies in question have not responded to this request.
DISH is located in the epicenter of the Barnett Shale gas play and is home to a megacomplex of compressor stations, as well as pipelines, metering stations, gathering lines and gas wells. The Town of DISH's air study sampled air at seven locations from August 17 to 18, 2009. The results of this analysis revealed high concentrations of carcinogenic and neurotoxin compounds near and on residential properties. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has performed subsequent studies that validated these concerns.
For more info:
Calvin Tillman, Mayor of Dish
http://www.tillman4council.com/
940-453-3640
Town of Dish
5413 Tim Donald Road
Dish, TX 76247
http://www.townofdish.com/
DISH TX Calls For Five Natural Gas Compression Stations to Halt OperationsBased on results of recent air study, local officials in the town of DISH, TX has asked operators for a safety stand down.
DISH, TX -- The results of a DISH, Texas municipal Ambient Air Quality Study recently revealed high concentrations of toxic air emissions, including neurotoxins and carcinogens, near and on residential properties in the small town of DISH, Texas. . In a letter sent to company officials dated November 16, 2009, local officials from the Town of DISH have asked operators to cease and desist operations, until they can guarantee the safety of area citizens. This letter was sent to company officials from; Texas Midstream Gas Services, LLC, Enbridge Holdings, LLC, Energy Transfer Partners, Atmos Pipeline Texas, and Crosstex, Energy Services. To date one of the companies in question have not responded to this request.
DISH is located in the epicenter of the Barnett Shale gas play and is home to a megacomplex of compressor stations, as well as pipelines, metering stations, gathering lines and gas wells. The Town of DISH's air study sampled air at seven locations from August 17 to 18, 2009. The results of this analysis revealed high concentrations of carcinogenic and neurotoxin compounds near and on residential properties. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has performed subsequent studies that validated these concerns.
For more info:
Calvin Tillman, Mayor of Dish
http://www.tillman4council.com/
940-453-3640
Town of Dish
5413 Tim Donald Road
Dish, TX 76247
http://www.townofdish.com/
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Another North Texas Town Has Radioactive Water
The town of Aledo was recently told that one of their wells registered for hazardous levels of radiation. Earlier this week Hudson Oaks discovered their water was "hot" too. Some residents are questioning if this could be drilling related.
The TCEQ if down playing this and claims it is naturally occurring. But the levels in some of the tests were 3 to 4 times higher than the EPA standards.
Watch the video from Brett Shipp WFAA News 8.
http://www.wfaa.com/video/featured-videos/State-issues-violations-notice-over-Aledos-radioactive-water-levels-72135482.html
The TCEQ if down playing this and claims it is naturally occurring. But the levels in some of the tests were 3 to 4 times higher than the EPA standards.
Watch the video from Brett Shipp WFAA News 8.
http://www.wfaa.com/video/featured-videos/State-issues-violations-notice-over-Aledos-radioactive-water-levels-72135482.html
Barnett Shale Air
Here is a great post by TXSHARON. It has videos from a number of well sites here in North Texas showing the fugitive emissions from tanks and compressor stations. These videos were filmed with the GasFindIR Camera. What you don't see may kill you!
http://txsharon.blogspot.com/2009/11/barnett-shale-tceq-videos-show-fugitive.html
http://txsharon.blogspot.com/2009/11/barnett-shale-tceq-videos-show-fugitive.html
Monday, November 23, 2009
Texas officials politely asks barnett shale gas companies not to kill too many people
Interesting article from D Magazine about TCEQ and the Oil & Gas Industry. It is time to stop handling this industry with kid gloves! The TCEQ "find it and fix it" policy is outrageous. How do you find it without testing for it? How many towns and private citizens can afford to do testing? This type of toxic air is invisible so how do we know when it exists? How can the TCEQ possibly get around to testing all gas well sites in the Barnett Shale?
Here is a simple way to take care of this problem. Demand better emission standards now!!! Make the Oil & Gas Industry accountable. No more exemptions from the clean air and clean water act. Higher fines when they are in violation. Even better...shut them down when in violation. They will clean up their act real fast when the rigs stop.
http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2009/11/23/state-politely-requests-barnett-shale-operators-not-to-kill-too-many-people/comment-page-1/#comment-73609
Here are a few paragraphs from the D Magazine story
Tests show some wells are emiting benzene, a carinogen whose “long-term effects” are highly dangerous.
The Commission has known about these emissions since 2007 but forgot to share its test results with the Legislature or the Fort Worth City Council. I can understand why. The elected officials might have gotten a little upset, and in Texas we don’t want people to get upset, especially with the oil and gas industry. (It goes without saying that all three members of the Commission are Rick Perry appointees.)
A article from the Star Telegram mentions how high the toxic air levels have been at some well sites. One sample taken 7 miles from Dish, showed a high level. How bad do you think the air is when a well site is 300 feet, 500 feet or a 1000 feet from a home, school, or park?
http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1782464.html
the below paragraphs are from the Star Telegram story
In August and October, the commission monitored well sites with infrared cameras and found hydrocarbon vapors coming from the hatches and valves on storage tanks and from vents on compressor stations, said Keith Sheedy, a commission engineer.
One sample taken downwind from a tank seven miles west of DISH showed a level of 1,000 parts per billion, which is more than five times the commission’s short-term exposure limit of 180 parts per billion.
That level is the equivalent of a person sniffing a can of gasoline, and it shows the need for more tests, including long-term sampling,
video of fugitive emissions billowing from storage tanks.
http://www.star-telegram.com/videos/#vmix_media_id=7429315
Here is a simple way to take care of this problem. Demand better emission standards now!!! Make the Oil & Gas Industry accountable. No more exemptions from the clean air and clean water act. Higher fines when they are in violation. Even better...shut them down when in violation. They will clean up their act real fast when the rigs stop.
http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2009/11/23/state-politely-requests-barnett-shale-operators-not-to-kill-too-many-people/comment-page-1/#comment-73609
Here are a few paragraphs from the D Magazine story
Tests show some wells are emiting benzene, a carinogen whose “long-term effects” are highly dangerous.
The Commission has known about these emissions since 2007 but forgot to share its test results with the Legislature or the Fort Worth City Council. I can understand why. The elected officials might have gotten a little upset, and in Texas we don’t want people to get upset, especially with the oil and gas industry. (It goes without saying that all three members of the Commission are Rick Perry appointees.)
A article from the Star Telegram mentions how high the toxic air levels have been at some well sites. One sample taken 7 miles from Dish, showed a high level. How bad do you think the air is when a well site is 300 feet, 500 feet or a 1000 feet from a home, school, or park?
http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1782464.html
the below paragraphs are from the Star Telegram story
In August and October, the commission monitored well sites with infrared cameras and found hydrocarbon vapors coming from the hatches and valves on storage tanks and from vents on compressor stations, said Keith Sheedy, a commission engineer.
One sample taken downwind from a tank seven miles west of DISH showed a level of 1,000 parts per billion, which is more than five times the commission’s short-term exposure limit of 180 parts per billion.
That level is the equivalent of a person sniffing a can of gasoline, and it shows the need for more tests, including long-term sampling,
video of fugitive emissions billowing from storage tanks.
http://www.star-telegram.com/videos/#vmix_media_id=7429315
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