Gas drilling suspected in air pollution study

[admin]

A new study shows high level of potentially harmful air pollution in the town of DISH in Denton County. DISH sits next to several large compressor stations, which process natural gas from the Barnett Shale and pressurize it for shipment across the country. The town of DISH is located about 7 miles west of Argyle: http://baddish.blogspot.com/2009/09/res ... study.html

[admin]

Here is an excerpt from the air quality study:

[admin]

Update to this story from WFAA-8: http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/w ... 63b79.html

[admin]

Here is a letter that DISH Mayor Calvin Tillman recently sent to neighboring towns in Denton County:

[BandMom]

Is anyone getting week long headaches. Folks around the new gas rig that they've been drilling near the new FM2499 bridge across the western fork of Lake Lewisville have had them. I wonder if it's not just the weather.

I found these sites while researching this issue:

http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/d ... 8b711.html
and
http://txsharon.blogspot.com/.

On the last site go to the ariel view to see all the unseen pollution that's coming out. Definitely explains why our air pollution levels have gone up and it's not just the car and truck emissions.

[BandMom]

Can any chemists tell us if any of the "fracking" substances are toxic?

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6579947/claims.html

[Pipeline]

Is anyone getting week long headaches. Folks around the new gas rig that they've been drilling near the new FM2499 bridge across the western fork of Lake Lewisville have had them. I wonder if it's not just the weather.

I found these sites while researching this issue:

http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/d ... 8b711.html
and
http://txsharon.blogspot.com/.

On the last site go to the ariel view to see all the unseen pollution that's coming out. Definitely explains why our air pollution levels have gone up and it's not just the car and truck emissions.

Lantana has, what 5 or 6 pad sites on it's perimeter? Anybody have headaches? No. The pad you are referring to has an H&P flex4 diesel electric rig. No smoke, little noise, no headaches. The only ones who would gripe about the rig are those who violate the road contruction crews "no tresspassing" signs like it is a free park for dog walking and bicycle riding. Peggy Henkle-Wolfe signed a gas lease this year, and still blows smoke against the industry. TXSharon collects gas royalties and uses her money for groceries, car payments and video cameras. Got a headache, take an aspirin.

[BandMom]

There is no need to be harsh. I am merely curious about a cluster of neighbors who live about 1/2 a mile from a well site (and no, they don't trespass on it) all complaining suddenly of headaches which last a week or so. It could, of course, be the 24/7 din. I don't suspect the emissions from the engine, however I am suspicious of potential and unmonitored emissions from the well itself contributing to a potentially unhealthy situation in the quality of our air.

[Pipeline]

Didn't mean to be harsh.

During drilling, there is no release of harmful toxins, except diesel fumes. Copper Canyon, for example, requires a "closed-loop" system which means the drilling mud is collected in closed tanks to be hauled off, instead of dumping it in a pad site mud pit. After drilling, the natural gas is piped to be processed, I believe in Bridgeport. I don't know the amount of Benzene, or other organic compounds, that may be associated with the extraction of natural gas. But, the operators want to get paid for it, so they don't want leaks.

The town of Dish finds itself in a unique, but unfortunate situation. It is located at the convergence, or crossroads of many natural gas gathering systems, collecting from hundreds, if not thousands of wells. For the compounds to be in the air, as Mayor Tillman asserts, there has to be some serious leaks that need investigating.

This area will not have near that many wells, therefore very few compressors, and surely no massive compressor stations. The only 2 I know of is the one by Liberty Christian, and a small one North on Hilltop Road, a mile North of Lantana. I have pulled over to listen and "sniff" both and have smelled nothing.

Cheers!

[saw em off]

I have been involved with fracing wells for some 27 years now and currently as far as I know of the materials used around here none are toxic. The Oil & Gas industry has made serious efforts to become overly environmentally friendly in the last couple of decades. Unfortunately we get a black eye because of some perceived exorbitant profits in the last few years. We don't do enough to tell the general public what a good job we are doing for them as a whole. As in any industry there some bad apples but they are the exception rather than the rule but they tend to get everyone into an uproar.

I suspect that the increase in population in Denton county may have a some to do with the pollution. I can't imagine the results if the Air Quality Board were to test the emissions of some of the cars that drive thru our fair county. I would imagine that the toxins that they mentioned came out of several of those tailpipes.

[admin]

The Environmental Defense Fund recently released an analysis that found a correlation between the ambient levels of common hydrocarbons and the amount of condensate produced by natural gas wells in Denton County: http://www.edf.org/pressrelease.cfm?contentID=10489

[admin]

State is asking Barnett Shale drillers to voluntarily cut air pollution.

[admin]

Area benzene levels take center stage in air quality debate

[admin]

Concerned residents, state regulators, elected officials at the local and state levels, and natural gas producers are wondering whether Barnett Shale natural gas production is causing air pollution, specifically the possibility of benzene, a known carcinogen, in higher levels than expected: www.fwbusinesspress.com/display.php?id=11574

[admin]

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has established a web page to serve as a clearinghouse for information on the agency’s monitoring operations in the Barnett Shale in North Texas — www.tceq.state.tx.us/goto/barnettshale

Information on the page includes an explanation of data collection and analysis, an overview of the impact of oil exploration in the region on ozone concentrations, health effects, strategies to prevent or reduce emissions, and technical questions pertaining to monitoring activities.