To Frack or not to Frack....Please help!

Hello all. I hope this is the correct forum as i am not too sure. First off I should give a little background info. I work in the Dallas Ft. Worth area. I live about 45 miles outside of the city in a small rural town. My husband and I worked hard to build our first home 4 years ago. We chose a place outside of the city which would remind us of "home", as we grew up in a small rural town in Oklahoma. We were tired of the hustle and bustle of city life as we had lived in dallas for 10 years. The commute to work every day usually takes about an hour in the a.m. and depending on traffic, sometimes up to 2 hours in the evening. We enjoy coming home to the sounds of the country...no police sirens, no airplanes, etc.

On the farm market road on the way to our house, you will pass a few gas wells. The wells come and go. Recently, as I was leaving for work around 5:45-6:00 am, I hear a loud noise, which awoke my husband and daughter. I look out the back window, which faces a pasture. I need to explain why I looked out that back window. Last year, Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving holiday) around 12 am I am aruptley awoken by a loud roaring and our house feels as if it is shaking and rumbling. I rush around the house trying to figure out what is going on. My husband wakes at the same time and I look out the back door, and i see a huge fireball to the left of the pasture.
Next to the huge fireball, is some kind of gas releasing. I guess the correct term is a burnoff? This went on for about 3 to 5 hours.

I look out the window in the rear of the house, I see a bulldozer/Tractor excavating something in the field. I think nothing of it as there are always tractors mowing. I come home from work that evening and there is a pad of white, gravel or concrete i am not sure. The thing is, This pad is around 180 feet from my back fence. My husband contacted the city and found out there is a permit for a gas well. Not just one but TWO. 180 feet from my property.

In the past week I have had 2 meetings with a representative from the gas company. Long story short, These meetings did not end with any questions answered. Just a bunch of run around stories. Blame Game, no one liable. No proof of earthquakes, health and environment concerns, the depreciation of our property, our foundation warranty on our 4 year old home will become void. I also forgot to mention, the sound of the hydraulic fracking, the lights from the rig, the sound of the 18 wheelers...if i heard the tractors, i can't imagine the sounds and lights. the ones i see down the road, are not near houses but empty pastures. also, our bedrooms are at the back of the house.
The gas company suggested i pay for an inspector before and after....but even after their findings, the gas company is not liable. I feel i should not have to pay...the company compares it to natural disasters, such as very high winds, tornadoes. I feel a gas well in my backyard is not natural.
Every question i asked the rep. acted like I was an idiot and he did not understand what i was saying. A few example questions.
What happens if an accident occours, such as the 300-500 ft rig somehow malfunctions and falls on property.
his response "what do you mean?"
What happens if a chemical spills due to too much pressure or an overflow?
"what are you talking about we use no chemicals....overflow pressure???
what type of generators are used electrical or diesel?
"diesel, but its the same as driving behind an 18 wheeler.
I said i dont drive behind one 24 hours a day. 7 days a week.
etc.etc. this went on for 3 hours during each meeting.
After both meetings, i feel helpless and i am just one individual. I really do not want to resort to contacting the media, which by the way one of the larger news outlets here is currently doing a story on fracking. The plans are to eventually drill a total of 4 wells. no permits for the other 2. There are plenty of attorneys, but not wanting to go that route. I know i can't stop the first two...but maybe I can receive help from the members here to try to stop the next 2. I did not know where else to turn, there is so much information on the net, I dont know what to believe. I have a town meeting June 9th. I hope to take my concerns there but not sure how far i will get.

By the way, the first meeting i recorded. The rep doesn't know. HE was not a polite proffesional. He treated the women as if this was the 1700's and mostly spoke to the men or ignored us completey until the 2nd meeting at my home with just the rep and my husband and I. i

This is just the short version of the story as its late and i am stressed out and tired. I hope you guys can help me out some....Thanks.

I hate to edit this again but i am tired and i forgot something. Tonight around 8:45 i let my dog out and there was another bad smell of rotten eggs, methane? which happens sporadically throughout the past 2 years. I got on the internet to contact the TCEQ but what do you know. their website is down due to downtime maintenance. I emailed someone at the EPA to get my complaint out...even though it is out of their control. The main players are The gas company, Devon energy. The Texas railroad commision, the EPA and TCEQ. They all put the blame on each other on who to complain to. It is a big run around.

reply to post by browneyedgirl8


That is a terrible situation you've been put in. My regards.

It just seems that nobody wants to do anything about these matters. You elicit a bit of sympathy for your plight and then nothing.

It's not until it's in their face that people want action to be taken. Then it's too late because no one stuck up for the last person who experienced such a thing.

We've been abandoned, plain and simple. The corporate hacks damn sure don't care and our politicians appear to be wholly paid for, so what is the answer?

You are an extreme example of the situation we seem to be stuck in.

Wow I would not be happy either.

I never knew what fracking was, honestly I thought it was some kind of fad that people did :lol til I finally looked it up on ATS. I am against it, it doesn't seem like anything good really comes of it and it seems dangerous. I know I read on here at one time they wanted to do this near Yellowstone, which I thought was nuts. You just don't play around like that near a super volcano!

If I were you I would go to the news. Contact all news outlets in your area, let them know your story. It sounds to me like the guy you were talking to doesn't really know much of anything and is feeding you lines of crap and thinks you will just go away. Don't go away! I would contact every one you can. I wouldn't want thus that close to my house either.

Now someone can correct me if Im wrong and I'm sure they will, wasnt all the earthquakes last year near the New Madrid Fault due to constant fracking in the area?

Thanks for the replies. I really did not want to go to the media as it is a small community and i do not want to take the backlash from the community. Its all about money to who owns the mineral rights. This may be my only alternative left. I am so frustrated.

Originally posted by browneyedgirl8
Thanks for the replies. I really did not want to go to the media as it is a small community and i do not want to take the backlash from the community. Its all about money to who owns the mineral rights. This may be my only alternative left. I am so frustrated.

It will not only you but your community. They should care about it and maybe some don't realize what is going on so you'd be doing them a favor by informing them in a sense.

Good luck with everything.

reply to post by browneyedgirl8



Here is some information on fracking. Against it?
No one in their right mind should be for it.
You can't stand up to them alone though. The more your neighbors know about fracking the better chance you have to get together and fight them. A petition online might be a good way to start.
Find a hungry lawyer and carry a recorder with you for all those meetings.


money.cnn.com...

The problem is that "fracking" means different things to different people. People in the oil and gas industry commonly say "fracking" to describe just one part of the whole gas exploration and production process. Chemical-laced water and sand are blasted underground to break apart rock and release gas. Purists would say it is not really even part of "drilling" but actually the "completion" phase. "Fracking and drilling are not the same thing," said University of Houston engineering professor Michael Economides, who consults for drillers on fracturing. "We drill wells. Then we frack." But to many outsiders, particularly industry critics, fracking and drilling are the same thing. Advances in fracturing technology made possible the current shale gas drilling boom, so they have taken to lumping all shale gas production under the banner "fracking," deeming it a new form of natural gas drilling.www.nytimes.com...

Here the Fracking Song - My Water's on Fire www.youtube.com...

I suggest you take a look at the following ATS Thread. It's a Bibliography of resources and research regarding "fracking" and it's effects. Put together through the blood, sweat & tears of fellow ATS'ers who live with this on a daily basis.

It came to life from the Arkansas thread, where we have several ATS members who unfortunately have to live with this. Please head on over and take a look. Best of luck to you!!

ATS Thread - Resource Bibliography

And if you're interested, here is the Arkansas thread that started it all. And FYI - one of our members was able to gain national media attention and was featured on Nightline, all thanks to "fracking" and how it interrupts her daily life. Her name in life and on ATS is Susan Frey.


ATS Thread - Earthquake Swarm In Arkansas....

ETA - If you have not seen the movie/documentary called "Gasland", please do as soon as you can. You will be mortified, but educated, which will only assist you with your battle.

I suggest you watch GasLand ASAP...

Me thinks your water is screwed, even if you have a well.

Thanks for the replies. I really did not want to go to the media as it is a small community and i do not want to take the backlash from the community.

And you probably won't. Because it won't happen just to you, it will happen to everyone in the community.

You should make a mass screening of GasLand at the town hall, or something like that. Once people understand, they will be on your side.

reply to post by Vitchilo


That was great advice.
And I was trying to think of GASLAND.

Originally posted by Vitchilo
I suggest you watch GasLand ASAP...

You should make a mass screening of GasLand at the town hall, or something like that. Once people understand, they will be on your side.

edit on 3-6-2011 by Vitchilo because: (no reason given)

This, this, and more of this. You want your community to awaken? Show them this movie. I watched it a while ago for the first time and I was disgusted and appalled at what the oil and gas companies are doing to people. You will be, too. Fight them with every ounce of what you have. Fight them with lead if you have to. I would.

/TOA

My husband worked for a company that was drilling in Colorado, and residents were frequently very upset about his wells.

I played devil's advocate with him a lot, discussing this issue. If you aren't the mineral rights owner, you have no say. A property owner who puts up too much fuss will find the gas company simply drilling horizontally to get at the oil/gas anyway, and the owner loses out completely. The property owner can also be compelled in court to allow the mineral owner access to his property.

A property owner can complain about the noise, but the best you're going to get is a hotel room elsewhere for the duration. Devon IS the entity responsible. The very best you can hope for is to complain to Devon and request they pay for alternate housing until the drilling is complete. The length of time depends on the well. But because you aren't the property owner, you're on shaky ground.

I suggest you write a letter (paper, not email) to the president of Devon, cc to the Vice President in charge of drilling. Be very professional and explain how close the well is to your house and that your living situation is compromised, and that you need the company to provide a place to stay until drilling is complete. Before you send it, find out what OSHA's regulations are for safe distance for hearing protection, etc. If you are within that distance, Devon will be forced to comply.

I can tell you the gas well shouldn't make any noise once it is complete. I'm sorry for you - even the oil company people freak out when they see surveyors around their property. Drilling isn't pleasant. My husband's bad hearing from his short time spent on rigs can testify to this!

I'm sorry to hear your story. Here in West Virginia we are facing the same issues. The documentary "GasLand" is an excellent film, especially if you don't know what fracking does. Show it to everyone you know!

He really told you they dont use chemicals? What he really meant to say was "we're not obligated to tell you what chemicals we use." It's sad but true.

I would love to type more but I late for work as it its. :lol Jusrt know you are not alone!!

S+F my friend.Good Luck!!

A quick reply as I am at work. Thank you for all the suggestions. This afternoon after work I will post some photos. I have seen gasland. If you have heard of dish TX, which was in gasland, is about three miles from my house. I will try to get something planned for our community to see the movie. The town meetings we have a time limit of five minutes. Only about 3 of my. Neighbors out of ten I have contacted have concerns. The others could care less out of sight out of mind. I will try to have pictures up this afternoon

Holly hell....We are going through the same thing here in Quebec...Check out "Quebec Fraking", it's hell.

Now...At a county level, see if you can have any by-lay enforced concerning noise, something like disturbing the peace and a decibel level infraction. Record all actions going on with those wells and yes that bad smell is methane and it leaks from the wells no matter what they do. It is highly polluting to the ground water as well.

Record everything!!!! Set up your laptop or any webcam with a motion detection freeware and record it all.....
You will need plenty of proof and damaging proof at that if you want to stop any of this from going on in your backyard.

Good luck and god speed!

reply to post by browneyedgirl8


Before they start drilling, take samples of your tap water. I'm assuming you have well water because you're in a rural area, but correct me if I'm wrong. There was a study that recently came out at Duke University that showed a correlation between gas drilling and methane contamination of groundwater. They basically said that the closer the gas well is to your water well, the more likely it is for the water to be contaminated. This isn't solid proof that the drilling caused the contamination, but the relationship is kind of disturbing. The study is available on Duke's website. Definitely sample your tap water, put it in some sort of air tight container, and hold on to it. If you notice bubbles in your water that you hadn't seen before the drilling, take a sample of that water, and take the two samples to an extension office or the EPA or some sort of public organization that deals with water quality, so they can test it. If you're water is contaminated, get a good lawyer and get ready to fight the gas company. Good luck with your situation, and I hope it doesn't come to that!

I'm sorry to hear about your problem, this is happening to more people all the time.

Here's a post I made in this thread that gives some information on the dangers associated with fracking.

Originally posted by OrganicAnagram33
Gas Industry Faces the Dangers of Fracking

Last week the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection shut down some operations of natural gas driller Cabot Oil & Gas after 8,000 gallons of toxic chemicals were spilled on the ground and into a creek in Susquehanna County.

Dangers of fracking greater than previously understood

While the existence of the toxic wastes has been reported, thousands of internal documents obtained by The New York Times from the Environmental Protection Agency, state regulators and drillers show that the dangers to the environment and health are greater than previously understood. The documents reveal that the wastewater, which is sometimes hauled to sewage plants not designed to treat it and then discharged into rivers that supply drinking water, contains radioactivity at levels higher than previously known and far higher than the level that federal regulators say is safe for these treatment plants to handle. The Times also found never-reported studies by the EPA and a confidential study by the drilling industry that all concluded that radioactivity in drilling waste cannot be fully diluted in rivers and other waterways. But the EPA has not intervened. The risks are particularly severe in Pennsylvania, where drilling has increased. "In shifting away from coal and toward natural gas, we're trying for cleaner air, but we're producing massive amounts of toxic wastewater with salts and naturally occurring radioactive materials, and it's not clear we have a plan for properly handling this waste," said John Quigley, who left last month as secretary of Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

15 Claims the Natural Gas Industry Wants You to Believe and Why They're Wrong

Industry spends millions trying to convince the public and our lawmakers of the benefits of "natural" gas, but a quick look at the propaganda reveals some deep flaws. The gall of gas megacorporations is surpassed only by the preposterousness of their claims. They spend millions each year trying to convince the public and our lawmakers of the benefits of "natural" gas (NG), but a quick look at their propaganda reveals some deep flaws.

I myself live in a small Texas town too, far outside of Houston, and I feel badly for your situation. That being said, I work in the oil/gas industry. It's a HUGE industry for our state. I can't be so cold as to say "live with it", but oil and gas drilling and production are people's livelihoods. It's such a volatile industry as it is and right now we are doing good in Texas. Yes, I think that the chemicals used for fracking should be public knowledge and that home owners should get warning when it is coming in their area, but it is one of life's necessary evils. I'm sure people will rag on me for my post, but there is always two sides to everything. And, yes, I have seen the documentary. The results of fracking is not a great thing, but people use natural gas and would being without it be a great thing? I'm all for going back to a simpler way of life, but we are an energy dependent society.

And in our, Texas', defense the Texas Senate passed a bill that would make companies disclose the chemicals they use on a public website. There were amendments to the bill that would not require complete disclosure due to "trade secrets", but it's a huge step in the right direction for protecting the public. TEXAS HB 3328

After a lengthy discussion, the Texas Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that would require drilling companies using hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," techniques to disclose on a public website the chemicals they use in the process.

TEXAS SENATE APPROVES FRACKING DISCLOSURE

If your State govt. has been bought off by the driller/frackers, you are screwed.

That's what happened here in PA. They recently fined one company for a spill, but who gets that money?

The government of course.

Hydraulic fracturing isnt the boogeyman that the press and environmentalists have made it out to be. IMO, I’d tell you to ignore the hype that surrounds movies like Gasland and make sure whatever contract you sign has some kind of enforceable remediation clause and/or consequential dmagae clause in it.

fracking is dangerous...
in Holland we have an acient dormant volcano the southwall volcano...
stratocrater 1km high but couvert 2km deep in the soil... an heavy salt-shield prevents an eruption...
they are now harvesting the salt an are due to exploid the gasfields surrounding it...
I dont like the situation....:-(