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The Gas Well
We got a call (we have cellphones now) on Wednesday night, the third, that a Company was gong to put a well on our property. Since we don't own the mineral rights there was little we could say yay or nay.
Molly was going out of town to be at her mom's memorial service (on top of everything else her mom died in August) so I met with the Company people and since then life has been a roller coaster.
Today, because of a called complaint I made yesterday to the West Virginia Department of Environment, Oil and Gas Division, we have had a series of meetings (Molly returned home last night). My complaint was about a gas well that is halfway between our place and the hard road.
Because of research I've been doing (a great site is that of the West Virginia Surface Owners' Rights Organization -- www.wvsoro.org) and documents I've downloaded I realized the well wasn't in compliance with state regulations.
Meetings today included Company people about my complaint and also to talk about the well that's going to be put on our property. Another meeting shortly after was with one of the state inspectors, at the well site.
Briefly, a storage tank had overflowed and leaked petroleum (which comes up along with the natural gas) onto the ground and down the hill. Bad enough, the problem was made worse by the fact that the tank didn't have the required clay dike around it and that's what I called about. A crew is supposed to come out Friday and clean up the mess and build the required dike.
Here are photos of the well and the tank:
When I get a chance I'll try to make the whole whirlwind coherent. But this gives an idea of what we're facing in an environment where the industry is self-regulated.
Molly was going out of town to be at her mom's memorial service (on top of everything else her mom died in August) so I met with the Company people and since then life has been a roller coaster.
Today, because of a called complaint I made yesterday to the West Virginia Department of Environment, Oil and Gas Division, we have had a series of meetings (Molly returned home last night). My complaint was about a gas well that is halfway between our place and the hard road.
Because of research I've been doing (a great site is that of the West Virginia Surface Owners' Rights Organization -- www.wvsoro.org) and documents I've downloaded I realized the well wasn't in compliance with state regulations.
Meetings today included Company people about my complaint and also to talk about the well that's going to be put on our property. Another meeting shortly after was with one of the state inspectors, at the well site.
Briefly, a storage tank had overflowed and leaked petroleum (which comes up along with the natural gas) onto the ground and down the hill. Bad enough, the problem was made worse by the fact that the tank didn't have the required clay dike around it and that's what I called about. A crew is supposed to come out Friday and clean up the mess and build the required dike.
Here are photos of the well and the tank:
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This is a photo of the gas well, the wellhead being in the center. | |
 |
The storage tank is seen here, to the right. I believe it holds 50 barrels. | |
 |
Behind the tank, spilt oil followed a gully down the hillside. The oil saturated soil is coffee colored. The required dike is not present. | |
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The oil sodden clay has been repeatedly trod upon by deer. |
When I get a chance I'll try to make the whole whirlwind coherent. But this gives an idea of what we're facing in an environment where the industry is self-regulated.
touche
Re: touche
So much is happening so quickly (for us, at least) last weekend seems ages ago.
Yes, I do think that the complaint was an eye-opener for them and I hope they take us a little more seriously now. Having a dike is actually part of the state regulations but I think it might have been an honest mistake. The Company has been overworking their employees and I believe that actual training (outside of on-the-job) is minimal. Oh well.
I've noticed how the ads change whether or not we're logged but I haven't noticed the one about getting an oil or gas well drilled.
Thanks!
George
PS We've added you as a friend.
Edited at 2008-10-18 11:38 pm (UTC)