167 replies to this topic

[Keller Pirate]

Maybe they could do some add's promoting the streetcar, then they could pony up some money and have all the streetcars with their name and "Back the Shale" all over them.

[Keller Pirate]

It seems Chesapeake is not very happy with Southlake's new drilling ordinance. They are threatening to
A. Go someplace else to drill
B. Bring in lawyers to sue the city
C. Send in Tommy Lee Jones to shoot up the city

Southlake isn't getting behind the Barnett Shale the way it should. They must not be watching TV.

From todays S-T,

http://www.star-tele...ory/673277.html

[safly]

Southlake isn't getting behind the Barnett Shale the way it should. They must not be watching TV.

I wonder when Chesapeake will start mailing out those "special" TV headsets used for "normal listening" when their infomercials air.

[ghughes]

David Wethe, who wrote that S-T article, calls the frac fluid "water."

Hey, David, pour some on the rocks and have a drink! Sorry you won't live to see the results.

IT IS NOT WATER! It is a chemical stew the contents of which the drilling companies will not disclose. But they aren't filling their swimming pools with it...

[Fort Worthology]

David Wethe, who wrote that S-T article, calls the frac fluid "water."

Hey, David, pour some on the rocks and have a drink! Sorry you won't live to see the results.

IT IS NOT WATER! It is a chemical stew the contents of which the drilling companies will not disclose. But they aren't filling their swimming pools with it...

Precisely. There have been instances where the "salt water" used in the fracing process has *caught fire.* That is not water, no matter what the drilling companies, the city, or the S-T want you to think.

[Dr Quest]

Frac water is fresh water that usually comes from the municipal water source, it is the same water that you fill your swimming pool with (which you then add chemicals to). The fresh water is pumped with sand under high pressure and it comes back higher salinity after pumped thru the formations. Every town requires lined frac pits to hold the water, anything that comes back up is disposed of in commercial disposal facilities. You can question the disposal facilities because I do not know all the details with that but the frac water is fresh...its only a chemical stew from what it collects from mother earth. There usually is a frac pond before you start drilling in order to store enough water ahead of time, there may be a biocide added but thats just so you don't have a stagnant pool of water sitting there. Our tap water could be a considered a chemical stew because without chemicals we wouldn't be drinking it.

[ghughes]

Dr. Quest, you have absolutely no idea what you talking about. Or, if you do, you are lying. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and suggest you need to spend more time in research.

Frac fluid is an engineered product. It is designed to have a high viscosity to carry proppants into the well with a maximized ability to float the material into the cracks in the rock. Then, when the frac fluid is being recovered, viscosity needs to be low to enhance the flow back to the surface.

What I described requires chemical transformation from a product high in polymer content to one in which the polymer chains have been cut. The methods are proprietary so we don't have the details of content. But it ain't water, doc.

[gdvanc]

"The fracture fluid can be any number of fluids, ranging from water to gels, foams, nitrogen, carbon dioxide or even air in some cases."

-- thus saith the Wiki

I know, but it's the only reference I could find.

Personally I think you're all lying, but that's probably because I'm in one of those moods.

[AndyN]

I claim only the knowledge gained from growing up in the oilfield, but fracing does use a lot of fresh water. I was just looking at the supply lines that run out to Eagle Mountain Lake near my Azle property where the oil company has contracted with TRWD to pump raw lake water for frac use. But, I also know that as Donnie reports that there is any number of chemicals and acids that can be added to the water to help in the process. I am curious if the burning water incident that AG is fond of relating involves saturation of natural gas in the water or added chemicals. All I can say is that it seems to me that it would be better to treat and reuse the water instead of pumping it down an injection well. Deal with the stuff instead of saving it for future generations (or the adjoiners if the frac water makes its way into potable water reservoirs).


AN

[safly]

Smore Resources!

The REDSTATE?

For those reading types.

From The RRC of TEXAS

If there is a possibility of health hazards arising from oil/gas drilling or frac or whatever, then those companies particular to getting your gas rights SHOULD provide an annual health checkup to prevent or discover any precursor sideffects known to the industry. Take the physical now PAID BY Chesapeake or whoever and then closely monitor those residents near the rig sites for those health concern claims. Seems sensible.

[mikelee]

Guys: Hey guys, just to be clear, the S-T does not parrot the industry line that drilling waste is "only saltwater."

The description we use is usually something like "a mixture of salt, drilling mud, chemicals used in the fracturing process and crude oil or 'condensate.' "

That's why it catches fire, which we've also reported on.

Mike Lee
Star-Telegram

[safly]

"STOP! And BACK THA BARNETT SHALE, or I will shoot you!"



"I want those mineral rights from every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in this area. And we're not going home until we do!"



^One way to keep THEM out of your yard. ^




"Howdy M'am we're gonna need you to sign right there on that x and right here where this x is. Once you are all done, I'm just gonna need you to a kindly look directly into this red light for me. (WHAAHH BAMMM!) Thank youuu and have a great day."

[jth]

I have a question. I am looking at a house in Summer Creek that has a well right behind it. There is no rig, only a barrier around the well. I'm assuming this is a capped well. It it possible that Chesapeake will come back and drill another well in close proximitry to this well. Or what should I be asking about this well. This is off of Risinger Rd., close to Llano Springs development. Don't know why owners backed out of buying this Meritage home, possibly because of the well. It's a lovely home.

[ghughes]

A well site will probably be re-visited repeatedly though its productive life. Without knowing its operational status, though, it's hard to say specifically what might be done. It may have been drilled once and still have more different bores to come. It may or may not have been fracked, but even if it has that is an operation that may be repeated in the future to enhance flow.

I have heard selling homes next to wells is more difficult (and sometimes impossible) but I don't know if the real estate community has anything other than anecdotal evidence. There's not much to ask about the well because, frankly, nobody is required to tell you the truth about it.

[Keller Pirate]

I was up in Calgary and environs the past week, enjoying the Stampede and got snowed on in Lake Louise on Thursday.

Last Sunday's Calgary Herald had an Op-Ed piece from an energy executive about how enlightened the folks in Ft Worth are about gas drilling. Seems they have the same issues up there.


http://www.canada.co...5b-8243d71b731d

In Alberta, the bulk of the subsurface resources are owned by the Crown. Therefore, when deciding how big the government's take should be, our politicians are continually reminded -- on behalf of the public -- that "it's ours."

Stateside, landowners own everything from the surface down, including the mineral rights. Therefore, under the American system, when oil or gas starts producing, "it's mine."

So in Forth Worth, oil companies are greeted with open arms as they go door to door contracting the rights to drill in suburbia.

[cbellomy]

OK, this tears it. And I had to read the rag from downriver to find out:

Fort Worth gas company tries to condemn land for pipeline
07:36 PM CDT on Friday, August 1, 2008

Associated Press
FORT WORTH, Texas — A 72-year-old widow objecting to a natural gas pipeline bored beneath her front yard now faces condemnation proceedings from Chesapeake Energy.

Unreal. These people have no morals.

[mosteijn]

Speaking of which, is this what's happening with houses in Westcliff? Noticed in the past few weeks 2 prominently located houses (one at carolyn/south/granbury and another at south hills/trail lake/alton) were torn down. What's the deal?

[John T Roberts]

I would suspect they have become the latest "tear downs" with McMansions being built on their sites.

[Fort Worthology]

Nope, the houses were both torn down by Chesapeake for a pipeline. Not to toot our own horns, but W&C's Steve Smith has been doing outstanding coverage of the gas drilling saga. See here for info on the two houses:

http://westandclear....-neighborhoods/

http://westandclear....-well-pipeline/

This is getting unreal.

[John T Roberts]

Well, I was wrong. I apologize.

[ghughes]

No worries, John. I wish it were about McMansions.

[ghughes]

A rapidly growing number of people are concluding that the gas drilling, piping, condensing and processing within Fort Worth may have a substantial enough impact that it should be planned rather than just happen. To that end, I am working with others who believe the entire activity should be stopped until a plan is in place. We are called CREDO (Coalition for a Reformed Drilling Ordinance) and will have a rally on Thursday, August 11, at 11:00 a.m. at the Will Rogers Center.

See CREDO Website

[safly]

Too hot for me. Any 9am or 7pm stuff?

[ghughes]

We will be looking for support at City Council meetings which are often at 7:00 p.m.

Such as this upcoming Tuesday evening where people will be calling on the City Council to exercise its rights "...to deny access under city streets in residential districts as authorized by Chapter 111 of the Natural Resources Code. Also, the issue of city regulation of pipelines within (not only) the city limits, but also our extraterritorial jurisdiction as evidenced in Section 121.202 of the Texas Utilities Code."

(quotes from an email from Louis McBee to Kathleen Hicks, used without permission but I don't think Louis will mind)

But c'mon, yer in Texas for gosh sake. Drink lots of water and get out in the heat!

[AndyN]

Just for giggles, I drove down to the Cultural District to see how the turnout was. Saw Greg all polished in his suit and sunglasses giving an interview or talking to someone. Oh, I'm not a professional crowd estimator but I'm guessing 30 or 40 people out there. Didn't see anyone else I knew personally. Saw a few Fort Worth city logo shirts walk in and then after I was back in my truck heading back out to Camp Bowie, up pulled a truck with Chesapeake logo. Seemed like a good time for someone to start playing the Darth Vader theme.

On a side note, there was an article in the paper the other day about some community up in Lake Worth that set a record leasing price at $30k per acre with 25.5 royalty. If that's all they got, then I would have to say that my neighborhood did better on both accounts. Does Samuels Avenue get the record title now? Now I just wish they'd get the well in and commence to paying those royalties.

[John-Laurent Tronche]

Just for giggles, I drove down to the Cultural District to see how the turnout was. Saw Greg all polished in his suit and sunglasses giving an interview or talking to someone. Oh, I'm not a professional crowd estimator but I'm guessing 30 or 40 people out there. Didn't see anyone else I knew personally...

A few stories about the rally, one from me and the other from the Weekly's Jeff Prince.

http://fwbusinesspre...lay.php?id=8160

http://fwweekly.com/...sp?jump=208#208

[ghughes]

Yes, those who did more than a drive-by estimated the crowd number to be in triple digits. Evidence of the continued value of the Business Press and the Weekly. Mike Lee was there also (and gave us a lower count than the other two, but you know how conservative the S-T is).

To your point, Andy, there were two times indeed when there were about 40 people there. Once before over 200 were there and once after the 200 plus. It was kind of a bell-shaped curve, I think.

By noon most folks were in the air conditioned meeting. But I cannot remember seeing 200 people gather in Fort Worth on a hot summer morning for any other purpose. It was gratifying to know there are so many people concerned about the future of our city. I'm sure as time progresses and the insanity of going forward with no plan is better understood we will see many more awakenings.

I did speak with reporters from AP and the Wall Street Journal but probably didn't say anything pithy enough for publication. I understand the NY Times also had someone there and NPR has already covered us on All Things Considered. The last national press coverage Fort Worth got was...?

[safly]

Good job Greg. Way to get that message out there.

(Clicking on my A/C to 74)

[ghughes]

News Reports: Video Compilation

[AndyN]

Yes, those who did more than a drive-by estimated the crowd number to be in triple digits. Evidence of the continued value of the Business Press and the Weekly. Mike Lee was there also (and gave us a lower count than the other two, but you know how conservative the S-T is).

I did caveat in my previous post that I am not a professional crowd estimator. No affront intended. But it was based on my impressions as I walked to the door, stood outside for awhile just to see the goings on and then returned to my truck. It may have been that many people had already gone inside. At the time I was there, I think 40 to 50 was pretty accurrate. But I can see from the footage that many people were there who I did not see.

I believe in the rights of the peacefully assembled and I have many times attended events to hear who was speaking, to see participatory government and sometimes to support causes I believe in. It was a great effort and it generated some good publicity.

[ghughes]

Thanks, Andy. We're quite pleased with how this has ramped up. Being a true coalition, we are tapping into a wide range of issues that have a common thread: disapproval of how gas is being handled in the city plans (and lack thereof).

What's interesting is the more you dig, the more you uncover undisclosed issues. Individually some are more significant than others but so far we don't have enough information to prioritize them. The citizens are way out front at this point while city leadership isn't directing an adequate effort.

[ghughes]

Here's some interesting coverage of Eminent Domain on the east side. Comes with a great documentary video I added into the arts section.
http://westandclear....h-jerry-horton/

[safly]

Wonderful piece. I'm impressed. Really really impressed.

[360texas]

Yes, I am impressed. Hope it was factual. Just sent Mayor Mike an email asking him to click the link and look, listen, learn.. then do something about it!

[UncaMikey]

Wow, what a great film! I sure hope it has an effect.

Edited to add: Don't forget to read the comments section after the film, almost as exciting as the video itself. Chesapeake has trolls in the blogosphere! Hide the women and children! LOL

[safly]

I will ask my relatives and good friends in the local and national media to keep a close eye on this story.

I wonder... What Would Barack Do???

$50 that Chesapeake or THE LIKE OF, paid NBC Nightly News to shoot here in FW last year just to promote the idea that FW is full of backwood simpletons who will do anything to get a celebrity like Brian Williams to report here about the Barnett and sign over them leases.

Or to simply buy it hook, line and sinker.

[Stadtplan]

Edited to add: Don't forget to read the comments section after the film, almost as exciting as the video itself. Chesapeake has trolls in the blogosphere! Hide the women and children! LOL

Wow. Very educational on all sides of the issue. The site administrator must have looked up that individual's IP address and Chesapeake Energy server in Oklahoma City popped up. Makes you think twice about what you post online.

[Fort Worthology]

Wow. Very educational on all sides of the issue. The site administrator must have looked up that individual's IP address and Chesapeake Energy server in Oklahoma City popped up. Makes you think twice about what you post online.

It didn't even take looking up - Wordpress shows IP information each time a comment is added if you're an admin (of which I am one). Even populates the domain. When I see "Chesapeake-Energy" in somebody's ISP entry, it's a pretty tell-tale sign.

[McHand]

Hope it was factual. Just sent Mayor Mike an email asking him to click the link and look, listen, learn.. then do something about it!

I'm pretty naive, but I don't see any reason why Jerry Horton would embellish. I wonder what other neighborhoods Chesapeake has its sights on.

I'm going to email Moncrief too.

[Thurman52]

Did anyone see the lead story on CNN.com right now. It's about the shale in the money for a church here in ft worth

[Stadtplan]

Did anyone see the lead story on CNN.com right now. It's about the shale in the money for a church here in ft worth

Yes.

[Stadtplan]

Here's some interesting coverage of Eminent Domain on the east side. Comes with a great documentary video I added into the arts section.
http://westandclear....h-jerry-horton/

Carter Ave. homeowner settles with pipeline company

BY MIKE LEEmikelee@star-telegram.com

FORT WORTH -- Jerry Horton, one of the West Meadowbrook homeowners fighting a pipeline beneath her front yard on Carter Avenue, settled with the pipeline company this morning, the same day she was to appear in court for a condemnation hearing.

Officials with Texas Midstream Gas Services, a division of Chesapeake Energy, have said the line will be bored beneath the front yards of 44 homes and vacant lots, and that the line will cause little surface disruption.

"All parties are satisfied with the agreement, and Ms. Horton was charming," Chesapeake spokeswoman Jerri Robbins said.

Horton said Thursday that she only agreed to give up the right-of-way for the pipeline after realizing there is almost no legal way to keep the company from building its gathering line beneath her property.

“I am heartbroken,” she said. “I had to sign.”

The settlement guarantees a payment of $15,500, or $150 per linear foot. It also says:


The line will be at least 20-feet deep


There will be no surface accessories, such as vent pipes, on Horton’s property.


Texas Midstream will replace any of Horton’s trees that die within six months.

Horton’s case is unusual because it involved a pipeline right-of-way through her front yard. Her resistance to the pipeline sparked national news coverage. Her case comes as Fort Worth city officials are debating what, if anything, they can do to regulate the expanding web of natural gas pipelines being built in Fort Worth.

There are more than 1,100 natural gas wells either existing or planned in the city limits, and more are expected as companies rush to tap into the Barnett Shale natural gas field.

Texas Midstream, like many companies that build gathering lines for natural gas wells, is considered a utility company under state law and has the same right to condemn property as gas or electric utilities.

At least four homeowners on Carter Avenue in east Fort Worth have still not agreed to allow the line, and there are several other pipelines being developed in the city, including through the Greenway neighborhood on the northside, and through the Westcliff neighborhood just south of Texas Christian University.

[360texas]

WELL !!!!! That is a good thing.

Thank you Nitixope and Mike Lee for that.

[cbellomy]

The Southwest Fort Worth Alliance reached an agreement today with Vantage Energy of Houston. Presumably this means that Chesapeake's speculative purchase of the Southcliff Shopping Center was for naught. A darn shame if ever there was one.

I still have learned no details of the terms, but they won't be lower than $25k/acre bonus and 25% recurring. Apparently Vantage was very amenable to the alliance's demands on environmental/quality-of-life terms. Are they drilling anywhere else in FW right now?

[T&PLoftDweller]

Does anyone know what happened with the drilling off Lancaster behind the old Star-Telegram warehouse? It looks like they just packed up and left after a few weeks...

They don't drill wells that fast right?

[JBB]

They were probably finished with the first well. I remember reading somewhere that Chesapeake was only planning one well to start with at that site and the rig would be gone by the first week in September.

[AndyN]

Interesting article on forced pooling in today's Fort Worth Business Press. I think this is an affront to private property rights. Or as some like to deride, "privat prop'ty rahts". If someone wants no part in gas drilling, the state should not be able to force them into it. A state bureaucracy has just eroded some of our rights. I wonder if anyone outside of the FW Business Press is paying attention.

[cberen1]

Complex issue.

I might have missed something. How is this different from a normal situation where a company needs only acquire a certain acreage, but not 100%, before drilling? I thought it was around 40 acres?

[AndyN]

When I first did well staking in West Texas back in the early 1990s, I learned that there was typically a maximum of 1 gas well per section and something like 8-10 oil rigs - a section being 640 acres of land. I think that was to keep someone from sinking a well right next door to yours and sucking your profits out from under you.

I think the shale development has thrown those rules out the window because we are not talking about a big common basin full of oil and gas. The natural gas is entrained in the shale and if you want it, you got to break some rocks to get it loose (ie: frac'ing). To develop as much as the gas as possible, it looks like the Railroad Commission is allowing more frequent well spacing, but you still have to build a minimum sized lease unit. As far as I can tell, that would be 40 acres, but not sure. The operators are drilling more wells on the same lease and then going horizontal to reach through the shale and break it up.

There is some great information in this pdf and there is a really cool map of DFW airport near the end that shows how they plan to fully exploit the gas underneath the airport.

The old rule was made up for a small acreage landowner who didn't get included in a 40 acre unit. They obviously do not have enough acreage to create their own pool and if they don't get lumped in with an adjoining unit, then their minerals never get developed. The rule forces the driller to include the little landowner if he so demands to be included. Apparently the new interpretation is that the driller can forcibly include a little landowner so as to obtain his 40 acre minimum lease unit. This will totally shaft the people like FWCando by forcibly including them in a lease unit even if they are conscientously objecting to the drilling and do not wish to partake. At least that is my interpretation of the newspaper article.

I hope I am sounding consistent here, because I am pro-gas drilling and yet pro-private property rights. If someone doesn't want their minerals developed then that is their right. This bureaucratic ruling is wrong and hopefully will be swatted down. Unfortunately, it would probably take an expensive court case to do that.

[cberen1]

If someone doesn't want their minerals developed then that is their right. This bureaucratic ruling is wrong and hopefully will be swatted down. Unfortunately, it would probably take an expensive court case to do that.

Is it possible to develop my minerals (natural gas, anyway) without also developing, at least to some extent, my immediate neighbor's?

Let's say I own 5 acres of land and Joe owns 40 acres surrounding my land. Would it be fair for Joe to deny me reasonable access to my land? The law says that Joe must provide me access, even if he would prefer not to. I have a right to use my land.

What if Joe wants to develop his minerals? Do I have a right to prevent him? What if he really needs the money and I'm just a rich, greedy bastard? Should my circumstances allow me to put Joe at a disadvantage? What if I'm holding out to force Joe into selling me his land because he needs the money so badly and I've got him cornered?

I guess my point is that the law has to allow for reasonable settlement of mineral disputes that are non-preferencial in nature. I shouldn't be able to make you use up your minerals, but you shouldn't be able to prevent me from using mine. I think that's where the 40 acre thing comes from. It makes the developers acquire most of the affected land before they can drill. If you're the holdout, you still get paid for the minerals in some fashion.