Chesapeake Pulls Out **Update**

"We Don't Know Where They're Going!"  
Ft. Worth, TX Mayor Betsy Price (June 11, 2012)

**Update** ~ June 19, 2012

Chesapeake Energy To Lay Off 70 DFW Workers « CBS Dallas / Fort Worth cbsloc.al/McFaof CBSDC #fracking #endfossilfuelsubsidies @Mruff221
— Westchester Gasette (@WCGasette) June 19, 2012

Click here to watch the video and read the CBS (Dallas/Fort Worth) Channel 11 news story.

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM)-[...]Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, who has been working to position the city as a shale gas capitol, said any struggles for a business are concerning, but she doesn’t think they’re permanent.

"I think it goes with the cyclical turn in the economy and the lower gas prices and I believe it’ll come back," she [Betsy Price] said.

Chesapeake’s VP of Urban Development Julie Wilson said in an email to CBS11 that the building isn’t listed for sale. She followed by writing "As with any property we own in North Texas — or anywhere else, for that matter — we are always willing to entertain an offer!"[...]{emphasis added}

Chesapeake Energy: The Next Enron?

Click Here to View the Video

Shale Gas Drilling GREED in Grand Prairie, TX

Dear John

CBS11 did another story on the Joe Pool Lake Dam this week. Good news? Not exactly.

Link to Story and Video

One of the commenters had a question for another commenter: "Out of curiosity, exactly why do you think Chesapeake is the “Big Rat”?"  We will attempt to answer that question here.

Dear John,

Chesapeake is conducting drilling activities 850 feet from a Corps of Engineers Dam. They notified the Corps via a FORM Letter that sounded like a promo for shale gas drilling and was not addressed to the appropriate chain of command. It wasn't addressed to anyone. It very likely ended up in the trash. Glad you are curious, John. I think it lowers your own "rat rating."

There is an established 3,000 foot Exclusion Zone for oil and gas drilling activities near Corps of Engineer-controlled dams and lakes and it has been on the books since the mid-1990s. This zone is not arbitrary, but was established by Engineers for the safety and protection of all of us. Here it is, John: Link to Bureau of Land Management TX Resource Management Plan (Page 28)

Even the possibility of a Dam Failure should prevent any responsible O&G company from drilling and fracking in that zone. Don't you think that's reasonable? There are thousands of people within this particular Zone, as well. They may not be "drilling" under the dam, John, but the drilling and fracking is within that Exclusion Zone.

4 more horizontal wells are planned to be drilled and fracked from the Padsite and to the North, East and West. They are not all headed Northwest. As you know, this process of hydrofracking horizontal wells with water, sand and chemicals has only been conducted in the Barnett Shale for a few short years. It's ridiculous to conclude (as apparently Chesapeake has) that there should be some kind of "let's see how it goes philosophy" about this issue and when so many lives can be potentially affected.

So, is Chesapeake a "Big Rat,"?? Maybe. Who knows? They have certainly shown tendencies here, here, here, here and here.

Click Here to Go Over to Bluedaze. TXSharon has weighed in on this, too. It's just such a curious story.

Dear Chesapeake

We hope you have had a very nice summer.  It's been a hot one, hasn't it? The Drought has certainly affected all of us. But we see that it hasn't slowed y'all down at all!! We're writing today to simply go over a few ideas.

You told us last summer (2010)...Or rather, one of your colleagues (posing as one of us) yelled it out in no uncertain terms prior to our July 19, 2010 Community Meeting:

"We Don't Want No Moratorium!!"

It was quite an outburst.  It shook the rafters of The Oaks Baptist Church. So, we knew even then. We knew you just didn't like it. It makes you a little crazy!! So what is it, really? Let's check the definition of moratorium on investopedia:

A period of time in which there is a suspension of a specific activity until future events warrant a removal of the suspension or issues regarding the activity have been resolved.

That definition sounds reasonable and about right, doesn't it? Issues about the possible catastrophic failure of Joe Pool Lake Dam need to be resolved before specific activity (drilling and fracking) can resume. That's one good example of the reason for having one of those ~  sorry ~ we have to write it again, MORATORIUMS.

But wait a minute, what did you do when there was another "Moratorium" in Grand Prairie, TX that was to last up to 6 months, but only lasted 2?  Remember this?

Chesapeake Neighborhood Rep, Mrs. Laura Patton
December 7, 2010Grand Prairie, Texas

We certainly remember. It made our Christmas very special. Learning how you, Dear Chesapeake, only wanted to make life in Grand Prairie, TX, grander.  And if you had to, you would invoke something called "Force Majeure" (Starting at around 3:00 Minutes on the Video). You told us we probably hadn't ever heard of that before.  It was so wonderful that you told us all about it. And then we knew.

Maybe you didn't know that all of these actions on your part are very Orwellian.    (You know, up is down, down is up, we only want to help your community, shale gas production is perfectly safe...)

So, Dear Chesapeake, in closing, and to quote one of our totally awesome friends (with the emphasis on you):

Once you know, you can't not know. 

~ Mayor Calvin Tillman

The Failure to Communicate: Update**

Link to the Video

Link to the Story

You see, the problem is, municipalities like Grand Prairie, TX have allowed the shale gas operators to "tell them" what is safe and what is not safe. If you watch the video and see Chesapeake's response (Leah King, Sr. Director of Public Affairs for Chesapeake) it's clear that "the company" (even after this report from the United States Army Corps of Engineers aka USACE) continues to push its own agenda.

Fact is, USACE is "planning" to conduct geotechnical testing at this site. To continue with drilling activities under those circumstances is well, dumb.

Oh, never mind. Apparently Chesapeake is A-OK with being DUMB. They do it all the time. We're sure you must know by now.

**Click right here to check out TXSharon's Blog Post (Saturday, September 17, 2011).

Security?

Howell Pad Site in West Central Grand Prairie, TX (Near Abrams and Great Southwest Parkway)

Chesapeake

FRAC Pond Gate (Below) Open and Falling Over
It's Clearly Broken and in Violation of the Ordinance.
Sunday Late Afternoon, June 26, 2011

20 Wells Permitted from this (Urban) Pad Site  A Few Hundred Feet from Homes, Businesses, People and Pets.We pray people there will call the TCEQ if they smell strange odors from any of the drilling and fracking. (1-888-777-3186) 

Let's Just Relax and Enjoy Our Flare.

~~It's Flowback Time~~

Brief and Surreal

Unfortunately, there's more here.

The Westchester Shale Gas Flare Is Up

The worker appears to be a bit wobbly. Hopefully, it's not from inhaling the fumes since he's clearly not wearing any breathing gear.

March 4, 2011 around 2:00 AM
Corn Valley A Well 1H Incinerator Flare 

Grand Prairie, TX (southwestern Dallas County, Texas)

This shale gas well flaring event was captured in the early morning hours of March 4, 2011 (it was very windy).  

A worker can be seen walking (sleepily or wobbily) toward the incinerator. The worker is wearing a hard hat, but no breathing gear. We worry about his safety (and our neighbors residing 537 ft. from this flaring)!

There is only supposed to be one (1) well drilled on this site so far.  So, we will assume that this is the flaring for only one well. If it's for two (2) then that's news to us. **Update:  It's one well.**

We have been told (on good authority) that this is one of only three incinerator flaring units of its kind in the world!!  

We're very lucky ~ but mostly our neighbors on Westchester's Donnie Lane are extremely lucky...you see, most did not choose to sign mineral leases and this flaring event is practically in their back yards. 

Yay, Team Chesapeake!!

**Link to More Videos on Westchester Gasette's YouTube Channel**

Ah, Chesapeake

3 More Wells for the Barnes Assembly A Pad Site Leasehold (4351 Matthew Road) were approved Monday for Chesapeake by our almost-defunct Texas Railroad Commission.  

Very interesting that these horizontal wells seem to be shorter in length than our well-known API #113-30193, which dips very deep into Trailwood.  Maybe they're more like shots-in-the-dark...or rather like a lot of Rule 37 "Waiver" Notifications arriving in the mail very soon for our Trailwood neighbors. Stealing property and/or paying very little for it seems to be all the rage.  

New Barnes Assembly A Permits ~ API #113-30216, #113-30217 and #113-30218.

By the way, we simply love going to Austin, taking off work, jeopardizing our lives in snow and ice (like 8 of us did Tuesday, February 1, 2011) for the API# 113-30193 Rule 37 "Waiver/Exception" Hearing. ) 

QUESTION:  Since all the activity related to the Barnett Shale is in the BARNETT SHALE,  why are all the citizens affected by Rule 37 Waivers required to travel to Austin to DEFEND their property rights??

Somebody really needs to answer that question in the TEXAS Legislature.

Room with a View: Flashback!

CHESAPEAKE PRISON
Gotta love the barbed wire. Very nice touch, Chesapeake! 

Update: This Monster FRAC Pond was plowed up (*cough* *cough*) and moved a few feet south just two weeks ago and now sits 150 feet from the backyards of Westchester Valley neighbors: neighbors who have NOT signed mineral leases. It had been measured at just 10 feet from our neighbors' backyards when this picture was taken on September 16, 2010 ~ I guess everything is all better, now.

Seems to us that even if you don't sign a MINERAL LEASE with Chesapeake, you may just end up with a Monster FRAC Pond in your dining room and/or a Pad Site in your backyard. Because Whatever Chesapeake Wants, Chesapeake Gets. Homeowners Beware!!

Dam.

Joe Pool Lake Dam and Spillway Less than 850 Feet from the Corn Valley Pad Site 210 West Camp Wisdom Road
Grand Prairie, TX

Leaseholder Sues Chesapeake in Federal Court

Chesapeake Allegedly Made Unjust Profits of $5 Billion

NEW YORK (Dow Jones) NOVEMBER 24, 2010, 6:21 P.M. ET

--A Texas woman sued Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) Wednesday claiming the company, with the help of its bankers, violated the rights of leaseholders for oil wells by selling minerals without compensating members of joint operating agreements.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan by Mary Linda McCall, claims Chesapeake made as much as $5 billion in unjust profits since late December 2007.

According to the suit, seeking class-action status, Chesapeake "wrongfully retained" the proceeds of those sales for its sole benefit, while failing to adhere to the contractual guidelines with its leaseholders.

The suit hopes to recover "hundreds of millions--perhaps billions--of dollars" due to leaseholders.

[...]

The suit claims Chesapeake and its bankers violated the rights of the non-operating working interest owners. Chesapeake allegedly sold minerals in the ground without their consent.  [emphasis added.}

Click here for the rest of the story.

(Note:  They mean "gas wells," not "oil wells.")

The Closest Residential Frac Pond in the Barnett Shale

So, Chesapeake must be mighty proud of their work-in-progress handiwork rammed up against our beautiful neighborhood. But Oops! Not only did the City of Grand Prairie fail to tell anyone about this lovely "pond," but they forgot to officially notify the Westchester Association of Homeowners (2,295 homes) about this High Impact Gas Well Permit now known as the Corn Valley Pad Site.

According to the Grand Prairie Gas Drilling Ordinance, it's a requirement.

Page 11

Sec. 13-507. High impact gas well permit.

(a) High impact gas well permit shall be required if the proposed well is to be located within six hundred (600) feet of a protected use for which a building permit has been issued on the date the application for a permit is filed. Notice shall be sent to all registered neighborhood associations within one-half (1/2) mile of the proposed drill site. [emphasis added.]

What? No mention of how close all other gas drilling pad site activities may be? And no mention of Frac Ponds?? Oops! Again. What was our City thinking??

(And why does the Grand Prairie Gas Drilling Ordinance refer only to a "well," when in fact, most of these drilling operations involve "multiple wells," on Pad Sites?)

Alright. So, if you are confused and don't have any idea what any of this means, Join the Club!! It's free.

In the meantime, we would like to suggest naming this monstrosity the "Chesapeake Frac Bowl." It's not exactly like the Grand Prairie Football Stadium in North Grand Prairie known far and wide as the "Gopher Bowl," and we think gophers and other rodents might eventually drown in it, but hey, a bowl's a bowl. And this one is HUGE!! Yay, Team!


Day 1 ~ August 25, 2010



Day 2 ~ August 26, 2010


Still Day 2. Wow. That Didn't Take Long.