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Comment by Gary Hogan on September 14, 2009 at 11:37

Hello Haynesville Shalers, Thought I would post a few updates as to what is occurring in the Fort Worth asin of the Barnett Shale activities, the influence that seems to be apparent IMO by the industry on our local government officials. Two recent events in the urban drilling in FOrt Worth have me more than concerned that Industry influence has reaked havoc with the sensibilities of FW City Council and even our FWISD School Board. Case one Chesapeake Proposal for a multiple gas well site ( 8 wells ) within 250 feet of a prized city park. City parks are suppose to be a protected use regulated at a prefered distance of 600 ft.. This has been the rule and guideline since 2002 Ordinances. However the Fort Worth City Council has waivered that distance, which they have the right to, EVERY single case before them. Seems they do not have the courage to tell citizens that they will not and have deemd city parks unworthy of the protection that they recommended and voted in our Ordinance. SO they subversively waiver it case by case rendering the protection meaningless. Besides the park this recent case also involves a setback from school property lines of 600 ft from the boundary of school property. Also waiverd down to less than 600 ft from a well bore. In yet another case still pending but well on it's way to futurity IMO is a plan to build an Elementary School on current park property in a poorer working class neighborhood approximitely 600 ft from the location of 14 already approved multiple wells pad site. This plan inspite of a recommendation to our ordinance just this year by FWISD Schiool Board and endorsed by City Council approval for the setback of the 600 ft from school property lines. For FW City Council and FWISD Board to now collaberate in this plan is contrary to say the least to their own Ordinance. The plan for this well site was approved as a trade off for a single well in a high profile of influential Fort Worthians who protested for 2 years against this just 1 well within 600 ft of their homes. The mighty Chesapeake seems to have a lock hold of influence to all their desires within Fort Worth city governement. What other possible reasoning can a sane person rationalize. Again I tell all others who may say WOW we would not let that happen here. I say watch your politicians, watch the influences , KEEP watching those like us in the Barnett Shale and learn from our mistakes, greed. I wish you all well as we try to balance this need for Energy with the sanity to DO IT RIGHT protecting quality of life , health safety and the Environment and important natural resource of Clean Water. Gary Hogan Fort Worth

Comment by JETHRO on August 19, 2009 at 16:45

they have been leaseing in pa. forever but prices didnt start to raise {in ten$ increments } till 06 then i believe they wavered in the 100s in 07 and in the beginnig of 08 started making jumps in the 1000s ..then will all know what happened at the end of that year..highest paid was around 3000/18%... 90% of 3 core countys are leased..o&gs are still scaring people into signing these days for nothing .. i would love to know how the play developed down there ...im trying my hardest up here to get people on the same page on a lot of issuses as the media seems to only want to help the industry and not us ... people dont have any clue as to what it going to be like when they start drilling all over the place ..they only see the quick cash ...and as lease rates go up here they are not seeing much of that ....peopel are lining up around here to be ripped off !

Comment by Gary Hogan on July 15, 2009 at 20:03

Hello All, Yes the nightmare stories have been real in The Barnett Shale. Yes the Governmental bodies /pliticians that are suppose to protect and preserve are corrupted by greed and political contributions. The Railroad Commission in Texas that is suppose to regulate our O & G industry an elected position where each commisionaer has taken 100's of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the industry they are suppose to regulate. Their record is obviuos biased not to protect citizens but to promote exploration. Their record of enforcement in a recent audit is not so good either. City Council in Fort Worth continues to waiver distance setbacks for gas wells from city parks at less than 600 ft and currently is considering a proposal for an elementary school/ community center project less than 600 ft of a multiple gas well site of a future 12 or more multiple well site. Even though this is in opposition to their own newly signed ordinance that states schools should be protected by a setback of 600 ft or more from the school property line boundary. This being even too close for me. The shopping center that Rosebud mentioned has not been torn down yet. Attribute that solely to the temporary slow down in activity, but the site has been approved, Again up to 18 wells from one location, Other horror stories include 15oo trees killed by a leaking wastewater ( salt water ) pipeline running across a families private ranch land, OK they sold the easement rights but this was a new less than 2 yr old pipeline obviously not constructed well. Soil removal past 20 ft across a 1 mile srech has not removed all the contamination to date. Cattle dying from drinking contaiminated stock tanks. How maybe illegal dumping of waste water along roadways by water haulers or well site contaiminents which then from rain water runoff finds its way into stock tanks ? Prove it the industry reply. Makes me feel real confident abou the future of my surface reservoir drinking water. Well water that has been sucked dry requiring those that have wells to drill new and deeper ones after decades of great water prior to allowing drilling on their land. Yes we now have reports of earthquales OK their minor less than 2 to 3 on rictor and last only a few seconds NO big deal right ? But gotta worry IMO about polluted water migration from below to other strata fresh water UGW resources. So whether urban or rural the gas exploration BOON seems to benefit the industry profits OK their are economic pluses to communities in jobs and hedge economic reccesion short term I conceed but the long term environmental impacts can be devastating and potentially irreversable damage. How do you replace Clean Drinking Water ? The industry loobies millions of dollars to keep themselves exempt from fedral environmental laws instead of investing in " Doing it Right " So the rest WELL CYA if you can and GOOD LUCK. OR WE join Nation wide to INSIST through our politicians that they make them DO IT RIGHT

Comment by Iris on July 11, 2009 at 4:34

Interesting blog, although i might initially profit from a gas well I have been keeping up a wee bit about the long & longer term hazards in S'port & Ft. Worth as my son is presently employed by a salt water disposal co. there. Welcome aboard GHS!

Comment by Rosebud on July 9, 2009 at 6:14

I've heard what seemed like horror stories regarding the Barnett Shale - I suspect you could "write a book" as the saying goes. I heard one time that a strip mall was leased and the buildings demolished to make way for drilling. I don't know if there's a word of truth to that but it seems like just about anything goes sometimes, literally.

It's nice to meet you, Gary. I've often thought about the differences between O&G production as well as so many other facets of our lives before the days of the Internet? I hear people say they have absolutely no interest in owning a computer and I can't even comment - I can't imagine life without mine. GHS.com has been a tremendous resource, particularly for those of us who didn't have a clue about any of this a couple of years ago.

Comment by Gary Hogan on July 8, 2009 at 19:58

This just in Today News from Texas Are Quakes attributed to drilling and fracing of Shale The jury is out but with several quakes more than has been felt in Texas in ever there is an obvious concern by Jerry Jones who just built a 1.5 billion dollar new stadium for the Dallas Cowboys http://www.nbcdfw.com/sports/football/Gas-Drilling-Wont-Rock-Cowboys-Stadium.html
and The Boy Scouts
http://www.nbcdfw.com/sports/football/Gas-Drilling-Wont-Rock-Cowboys-Stadium.html
Just a point to ponder of course the geology in Central Texas is different than East Tx Louisiana where sink holes have been more a question to ponder ?

Comment by Bobi Carr ("parker") on July 8, 2009 at 19:45

Gary,

Thanks for posting. We look forward to having your experience from Barnett as a resource.