Starting today, companies drilling for natural gas in Texas must disclose the chemical compounds they use for hydraulic fracturing on the website FracFocus. While this doesn’t apply to existing wells, any companies seeking new drilling permits from the Texas Railroad Commission must comply with the rule. This is a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t address the real problems associated with fracking.
The slurry of water, sand, and chemicals which are forced at high pressure deep into shale formations in order to “crack” open the shale and release natural gas has been blamed for numerous health issues. Six counties in the Dallas area (which are on the Barnett Shale gas patch) have considerably higher rates of invasive breast cancer than the rest of the state. In a fracking zone near Midland, a mile long plume of hexavalent chromium (which is absurdly nasty stuff) was found in the ground water in 2009.
While the TRC’s new rules will help the public understand what is in fracking fluid, it will most likely not correct the public health concerns. Fracked wells are required to encase the bore holes in a concrete and steel from the surface down to a point where the well has “safely” crossed through the water table. At the extremely deep levels that these wells are operating, the wells do not have enough water pressure to pump all of the fracking fluid out of the well. In fact, a water treatment company, ProChem Tech, estimates that only 10-20% of water injected into the wells is recovered. Some of this water, which can come into contact with strontium and other radioactive compounds, is thought to migrate up through the earth’s crust, where it re-enters the ground water.
The vast amount of water required for fracking is perhaps even more disturbing given the historic drought in Texas. According to an EPA estimate, a single well pad (which can support up to 16 wells) can use over 80 million gallons of water a week. In La Salle county, 40% of the groundwater is used for fracking. That is an unconscionable amount of water in a state full of communities that are literally running out of water.
There are new techniques that might alleviate the massive use and contamination of water without jeopardizing gas production, but they are still far from being commonplace. An encouraging new procedure, gasfracking, uses liquified propane in place of the water/sand slurry. The liquified propane is supposedly better at extracting natural gas, and is less likely to mix with, and thereby pollute, groundwater. While this process is relatively common in Canada, it has only been used in a handful of wells in Texas. The capital investment cost in a gasfracked well is considerably higher than a traditional water well, but additional legislation could make it more attractive.
State Rep. Joe Deshotel (D) released a statement yesterday applauding the Railroad Commission’s new rule, but cautioned that the Legislature is ill-equipped to address the environmental concerns generated by our massive energy industry
Given that the Texas Legislature meets 140 days every other year, it may prove beneficial to hold interim joint committee hearings or charge a select committee with addressing more of these concerns. Such a format could cover recurring themes such as well integrity, groundwater contamination, water management, wastewater disposal and infrastructure planning.
Texas has taken the lead nationally by working with all parties in developing a model chemical disclosure procedure managed through the Texas Railroad Commission. Now the Legislature should build upon this success to address other public concerns.
Rep. Dennis Bonnen just said that he and Rep. Eiland are "going out later," after saying that Rep. Eiland was one of the smarter lawyers in the Chamber or something like that. {{loud laughter}}
Why is Dennis Bonnen so popular? I don't get it.
Along with so many of his "elders," in the Texas legislature, this man is a disgrace.
Kirk Claunch, a Fort Worth lawyer representing landowners in property-damage suits against natural gas operators in Denton and Johnson counties, described the expanded bill as an attack on private property rights.
"I can't think of any piece of legislation that's more un-American than one that deprives a private property owner of the right to defend themselves against abuses from a big oil company or anybody else," Claunch said. "This is law that essentially says we are going to let the oil and gas industry do whatever it needs and to run over anybody that gets in its way without any consequence."
Claunch said the amendment wouldn't have stopped lawsuits he has pending in Denton and Johnson counties, but it would have affected other landowners who want to sue companies whose activities hurt land values. [emphasis added.]
Oh, great. Now he's filling in for the Speaker, again. Is this the best our state can do with leadership? Dennis Bonnen. Is this it??
Statement of David Power, Deputy Director, Public Citizen's Texas Office
Seemingly out of concern that competitive renewable energy will damage Big Oil's bottom line, the Texas Railroad Commission wants to block renewable energy transmission lines that would put affordable energy from west Texas wind farms on an even playing field with the historical titans of Texas energy - oil and gas companies.
A new investment in these transmission lines would save ratepayers $2 billion a year, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 16 percent and create more than $5 billion in economic development benefits for Texas. Ratepayers, companies and organizations with an interest in seeing the further development of renewable energy and green jobs should contact the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) and tell them to deny the Railroad Commission's request to intervene.
The Texas Legislature authorized these transmission lines in 2008 to address the lack of available transmission lines to deliver wind energy from the panhandle and west Texas to the major metropolitan areas in central Texas where demand is higher. This renewable energy helps reduce costs for ratepayers by providing abundant and inexpensive clean energy that helps offset the volatile price of natural gas.
In its filing with the PUC, the Railroad Commission inappropriately expressed concern for current and future oil and gas development in Texas. In doing so, the commission stepped outside of its regulatory role to promote the interests of Big Oil. While the commission's stated task is "primary regulatory jurisdiction over (the) oil and natural gas industry," in this case, it is attempting to pick winners and losers in regards to Texas' energy future. It is also questionable whether Michael Williams, who sits on the Railroad Commission and who is currently in the running for Kay Bailey Hutchison's U.S. Senate seat, is acting in the best interest of the public or doing favors for potential campaign contributors.
This is another example of outrageous overreaching by the Railroad Commission on behalf of the same industries it is supposed to regulate. The commission is charged with regulating the oil and gas industries, not with protecting their interests with taxpayer dollars. The Railroad Commission and Mr. Williams need to stick to their own jurisdiction, rather than making an inappropriate power play to earn favors with Big Oil.
On April 8, Texas Democrats voting in the runoff election have an easy choice to make in the only statewide runoff race on the ballot for Texas Railroad Commission.
The clear choice in this race is Dale Henry (D-Lampasas).
Dale Henry is not only the candidate who is most qualified for this position, but the candidate who gives Democrats the best chance for unseating incumbent Michael L. Williams in November.
Although you cannot tell such from its name, the Texas Railroad Commission is one of the state's most important consumer protection agencies. It has an important responsibility to protect Texas consumers from the physical and environmental dangers posed by the oil and gas industry.
The Texas Railroad Commission has abdicated that responsibility. Dale Henry pledges to change this, and make public safety and environmental protection top priorities for the agency that, over the last several months, has been chided by the media and even state appeals courts for its failure to act in the best interest of Texas consumers.
A retired petroleum engineer with more than four decades in the oil and gas industry, Henry has a unique understanding of both the responsibilities and the failures of the Texas Railroad Commission. He is a true progressive, and Burnt Orange Report wholeheartedly recommends him to Democratic Primary voters in the April 8 runoff.
As some of these candidates file or follow through (or not) with their stated intentions to run for Railroad Commission, here's a quick post pointing out where to find more information on the Democratic candidates seeking the nomination. There are 3 members of the commission, all Republican, and this year's incumbent is Michael Williams who will likely be the Republican nominee.
Note: We are aware that there may yet be other candidates that enter the race. There are rumors of a candidate concerned about global warming who may be willing to self-finance but those rumors are not the freshest and there are only 2 weeks left in the filing period.
Dale Henry
Today, December 18th, Dale Henry filed to official run for Railroad Commissioner while launching his new campaign website listed below. He was the Democratic nominee in 2006 against Elizabeth Ames Jones where he received 41.7%. In 2004, he ran in the Republican primary against incumbent Victor Carrillo receiving 14%. He will have the distinction of being the only candidate to have faced all 3 Republican Railroad Commissioners. He also has more than four decades of hands-on experience in the oil and gas industry. You can watch his speech at the 2006 TDP state convention here.
Art Hall, who has announced his intention to run for this office for some time as well, is a recently term-limited out African-American City Council member from San Antonio, representing District 8. He won the Republican leaning seat in 2003 by 50 votes in a runoff after placing second in the first round (also by 50 votes coincidentally). In 2001, he had run for Mayor of San Antonio, garnering 8.8% to place 3rd in a field of 11 candidates (when Ed Garza was elected). Hall is an attorney and investment banker and currently serves as Vice President of Popular Securities, the investment banking subsidiary of Banco Popular. He is also a partner in two private equity funds totaling $6.5 million, farming 30,000 acres of corn, soybean, and cotton in Brazil (Bahia), and his new venture is constructing a $50 million biodiesel plant in Brazil.
Carrillo, who is not related to Texas Rail road Commissioner Victor Carrillo, works for American Airlines as an aircraft technician. He has previously served on the Pon der Planning and Zoning Commission as a commissioner and as chairman. Along with his work with the city of Pon der, Jesus Carrillo has worked in the petroleum and utility industries, which he said offers him a unique perspective on the fuel industry.
Today I got a call from the District Manager of the Wichita Falls branch of the Texas Railroad Commission in response to the formal complaint I filed last week about the Barnett Shale class II commercial injection well near me.
The RRC reinspected the site and found numerous violations resulting in an order to shut the well in, fines and legal action against the operator.
Because of the complaint, procedures for RRC injection well inspections have changed. There will now be one trained person with direct responsibility for inspecting all the injection wells in this district. That way the inspections will be consistent.
I should receive a copy of the inspection report tomorrow.
ANSWER: Both inspections are conducted by the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC).
NOTE: If you think this is of no concern to you because you don't live in Wise County, remember, water, even groundwater, flows downhill.
Brett Shipp's investigation into the RRC's cover up of the faulty gas couplings in north Texas probably saved more Texans from a death like Bennie and Martha Cryer's when their home in Wylie, TX exploded due to faulty gas couplings.
We need Shipp to conduct an investigation into the RRC practices regarding injection well inspections. Injection wells can also cause fatalities. Although, because they don't blow up, death by injection well may not be quite as spectacular. Oh wait! They do blow up!
