Fracked Well Goes Wild

Thar She Blows.

Texas Railroad Commission of Texas shows a permit (click here) for a well on the Pate Unit near Cresson, TX.  See the comments here on BlueDaze for a discussion about the well's location.

The Pate Foundation appears to be one of the lessors (mineral owners) on the Pate Unit. The Pate Foundation's philosophy is:

The Pate Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. Our Mission is to advocate for and develop affordable housing communities, increase the access to four year educational institutions for the lower income communities we serve, effectively enhancing the quality of life for all.

Range Resources: It's So Ugly.

We here at the Westchester Gasette don't know that much about Range Resources.  We have enough on our plate, really.  But we do know that this is important to mention.   As you may  or may not recall, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an Emergency Order back on December 7, 2010:

[...]

EPA has issued an imminent and substantial endangerment order under Section 1431 of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Parker County is located west of Fort Worth, Texas.

In late August, EPA received a citizen's complaint regarding concerns with a private drinking water well. During the inspector’s follow-up inquiry, EPA learned that the homeowner had previously complained to the Texas Railroad Commission as well as the company, but their concerns were not adequately addressed by the State or the company.  EPA then conducted an on-site inspection of the private drinking water well with the homeowner and a neighboring residence, and returned to collect both water and gas samples.



These samples were sent to an EPA certified laboratory for analysis. The data was received in late November 2010 and was carefully reviewed by EPA scientists. The EPA scientists have conducted isotopic fingerprint analysis and concluded the source of the drinking water well contamination to closely match that from Range Resources’ natural gas production well.



EPA has asked the company to conduct a full scale investigation.  (emphasis added.)

[...]

(Read all the details here.)

OK. So, one thing we do know.  We do know that the shale gas industry has a history of applying certain kinds of pressure (aka bullying and aka threatening lawsuits) when they fear they may not get their way with our City Staffs, City Councils and Planning Commissions. Most of this has been done behind closed doors...but sometimes we have the opportunity to see it in public. And it can be so arrogant and so ugly. 

So, get ready because here's an example. It's the Sr. VP ~ General Counsel of Range Resources speaking to the Southlake Planning and Zoning Committee in late 2010 ~ on behalf of XTO ~ with what turns out to be a reckless pronouncement:

(Disclaimer:  It may shock you...so be prepared for a physical jolt. Oh, and try to overlook the braggadocio, too.  We only ask that you try.)

And now, we have this same Range Resources attorney issuing yet another screed.  This time on behalf of his own company.  Read about it here.

And then, let's talk. :-)

Breaking News: Elizabeth Ames Jones Resigns

Important Note:  Elizabeth Ames Jones resigned yesterday as Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission.   Click HERE for the story on BlueDaze.

Here's an excerpt from Mrs. Jones' resignation speech:

As your Commissioner, it has been a privilege to be on the frontlines fighting the Obama Administration, the EPA and the left wing voices in Congress, whose agenda is to disrupt the development of vast new oil and gas resources in shale reservoirs in the United States and to usurp our state’s jurisdiction in direct conflict with the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I am proud to have been a leader in the responsible oversight of the new drilling techniques which evolved from horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, and which have created an economic boom for the benefit of all Texans, especially in the Eagle Ford Shale Play, south of San Antonio.



[...]



Today I call on Sen. Wentworth to return the $65,000 in campaign contributions he received from Michael Blevins, William Bradley and Monica Ellis between 2000 and 2002. Blevins is a convicted felon who founded Metabolife along with Bradley and Michael Ellis, husband of Monica.  Wentworth was investigated by the Travis County District Attorney in 2002 for lobbying for Metabolife, a diet drug containing deadly ephedrine. [emphasis added]

Wow.  That was certainly weird, Mrs. Jones.  So, you've been fighting the EPA all along?  I guess we knew that.  We had also forgotten that Metabolife contained deadly ephedrine. 



Fighting Wentworth in the Republican Primary sounds like you'll be fighting some deadly chemicals just like we do everyday in the old Barnett Shale! And since you mentioned the Eagle Ford Shale, don't miss this story about the shoes being eaten by a chemical spill down that way. You seem like a woman who owns a good pair of proprietary chemical boots. You may wish to wear them while campaigning. :-)

Is that a DKNY cap? Very nice!

In the meantime, we wish you well. Not to sound too mean, but maybe we're lucky because we never met you. Here's the tribute to you from last November on the Westchester Gasette.  We hope you enjoyed it then and now:

Click here.

And here's your Encore, Mrs. Jones.

All the Best. xoxo

We Were There (**Updated with the MIPA Hearing Video**)

Railroad Commission of Texas  

Monday morning. January 30, 2012. Austin, Texas. 

9:00 AM

William B. Travis Building in Austin, Texas.

We met Commissioner Smitherman, Examiner Doherty and didn't realize Commissioner Porter was in the auditorium. But after all the speakers completed their "informal" comments, Examiner Doherty (presiding from the dais) asked if anyone else wanted to speak. 



Commissioner Porter then rose up, said something we couldn't hear and slowly made his way to the microphone. That must be what made this a an "Informal "Hearing"  for "Informal Comments" (**See the Hearing Notice below**) because up to that point, there was truly nothing "Informal" about any of it. 

Railroad Commission Chair, Elizabeth Ames Jones, was not present. We recently learned that she is running for a State Senate seat from San Antonio, TX.   We know that must take a lot of her time.  But we're not sure why, since we thought she should be a shoe-in. Maybe she should speak to Rick Perry about those shoes. 

{Oops}

After the close of the hearing, both Commissioners Porter and Smitherman introduced themselves to our groups and were very cordial.  During the hearing, they were very attentive to our comments about the Mineral Interest Pooling Act (MIPA), too. You could have heard a pin drop. We brought our own perspectives and research on all of it.  And we had a lot to share. 

Flower Mound, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie and Wise County were all represented by a speaker or two. Representative Lon Burnam (Fort Worth) presented over 400 petitions from citizens of the Barnett Shale who have concerns about changes to MIPA and how rule making needs to protect "citizens" who don't choose to enter into a business relationship with shale gas operators.

Interesting that the room was certainly filled with many people taking notes ~ but not speaking. We suppose these were the industry people.   But we can't be sure about that.  We just wish they would have all said something instead of leaving it up to the numerous membership organizations speaking on their behalf. That would have meant we could have spent another full day in Austin. And then we could have met more of the nice people at the Railroad Commission who have been so helpful during our Rule 37 discussions over the past year. 

We so wanted to visit the mail room where one of our recent Fed Ex packages was left unopened for a full day!  We were told that the mailman was laid off.  But sadly, we needed to get back to the Barnett Shale so there was no time to make that particular visit. Maybe next time.

Overall, we really enjoyed our time at the William B. Travis Building. It was nice to finally have the opportunity to speak to the commissioners who have been making all the decisions about the property takings in the Barnett Shale. And be in the halls of the very building where so many Rule 37 Spacing Exception Hearings have been heard.

We look forward to more visits to the Railroad Commission of Texas in the near future.  That is, unless they take up the offer and decide to visit us in our Barnett Shale.  We would be truly honored by that.  Then they could meet so many more Citizens of the Shale who also have a lot to share with them. 

**Update**

In case you missed it, here's the link to the January 30, 2012 Hearing Notice:

Link

Here's the link to get to the Video of the January 30, 2012 Hearing (Featuring many citizens of the Barnett Shale). You'll need RealPlayer:

Link

Railroad Commission of Texas: Sheer Torture *Updated**

Some things provide a constant source of torture/frustration to those of us trying to understand why our State of Texas is so deaf, dumb, and blind blonde to the realities of shale gas drilling and fracking.

 Elizabeth Ames Jones, Chairman, Railroad Commission of Texas

We almost missed this story last week. No vote on the Fracking Disclosure Bill.  Goodness. What's the hurry, anyway?  Not to be overly pessimistic, but it's truly not what it claims to be. Even Elizabeth Ames Jones knows that.

We were so focused on our very own Decision on the Barnes Assembly A Well 3H Rule 37 Exception. Of course, the Railroad Commission wouldn't delay that decision. No way. They ruled swiftly and quickly in favor of Chesapeake after a little back and forth about the Complaint/Motion for Rehearing that was filed by the protesters.  *(They called it a "Premature Filing" if you listen to their very brief discussion. Some "local" governing boards would have likely "tabled" this Decision, by the way.)

Here's the Link to the Agenda for last week's meeting. We're Item #3. Here is the 3-Minute Discussion/Decision for Item #3. You'll need RealPlayer to view the video here.)



Update: And if you are so inclined, here's the entire 32-Minute Open Conference Meeting video here.

The video of the entire meeting is well worth watching to see how the RRC really does work in a vacuum. We had been told numerous times that no one would be allowed to speak to the Proposal for Decision. Or speak at all. But then Ms. Jones says something about there being no citizens there to speak to the Commissioners. Well, we certainly would have come if we had known we could talk to you! Maybe next time.

Because, truly, Ms. Jones, we're very LUCKY. We've learned a lot over the past year and during this ordeal ~ more than anyone should ever have to know about our state's Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency. But now we know. And now we can't NOT know.

The Barnes Assembly A Well 3H Rule 37 Hearing was February 1, 2011. The transcript tells the story of citizens up against the senior team of Chesapeake attorneys who live in or near Austin and didn't have to travel through a blizzard to get there.

Nope, the big, strong and powerful Chesapeake attorneys simply got up that Tuesday morning, had a nice breakfast, easily drove into Austin or were already in town. Realized members of our community were somehow at the hearing. Whoops! Had to call in a transcriber. Do a quick review of the case.  And then proceeded to cross-examine our tired and weary neighbors as if they were on trial for crimes against the state. Maybe Chesapeake believes it IS a treasonous crime to NOT SIGN a lease with them. Maybe.

Did we say it was torture?  Sheer torture.Funny. They do look alike. Very cute.

By the way...



Elizabeth Ames Jones's entire family is in the oil and gas business!! Her father is Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and her husband is the Director of Venus Exploration.



It's literally all in the family. 

How nice that Ms. Jones is in charge of REGULATION of the oil and gas industry for ALL of Texas.

What a deal for the oil and gas industry.  



How lucky can THEY get??!!

WOW! Bless Their Hearts!!

**Updated** ~ We guess she couldn't stand the heat? Time to go home to San Antonio where she faces a battle with her own party.

Click here to read all about Mrs. Jones' recent political decision. The Westchester Gasette will miss her. Honestly, we will. :-)