I live at ground zero for urban drilling.
We have about 60 padsites in our 99 sq mile town here in Arlington TX.
Our state and local governement will not enforce these two laws....
1) TEX LG. CODE ANN. A§ 253.005 : Texas Statutes – Section 253.005: LEASE OF OIL, GAS, OR MINERAL LAND
“(c) A well may not be drilled in the thickly settled part of the municipality..”
2. Texas Administrative Code, Title 30, Part 1, Chapter 101, Subchapter A,
Rule 101.4, Environmental Quality, Nuisance
No person shall discharge from any source whatsoever one or more
air contaminants or combinations thereof, in such concentration and
of such duration as are or may tend to be injurious to or to adversely
affect human health or welfare, animal life, vegetation, or property, or
as to interfere with the normal use and enjoyment of animal life, vegetation, or property.
---------------------------------
We had a drill spill in Lake Arlington, our drinking source, a couple of years ago. We also have about 100 drilling laterals under our lake that are at migration risk for seismic events and or cement failures.
We have had maybe a dozen gas release emission events over the last couple of years that I am aware of.
The following are the items lacking in our URBAN oil and gas drilling ordinance….................
1. Use electric rigs & and use nondiesel compressors and fracking and lift compressors and compressor stations. Blowdowns of compressors whose excess goes to the storage tanks should have Vapor Recovery Systems rather than venting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=FLw_o2P355EYmh7onTqiwcEA&feature=player_embedded&v=js5vVSpWwEw
2. Video tape ALL cement casing pours when it comes back up to the top through the annulus so that there is proof of an even pour and ensure all wells have electric bond log tests.
3. All drilling mud farming (private & commercial) and brine “road spraying” is subject to open records of water & soil test results...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQTtI94GGd8&feature=player_embedded Brine spraying
4. We need the industry to invent technology to keep the toxic, silica dust on the padsite-those pathetic pillow case looking socks aren’t getting the job done. OSHA and NIOSH are aware of the problem...
http://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2012/05/silica-fracking/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF7fkgzmgO0&feature=youtu.be
5. Mandate ventless, emission free flowback tanks by using pressurized flowback tanks instead of open hatch frack tanks....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdKoeBvUHys&feature=player_embedded
6. Global Warming isn't waiting 2.5 years for the EPA mandated Green Completions equipment.... no venting or flaring period...wait for the pipeline.
7. The pipeline should be in place FIRST before fracturing so that flowback doesn’t sit in the ground for months festering bacterial sulfide growth to sour and damage the well and sicken people.....
http://barnettshalehell.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/slammed-with-sudden-nausea-from-flowback-odors-business-womans-blood-pressure-soars-after-vomiting/
8. The setback away from people should be substantial. Rural method drilling is not acceptable in urban areas. An environmental tester who has a Phd said that the health effects are being seen downwind from about 1,800 – 2,500 feet. Local and state gov. need to test for methane leaks with FLIR cameras.
http://barnettshalehell.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/envir-tester-ph-d-master-public-health-on-fracking-emissions-fallout-distance-1800-2500-feet-of-the-downwind-effect/
9. Have zero tolerance for underinspected, or faked Waste Disposal Injection Well casing pressure tests. Don't risk eventual migration of toxic fluids into our drinking supplies.....
http://www.propublica.org/article/trillion-gallon-loophole-lax-rules-for-drillers-that-inject-pollutants
10. State entities overseeing oil and gas should regulate how close old wells are to new wells....
http://barnettshalehell.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/chain-reaction-well-explosions-arlingtons-old-mineral-well-downtown-to-contemplate/
Lets elect officials that will ensure a protective Oil & Gas Drilling oversight. This is in our “collective” power so we must all become active to be proactive because reactive measures are too costly.
I just heard another resident a mile from the flowback at Sublett and Cooper called TCEQ yesterday because of the odors too!!!
Kim – I would vote for you if I could – but I don’t think they’d let me. I’m in Belfast!
You’ve probably seen http://www.earthworksaction.org/media/detail/arlington_residents_challenge_chesapeake_energy_to_prove_they_are_releasing by now!
Great reporting.