Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Flow back and fracturing fluid spill at Cummings pad in Flower Mound

Today there was a spill in Flower Mound at the Williams/Cummings Well Site. I heard it was over 3000 gallons of flow back and fracturing fluid and who knows what toxic chemicals were in the mix.

When I arrived at the scene the vacuum truck was cleaning up and later the dirt was being dumped and moved around the area. In the video you can see the emissions from the area. The gas company would like us to think it is just steam but you can be sure there are some VOC's (volatile organic compounds) in this steam. Pretty sure this could be a tank valve problem. Either a faulty one or someone didn't close it.

Click here for video.

As I sat there and watched this clean up, a couple questions came to mind.

How many of these spills have there been?

If I had not been there and witnessed the clean up, would we even know about it?

Thank goodness it was not raining because the well site sits above a pond and appears to be the highest point on this property.

I have heard the Texas Railroad Commission was contacted. More info to come when it is available.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Williams operations manual:
1) Righty = tighty
2) Lefty = loosy
3) First learn 1 and 2

Anonymous said...

3000 gallons OMG! I am sure the Town's response will be "Nothing to see here folks, just a little spill". When are these people going to stop allowing these companies to destroy our community??

Anonymous said...

Look...I'm all for documenting stuff like this...but for the love of god.... Please leave the cheap music out of the video. It really damages the message. It's not helping the cause.

FMCAUD said...

The music is much better than the sound of equipment cleaning up.

Anonymous said...

...or the sound of compressors, or drills, or flaring, or [insert community ruining industrial activity here]

Anonymous said...

You're right...cover up the noise pollution...makes sense.

Anonymous said...

OMG... They spilled wa-wa-water! Run. Save yourselves.

Give me a break. Even the EPA ruled hydraulic fracturing is safe. Even Stephen "No Oil" Chu says it's safe.

If you oppose drilling, be consistent. Shut off your gas furnace. Disconnect your home from the grid, which is partially powered by gas turbines. Buy a bunch of PV panels at $1,000 each to deliver 165 watts per panel, so for $6K you can power a space heater as long it's daytime and the sun is shining.

Oh, and to be really consistent, don't use any products or energy that comes from oil. No driving. Ride your bike, but not one made of composites. No plastics.

Anonymous said...

If it is only water, they should allow us to test it using a company of our choice, because there is nothing to hide....Right?!

But they want.....