Williams Sells Off Assets In The Barnett Shale

WPX aka Williams Gulf Coast Production has sold off their assets in Flower Mound and across the Barnett Shale to KKR Kohlberg, Kravis & Roberts and their partner Premier Natural Resources.

The sale includes approximately 27,000 acres in the Barnett shale in north Texas and eastern Oklahoma. The deal also includes approximately 66,000 acres in the Arkoma shale in western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/04/02/3854910/kkr-natural-resources-buys-more.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/04/02/3854910/kkr-natural-resources-buys-more.html#storylink=cpy

Click here to read article in the Star Telegram.
Click here to read article at Yahoo Finance.

Click here for Premier Natural Resources website.

"Special" Flower Mound Town Council Meeting, Tuesday, May 22nd

A "special" Town Council meeting will be held Tuesday, May 22nd from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. The meeting will take place at Fire Station # 1 located at 3838 Forums Drive, FM, TX.

The meeting is not on the town calendar but is on the agenda and minutes page in the government section of the town website. Click here to see agenda.

This meeting will be conducted by the new town council. Please pay attention to the items to be discussed.

Item #5 is a discussion about the newly adopted charter amendments and item #14 is about the newly adopted Oil and Gas Ordinance along with pending litigation.

We’ve Come A Long Way, Baby!

I guess we should be glad.  Just two short years ago a battle still raged in Flower Mound over whether urban drilling should be embraced or spurned.

The 2010 election put an end to that.  By ousting the previous Town Council majority, the citizens of our community made it very clear:  WE DO NOT SUPPORT DRILLING NEAR HOMES AND SCHOOLS!

This election season candidates realize there is only one “right” side of the urban drilling issue.  The candidates working together to unseat NFL are frantically revising history to make us believe they are on our side.  They are not letting the truth stand in their way.

They’re pushing crazy conspiracies and false accusations to put doubt in the minds of voters around the very officials who shepherded in this new era of protection:  Melissa Northern, Al Filidoro, and Steve Lyda – NFL.

It is nothing short of ridiculous. I almost considered ignoring it since it is so clearly political posturing.  Ultimately, though, I decided that for those who don’t have in-depth knowledge of our long history of gas drilling in Flower Mound, providing a refresher course on what has really happened would be helpful. My intention is not to “smear” any candidates but to clear up innuendo and half-truths being spread by some of Hayden, Dixon, and Webb’s supporters. I have been in this a long, long time and my history on this subject goes back many years.

When reading the blog you will see I have listened to all sides of the story. My journey for the truth has provided me with the facts and I gladly share them with all who care to listen.As you read through this, the details are there to prove the point but are really less important than the message.

Why would any candidate revise history?

Can you trust a candidate who is willing to lie to you to get elected?

I want to start with this statement from Tom Hayden's website: “Just weeks after the NFL took office, residents including members of council, were given just 72 hours notice that the Williams Settlement had been placed on the agenda by Mayor Northern for the upcoming council meeting. ... The reason for this settlement was never clearly explained.”

The Truth:

Tom Hayden was included in emails and participated in discussions about the settlement starting more than two months before the settlement was on the agenda.

In a March 1, 2010, email from the Town Attorney to all members of Town Council (excluding two of them, Smith and Levenick, who had signed leases with Williams and therefore had a conflict of interest), Council was informed that Williams wished to work out a settlement of all outstanding issues with the Town. Every member of Council agreed that there was no harm in exploring a settlement discussion with Williams, although no specific deal points were defined. The settlement would have addressed the pending Mockingbird Pipeline lawsuit and other related issues. Council entered into the lawsuit with Mockingbird based on a two/two deadlock with Steve Dixon and Mike Wallace wanting to settle with Williams and Al Filidoro and Tom Hayden agreeing to authorize the town attorney to defend the town against Williams’ encroachment on town property.

The status of the Mockingbird Pipeline lawsuit/Williams settlement was addressed in Town Council closed sessions on April 19, 2010; June 21, 2010; July 6, 2010; July 19, 2010; August 2, 2010; August 16, 2010; and September 7, 2010.

On May 12, 2010, along with Town staff members, Councilmember Hayden, the Mayor-Elect and Councilmember Filidoro met to discuss various Town issues, including a detailed discussion about a settlement with Williams.

On June 16, 2010, each member of Town Council received a detailed memorandum from the Town Attorney spelling out the proposed terms of a settlement agreement with Williams; a copy of the proposed settlement agreement was also provided.

Later that same day (June 16, 2010), Councilmember Hayden provided comments via e-mail about the proposed settlement agreement including the type of landscaping he preferred. He copied other Councilmembers about his thoughts on the proposed settlement agreement. Also on June 16, the Town Attorney responded to the issues Councilmember Hayden raised in his e-mail.

Other Councilmembers also raised questions and provided input about the proposed settlement agreement. On June 18, 2010, in an attorney/client document, the entire Council was provided detailed information about compression facilities at the Williams pad site.

By Saturday, June 19, 2010, a fourth version of the settlement agreement was exchanged between the parties and a detailed memorandum provided by the Town Attorney to the entire Town Council about the latest revisions to the proposed settlement agreement. After additional discussions with individual members of the Town Council, a revised agreement was forwarded to Williams on June 21, 2010.

On the afternoon of June 21, 2010, each member of Town Council received a bullet point outline from the Town Attorney detailing the items referenced in the proposed settlement agreement that were not already contained in Town ordinances.

After additional revisions, late on the afternoon of June 21, 2010, a finalized version of the proposed settlement agreement was forwarded by the Town Attorney to Town Council.

During the Town Council meeting on June 21, 2010, while addressing the proposed settlement agreement and how it came about, the Town Attorney stated that Town Council had been kept abreast of the process (Book 38, Page 489, Town Council Minutes). Nowhere during the discussion of the proposed settlement agreement did any Councilmember state that he or she was unaware of the proposed settlement agreement or had been taken by surprise that it was on the agenda. Several Councilmembers discussed the settlement agreement’s proposed terms in great detail. If the proposed settlement agreement was a surprise to any of them, they certainly hid their surprise well! In fact, Tom Hayden himself told me he participated in a meeting with Williams prior to the settlement being presented to the public.

The reasons for the proposed settlement agreement were explained to all Councilmembers in detail on multiple occasions. If any Councilmember believed anything was unclear about the proposed settlement agreement, there were many opportunities to address those concerns. Every Councilmember contacted the Town Attorney with input, thoughts, questions, suggestions, and concerns.

The Truth: Flower Mound does not have a Centralized Collection Facility.

Flower Mound has had a Centralized “Compression” Facility since 2008, NOT a Centralized “Collection” Facility. The compression facility was unanimously approved by the Oil & Gas Board of Appeals on February 13, 2008.  At the 2008 OGBOA hearing on the Central Compression Facility application, no one spoke in opposition to the facility and the Town Council had no role in the approval or denial of the variance request. If the Town Council had been opposed to the approval of the variance for the compression facility, the only recourse for the Town Council would have been to sue the OGBOA.  In any case this all took place before NFL was in office. 

The Truth: NFL has stopped the industrialization of Flower Mound.

During NFL’s tenure on Council, the 26 gas wells that have been approved were on existing pad sites and were already in progress and applied for with the Texas Railroad Commission and the town before NFL took office in May 2010. Every well fell under the 2007 weakened ordinance. NO NEW WELLS HAVE BEEN APPROVED UNDER THE NEW ORDINANCE!

As has been explained to the Oil and Gas Advisory Board and the Oil & Gas Board of Appeals, state law requires that once the Town is aware of a permit (even without a formal application), the applicant’s rights vest. The failure to recognize this vesting is a violation of state law. This also has been explained by the Town Attorney or members of his office on multiple occasions at Town Council meetings and board and commission meetings.

I served on the Oil and Gas Advisory Board and we discussed "vested interest" as it pertains to Oil and Gas drilling in the State of Texas numerous times. To ignore a vested interest is a violation of state law; municipal ordinances cannot “trump” state law.

The Truth: NFL had no means to stop the Hilliard airfield pad site.

We have heard for almost two years that “there is room for legal debate on this issue.” Where is any legal opinion that supports that statement? Hayden, Dixon, and Webb supporters, including Councilmember Stephenson, have been asked for copies of legal opinions they purportedly obtained from outside lawyers — and in no event has any of them ever provided a copy of a legal opinion.

The facts are:  The Texas Railroad Commission approved the permit for the Hilliard pad site in September 2009.  In October 2009, Titan put in their first application with the Town for the Hilliard pad site. Because of the timing the Hilliard application was vested under the old gas ordinance. The pad site met the requirements of the old ordinance, therefore the town was obliged to administratively approve it Town Council is obligated to follow all laws and ordinances, even those that were adopted by prior councils, whether they agree or not.  In the Hilliard case, the council could not reasonably challenge this permit and win in a court of law.

On September 10, 2010, the Town provided residents with a lengthy, detailed analysis of the Hilliard pad site permit.  The permit was also discussed in depth at the September 20, 2010, Town Council meeting. Issues raised by citizens about the Hilliard pad site were explored. Click here to read the power point presentation. The issue of Hilliard’s vested rights remained.  Some residents just did not like the response.

The issue has been raised that Mr. Hilliard needed a variance to remove trees on his property and that the failure to receive a variance was a basis upon which to deny his drilling permit. This contention is wrong. Since the adoption of the first tree ordinance by the Town in the 1990's, an owner of any property zoned agricultural is permitted to remove up to 19 protected trees annually. Only an administrative tree removal permit is required. A tree removal request on agriculturally zoned property does not go before a board and does not require a Town Council vote.  

An agricultural tree removal permit differs from the other types of tree removal permits discussed in the tree ordinance in several ways. First, this type of permit does not have to be associated with any type of property development. Second, the only criteria necessary for approval is that the property be zoned agricultural and that the trees be protected trees and not specimen trees. The Town’s tree ordinance does not require the property owner to give a reason for requesting the agricultural tree removal permit. Town staff verified that all trees requested for removal were protected trees, not specimen trees, and the applicant requested to remove 19 protected trees, as permitted by ordinance.

NFL did campaign on not being afraid of a lawsuit but this was always understood to mean they would not be bullied when the Town was in the right, not that they would irresponsibility invite legal challenge by taking positions that had no legal justification. To fight simply for the sake of fighting when the law and facts are clearly not on your side is a waste of taxpayer dollars, particularly when the Town will be financially liable. We should expect town staff and elected officials to be fiscal stewards of taxpayers’ money and not subject the town to frivolous legal risk even if the public doesn’t like the law... With the exception of the “mystery lawyers” referenced by several Town residents over the years, no credible attorney has ever contended that the Town could deny the Hilliard permit.

It is interesting to note that Hayden/Dixon/Webb supporters often cite NFL’s adherence to the law as some sort of breach of trust and yet both Dixon and Hayden served on Council at the same time and likewise followed the law in the same manner as NFL. 

The Truth: NFL always works in a transparent manner to protect Flower Mound from industrialization by gas drillers.

As noted in response to the first item from the Hayden website, if Councilmember Hayden or any other Councilmember only had 72 hours’ notice that the proposed Williams settlement agreement was on the agenda, then they simply did not read their e-mail, agenda packets, or communications from the Town Attorney.

All Councilmembers were fully apprised of the proposed Williams settlement agreement and had been notified repeatedly about it. Councilmembers offered input into the proposed settlement agreement and commented upon it. Steve Dixon expressed his excitement that 6 items from his "wish list" made it to the settlement. The fact that Councilmembers commented upon the proposed agreement did not mean that they were in favor of it — they were simply asking questions about it. The normal process for the Town Council is to comment and question, which also happened in this case.

In fact, and regardless of the above, Town Council unanimously chose to reject any settlement agreement with Williams. In any lawsuit, it is customary for the parties to attempt to negotiate a settlement prior to trial. The Court almost always demands an attempted negotiation and the legal system strongly encourages the parties to come together and see if a controversy can be worked out prior to trial. In some cases, settlements can be worked out and in some, like this one, they cannot. Entering into negotiations does not tacitly mean that there is any agreement; here, it meant that Williams’ attorneys and town staff, worked on a proposed agreement, and after review, it was determined by the entire Town Council that a settlement could not be reached.

There was no settlement on the above Williams litigation and no future settlements were entered into by the Town. The parties proceeded forward in the case.  Ultimately, the Town of Flower Mound prevailed and Mockingbird Pipeline/Williams paid $55,000 to the Town as reimbursement of its legal fees.

As mentioned above, no new wells or pad sites have been approved under the Town’s new oil and gas ordinance.  Any administrative approvals of additional wells were based on permits filed prior to the NFL’s strengthening of the oil and gas ordinance in 2011.  While many of us would have loved for the Town to have had the latitude to tacitly reject permits vested under the old ordinance, case law is well established that we would not have prevailed in court. I hope you will remember who shepherded in this new era of protection. When someone wants to throw stones at these clear leaders in the fight against urban drilling, consider the source and their motivation.  Without the burden of the responsibility of governing, it’s easy to stand on the outside and ignore legal precedent in order to justify one’s beliefs.  As citizens we can engage in wishful thinking but our elected officials cannot.  They have a duty to act responsibly.. NFL has acted responsibly and also done all they can to protect this community.  As for the purveyors of conspiracy and innuendo, and the candidates they support, I don’t expect my comments to be persuasive to them at all because no amount of legal reasoning or precedent will deter someone who chooses to stay ignorant or ignore the law.

My comments are not intended for those vested in a particular candidate slate, those insistent on being right about some inane aspect of the ordinance, or someone with an axe to grind.  They are intended for consideration by the vast majority of residents who are simply vested in what is best for Flower Mound.  I am available by email on this blog for anyone who wants to discuss this further. 

Williams Rule 37 against LISD Hearing Next Week

The hearing for the Williams Rule 37 Exception against LISD (Lewisville Independent School District) will be held next Friday, December 16th, at 9:00 am.

As of now, it appears LISD is still going through with the protest even though they voted at their last Trustee Meeting in November to solicit bids to sign gas leases near two of their properties. Both properties are located in Lewisville. One of the sites sits right on the Flower Mound/Lewisville border.

The hearing is for the site near the Flower Mound border.

Click here for info on the TRC hearing.

Williams Rule 37 Hearing Against Town of Flower Mound Postponed

William's attorney has requested a postponement of the December 14th Rule 37 Exception hearing against the Town of Flower Mound. Attorney John Camp claimed postponing the hearing was necessary to prepare evidence for the hearing. The Town of Flower Mound has agreed to the postponement. Both parties must agree on a new hearing date by December 21st, if they cannot agree by then, the Texas Railroad Commission Examiner will set a new hearing date for them.

The assigned legal examiner is the same one that heard both Titan cases.

Click here for the TRC document.

LISD To Discuss and Consider Signing Gas Leases

The LISD Board of Trustees is asking for the opportunity to seek proposals for signing gas leases with Titan Operating and Williams.

The Regular meeting is this coming Monday, November 14th, and will begin at 6:00 PM in the Bolin Administrative Center, 1565 W. Main Street, Lewisville, Texas. Immediately after opening, the Board of Trustees will convene in Closed Session and will return to Open Session at 7:00 PM.

Click here for the agenda.

If you read the action item, it appears they may be leaning towards signing. Of course, indicating that there will be drilling anyway and they will most likely lose the Rule 37 exceptions currently being requested with the Texas Railroad Commission. We have heard that line before.

This does not include signing a lease for the LISD properties near the Hilliard Pad Site. Using the excuse that drilling will happen any way is not the case at Hilliard. Without the leasing of many of the properties near Hilliard, a significant amount of wells could be prevented from being drilled.


Click here for the action item.

If you live near one of these properties, NOW is the time to voice your opinions. SHOW UP and contact the Board of Trustees.

Click here for the contact info.

"Good Neighbor" Williams Receives Penalty and Violation From EPA

One of our "good neighbors', Williams received a penalty and will be forced to reduce their emissions from gas production sites in Colorado. The EPA also issued a penalty and violation to Conoco Phillips.

Hello EPA, we need you here in Flower Mound. In the past 2 months, there have been close to 20 odor and health complaints to the TCEQ for gas drilling production sites here in FloMo.  Over 90 percent of those have been at a Williams gas production site!!!!!!!

The TCEQ can't seem to find anything yet we have residents complaining of health effects ranging from nose bleeds, respiratory problems, dizziness, headaches, digestive issues etc.

Here is a press release we received from the EPA.

Agreements with Williams and ConocoPhillips resolve alleged Clean Air Act violations on Southern Ute Reservation
Companies to pay penalties, improve emission controls, and conserve gas at production facilities
Contact: Joshua Rickard, 303-312-6460; Richard Mylott, 303-312-6654


(Denver, Colo. – November 2, 2011) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced agreements with two gas production companies resolving alleged violations of the Clean Air Act on the Southern Ute Reservation in Colorado’s San Juan Basin. The agreements, outlined in separate consent decrees with Williams and ConocoPhillips, will reduce emissions of air pollutants from a gas plant and compressor stations.

“These agreements will ensure that steps are taken to monitor and reduce emissions of harmful volatile organic compounds from several production facilities on the Southern Ute Reservation,” said Mike Gaydosh, director of EPA’s enforcement program in Denver. “These and other air pollutants can contribute to unhealthy air quality and impair visibility.”

Under an agreement with Houston-based ConocoPhillips, the company will pay a penalty of $198,000 to resolve alleged Clean Air Act violations at the Southern Ute Compressor Station. The station removes water and compresses natural gas for transportation through high pressure gas pipelines. The violations were discovered during a self-audit conducted by ConocoPhillips and disclosed to EPA.

ConocoPhillips will also conduct mitigation projects at the station, including the replacement of "high-bleed" pneumatics with "low-bleed" or "no-bleed" pneumatics at well sites that feed into the station. In addition, the company will conduct an infrared camera survey of the compressor station to identify leaking components and will retrofit a compressor engine with an oxidation catalyst to reduce emissions.

Measures taken as a result of the settlement will reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds by 137 tons per year, hazardous air pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene by 90 tons per year, and carbon monoxide by 33 tons per year. These measures will also conserve 5.5 million cubic feet of gas annually, enough to heat 80 homes.

In a separate agreement with EPA, Williams, a natural gas production company based in Tulsa, Okla., has agreed to pay a $50,000 penalty and expand a leak detection program at the Ignacio Gas Plant on the Southern Ute Reservation. The settlement resolves alleged Clean Air Act violations at the gas plant and the Ute E compressor station. Violations were discovered through inspections conducted by EPA.

In addition to the penalty, Williams has agreed to implement an infrared camera leak-detection and repair program to identify fugitive emissions sources. The expected annual emission reductions associated with these measures include approximately 14,000 lbs of volatile organic compounds.

The Ignacio Gas Plant gathers and processes field gas for transportation. The Ute E compressor station compresses field gas for transportation through a gathering line.

The facilities affected by both agreements are located in the San Juan Basin near Durango, Colo., within the exterior boundaries of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation.

Help EPA protect our nation's land, air and water by reporting violations: http://www.epa.gov/tips/

Spilliams....Repeat Offender

There has been yet another spill out in West Flower Mound at a Williams site. 

According to information from the town of Flower Mound, (see page 8-9 of drilling ordinance) this is the 6th spill at a Williams gas drilling pad site "REPORTED" to the town. Of course it rained very hard on Saturday night and who knows if any of the spill spread from the site.

Let's go back to the summer of 2009 when many West Flower Mound residents came to Town Hall professing their love and admiration for Williams. The cause of the latest spill? 
"The spill occurred due to a failed weld in a line transporting fluids." 

The West Flower Mound residents begged for the town to allow Williams the opportunity to run waste water pipelines from their pad sites to a Centralized Collection Facility. Some of us argued that accidents happen like.....welds failing! Williams is NOT a "good neighbor". In fact if you and I continued to spill toxic waste, we would be heavily fined or in jail!!!

But folks, it isn't just spills. In a little over a year and a half, close to 90 odor and health complaints have been made to the TCEQ just in Flower Mound alone. Every one of those complaints has been at or near gas drilling production sites. A majority of those complaints have been near Williams sites.

Cancer rates in the Barnett Shale Counties are on the rise. 


If Texas Railroad Commission is wondering why so many people are refusing to sign leases resulting in Rule 37 applications and Forced Pooling applications, they need to look no further than our backyards. Contamination, air quality issues and health issues being reported by the citizens living on the Barnett Shale are clearly being overlooked. Many feel our state agencies responsible for regulating the industry are not doing their job. Not signing a lease has become the only way residents can "try" to protect themselves. 

Good neighbors or the neighbors from hell?

I

Williams Withdraws One Rule 37, Keeps 3 Others In Play

Williams recently withdrew one Rule 37 action pending against the Town of Flower Mound on the Ace unit located in Lewisville, but still has 3 more pending completely contained within Flower Mound borders, all on the Bob Smith B East lease.  Two of these are against individual homeowners (Wells 5H and 6H) and the final Rule 37 action (Well 8H) is against the Town of Flower Mound. 

The town, as in the first withdrawn Rule 37, has filed a protest opposing the filing.  This begs the question, why not withdraw from ALL Rule 37’s Williams? 

If the rule is good enough to follow and abide by in Lewisville, why not in Flower Mound as well?

Flower Mound and surrounding communities breast cancer rates on the rise

The Denton Record Chronicle published this article about the rising numbers of breast cancer in communities on the Barnett Shale. It will be interesting to see what the State of Texas does with this information. Just to jog some memories, Back in early 2010, the State of Texas did their own cancer cluster study for leukemia, thyroid cancer, lymphoma, and breast cancer here in Flower Mound. We all remember what came of that......

After finding an elevated number of breast cancer in Flower Mound, the Texas Department of Health Services said the breast cancer result could be due to overall population increases in Flower Mound and the likelihood that women in this area are more frequently screened for breast cancer. 

Just to clarify this excuse, if a woman doesn't get screened and doesn't know she has breast cancer, she is less likely to die from it? Wow, our insurance companies would be happy to hear that.

Like a good neighbor....Williams tries to steal your minerals

Adding on to their attempt to steal minerals from the Town of Flower Mound, Williams has scheduled two Rule 37 hearings, both to take place (likely in the same hearing) on July 27, 2011. The Rule 37 hearings are for the 5H and 6H wells on the Dr. Bob Smith B East pad against two Flower Mound home/mineral owners.

Oddly enough, you won't find anything in the "Corporate Responsibility" section of their website about taking minerals that aren't theirs. It appears as homeowners, the "choices" are to sign a lease against your will or likely have your property taken. As some of the industry folks and those who regulate them like to say, "There are consequences for not signing."

I think the Mafia uses that line too.

Texas Railroad Commission Gets One Right

Texas Railroad Commission Examiner rules against Chesapeake Operating. Here is a PFD (Proposal for Decision) against Chesapeake Operating which denies a Rule 37 request for two cases. The denial is due to a lack of legal notice as determined by a RRC Legal Examiner. In this particular case, there were several possible protestants who could not be reached via snail mail. Procedure in this case is to notify the parties involved via a “newspaper of general circulation.” Chesapeake chose the “Forth Worth Commercial Recorder”. After all, who DOESN’T get the Ft. Worth Commercial Recorder? In short, the legal examiner determined that this publication was not legally sufficient as notice. The examiner goes on to cite case law in Texas to justify his opinion and even mentions the 14th Amendment (due process). We would also suggest consulting the 5th Amendment of the Bill of Rights, specifically the taking of private property without just compensation, something routinely done during Rule 37 rulings.

While the Commissioners themselves may well reverse this examiners opinion, or Chesapeake may simply be allowed to post notification in an appropriate newspaper, we applaud the Commission examiner for his well researched opinion. It has never been the intent of FMCAUD to “stick it to anyone”, but we do expect fair (that means industry has to lose a few now and then) and honest hearings in Austin when private property is at stake. Just maybe, this is a start.

UPDATE: Williams vs. Flower Mound – Round 3

We have been told the Town will be protesting the Rule 37. Thanks to Council Member Filidoro for speaking with us on the phone this morning.

First it was a CCF, then a pipeline easement. Learning nothing from the first two engagements, Williams is now attempting to steal minerals from the Town of Flower Mound. Williams has applied for a Rule 37 on Town owned property near the water treatment plan, Town Fleet Service Center, and Bakersfield Park. The proposed well will be drilled from Williams “Ace” pad site, which is located in Lewisville.

A protest from the Town of Flower Mound and the associated hearing at the Railroad Commission in Austin is likely. Due to severe budget constraints at the RRC, no retiring staff or open positions are currently being filled, causing a backlog of work for the resource starved regulatory agency.

If a protest is filed by the Town of Flower Mound, Williams will have 3 choices.

1) Abandon the well.
2) Proceed with a hearing in Austin.
3) Shorten their well lateral to not encroach on Town owned minerals

Option 1 is unlikely. Option 2 means more bad press for Williams in Flower Mound. Option 3 is the most likely as it allows them to drill the lion share of their proposed lateral run and avoid the bad press which will likely ensue if they move forward with the Rule 37.

The Town has until June 1st, Close-of-Business to file a protest, otherwise the application will be approved administratively by the Texas Railroad Commission.

Williams fracking schedule for June and July

Williams will be fracking 10 wells on the Cummings site during the months of June and July. This location is located north of 1171 and east of Red Rock Lane in West Flower Mound. For those of you who are chemically sensitive beware and watch the wind direction. Those with respiratory problems get your inhalers ready!

Click here for the schedule.

IMPORTANT: Natural Gas Leak at Bob Smith #2

A near explosion from the Bob Smith Williams site. Residents said it sounded like a loud jet engine. From the Flower Mound Website:

At 7:45 p.m. on Thursday, December 30, 2010, the Flower Mound Fire Department responded to a natural gas leak from a valve at the Dr. Bob Smith #2 well located at 4000 Shiloh Road. A resident reported a loud noise coming from the well pad site. The FMFD responded within three minutes of notification and confirmed the noise as well as a vapor plume coming from the equipment area housing the dehydration units. Air monitoring began immediately to detect any gas plume and two additional fire units, from Stations #1 and # 4, responded to provide additional air monitoring equipment. Police assistance was requested to briefly shut down FM 1171 and Shiloh Road to allow for monitoring to verify no hazard existed downwind.


The Williams Company, operators of the well site, were notified and arrived to close the valves to stop flow. It was determined the leak was a result of a deteriorated valve located on the well side of the equipment before it reaches dehydration/sedimentation separation. Sand and fine grit contained in the gas moving through the pipe created friction causing wear. The valve remains closed and will require maintenance to bring the production back on-line. A Williams Petroleum Engineer inspected the site to be certain no other issues were present. The Town’s Gas Inspector is working with the Williams Safety Division to begin documentation of the incident. Based on additional analysis, and as the Town was unable to verify at the time the amount of gas released, the incident was reported to TCEQ. Additional information should be available early next week.
Posted 12/31/2010.

Click here for press release.
Click here for air quality report around the time of the leak.

TCEQ launches 24 hour monitoring station in Flower Mound

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality launched a web page providing information related to the Automated Gas Chromatograph (AutoGC) monitoring station that the agency recently installed at 4401 Shiloh Road in Flower Mound. The equipment will generate hourly air quality monitoring results, which are accessible from the site web page by clicking “current measurements” and “generate report.”

There are some important chemicals not included in the testing like, methane, sulfides and formaldehyde, but something is better than nothing.

Click here for the TCEQ Shiloh web page.

To view the site and info click here.

Colleyville Approves Stronger Gas Rules In Spite of Threats of Lawsuits

Threats and intimidation by the gas companies didn't seem to work in Colleyville.

Mayor pro tem Jon Ayers said:

The city's tightened rules on drilling and pipeline construction is an effort to balance rights: "The right of the producer to get the resource out of the ground. The right of the citizens to recoup the royalty interest. But also the rights of the city to have a safe and environmentally sound city."

Ayers described the rights of gas pipeline companies as "pretty broad." He suggested the council leave the pipeline provisions in the revised ordinance. "If we can't enforce them, then the gas pipeline [companies] need to take us to court and tell us that we can't," he said.

Councilman Mike Taylors thoughts on this matter:

Taylor said sometimes ordinances will be challenged, but it is best to pass the entire gas ordinance as a "safety net," since not all of it might be struck down. "We don't knowingly or wantingly want to sit here and make stupid laws, a law that would get us into legal battles that cost the taxpayers money," he said.

Remember, Flower Mound Oil & Gas Ordinance already stood up in court when Red Oak Gas challenged the denials of numerous variances for the River Walk location back in 2008. The case was dismissed in August 2009.

Click here to read entire article in the Colleyville Courier

Off the chart emissions reported at Sam Wilson Scenic Site in Flower Mound

This Flir video is of the Sam Wilson Gas Production Site off Scenic Rd. in Flower Mound.

Numerous odor and health issue complaints have been made about this production facility. The most recent was made last night. TXSharon reports the following:

By the time TCEQ arrived, the odor was much less but they still registered 1.62 ppm on their Toxic Vapor Analyzer TVA. Remember that toxics are usually measured in ppm so let's do that math.
1.62 ppm = 1620 ppb

Metroplex avg = 35 ppb

1620 / 35 = 46 times the Metroplex average

Also remember that you are being exposed if you can smell it.

This site is a repeat offender!

Bad Blood or Sour Grapes?

This article appeared in Fort Worth Weekly today. Some people just aren't good losers.

It is a good read. There were too many statements made by Ms. Levenick to dispute and frankly not worth the precious time it would take to do so.

This may be my favorite quote:

“This isn’t about sour grapes — this is about the fact that I can’t even keep up with what’s going on in town right now,” said Levenick

Not about sour grapes? Yeah right!

click here to read the article

Schools and Gas Drilling

Argyle residents are in the midst of every parents nightmare....What if the health and safety of your child was being threatened everyday and no one was listening?

In this post from TXSharon, it focuses on the odor and health complaints of students attending Argyle schools that are close to drilling. The schools vary in distance from the drilling. But what is most alarming is that even students attending a school a half of mile away, or a little over 2600 feet, are experiencing health issues and can smell offensive odors.

Here in Flower Mound, a pad site sits just over 1000 feet from Liberty Elementary. In the past 3 years, there has been an increase in child leukemia and breast cancer in this area. The Titan Hilliard site will be a little over 1700 feet from Shadow Ridge Middle School.

Many are concerned that the air quality in this area could be a factor. Last year an EPA analysis of Denton County's air quality, showed a 25% higher risk for cancer and respiratory diseases than the national average. In this study done by the Environmental Defense Fund, it links air pollutants with Barnett Shale Gas Production.

It is the right of every American to be educated no matter what their economic situation is. That is what the public school system is all about. It is also the right of every American to be educated in a safe and healthy environment.

So why, all across America, do school districts continue to sign mineral leases with the gas and oil industry? They claim it is free money, it helps fund programs, balance the budget etc. Argyle school district has received $680,681.25 in revenue from the leases, including royalty and bonus payments.

In a recent Denton Records Chronicle article, Susan Knoll stated it would most likely not cover the cost of treating one child with leukemia. Child leukemia is one of the most expensive types of cancer to treat.

A few years ago Lewisville Independent School District signed mineral leases for all their properties. Almost all of those leases have expired or LISD was released. It is rumored that they are once again being courted by gas drilling companies.

Gas drilling is heavy industry. It has no place next to schools and homes.

We must continue to put pressure on our school districts to not sign leases!! Let your voices be heard before it is too late. We have listed the emails for the LISD Board of Trustees.

royj@lisd.net
kyerc@lisd.net
greggv@lisd.net
fultona@lisd.net
fergusont@lisd.net
knappjeff@lisd.net
lathamb@lisd.net