By Sandra Cason - The Marshall News Messenger - Friday, February 08, 2008
It's all about water, said Dale Henry, Democratic candidate for Texas Railroad Commission.
"My campaign is important for one reason," Henry said, "and that is because the state of Texas is running out of water. It is an abused natural resource and the Railroad Commission has done nothing about it for the past 106 years."
If he is elected in this, his third bid for the seat, Henry said he will be the first commissioner with hands-on experience in oil and gas exploration, the industry for which the commission provides oversight.
Henry faces Art Hall and Mark Thompson in the March 4 Democratic Primary. If he is the party nominee, Henry will face Republican incumbent Michael Williams in the November general election.
A resident of Lampasas, 50 miles west of Austin, and a graduate of University of Texas, Henry is a retired employee of Schlumber J company, having worked in the oil fields of Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf.
"I spent a number of years in research and development and I hold several fracturing patents," Henry said.
"I've been out there and seen it all," he added.
While many people may not stop to think about it that way, Henry pointed out that oil and gas drilling operations have a tremendous impact on ground water.
"Oil and gas activity inherently produces a lot of water," Henry said. "Water is what is used to bring it to the surface, but on its way, the water accumulates contaminated materials."
A common disposal method for the liquid is "to put it back in the ground."
Henry said he learned of a DeBerry preacher whose church hasn't had water in a number of years. "One well was drilled too close to his church and all the wells in the area are contaminated with salt water. You can drill a hundred good ones, but it takes just one bad well to create a whole bunch of problems," Henry said.
Good drilling practices are particularly important at this point in time because so many production companies are now using a horizontal approach.
"There's an area called the Barnett Shale," Henry said. "It is a very thick layer of stone and breaking through it has never made the effort worthwhile until horizontal drilling. That's the key."
In this method, the pipeline goes down for a distance, "turns a corner," and goes under the stone, Henry explained.
This type of drilling uses "millions of gallons of water per day. Sometimes it will be as much as 275,000 gallons," Henry added.
With such large quantities to be disposed of, Henry said it is more important than ever that the Railroad Commission check all drilling permit applications thoroughly, a practice he claims is not currently followed.
"This rubber-stamping has to stop," he said.
Use of environmentally safe drilling practices are especially important to this area because of Caddo Lake, Henry said.
"I've done hands-on work for the Railroad Commission in Caddo — the plugging of abandoned wells. Ninety percent of those I plugged had not be plugged by Railroad Commission rules and regulations the first time around.
"I will make protecting our water a priority for the Texas Railroad Commission," Henry said in a promotional brochure.
"In dry West Texas, the ranchers have to work hard at salvaging water to grow grass with which to feed cattle and produce beef. At the ranch my wife and I have operated for years, we cut the number of production acres needed per cow and calf from 25 acres to 2.5 acres by getting our water to the right place.
"Water's my passion. I know how to do it," Henry said.
"I'm not a politician and I shouldn't have to be involved in this, but the oil and gas companies are polluting our water, soil, and air, and the Railroad Commission simply turns its back and lets it happen.
"Instead of regulating these industries, the three commissioners are raking in campaign contributions from their executives and political action committees and are burying their heads in the sand.
"It's time for change," Henry said. "I need to bring the knowledge I have back to the people, if they'd like me to share it.
"I can do the job. I want the job.
"The petroleum industry is a great benefit to our state's economy, but that should not come at the expense of our environment or our fresh water supply," he said.
Read more in the Marshall News Messenger
Showing posts with label pipeline explosion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pipeline explosion. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Friday, July 20, 2007
Gas companies requested to review pipes
By BRETT SHIPP - WFAA -TV - Thursday, July 19, 2007
WYLIE — A deadly natural gas explosion in Wylie last October has spawned a major safety initiative by the Texas Railroad Commission.
The state's natural gas regulatory agency has requested all gas companies to survey their use of a particular pipe and fitting that malfunctioned and is blamed for the Wylie deaths last fall.
A state Railroad Commission investigation released last March found that a faulty coupling under the alley caused the explosion that leveled the house where Benny and Martha Cryer were sleeping inside.
Both were killed in the explosion.
The pipe and fitting being blamed for the natural gas leak is called a compression coupling and riser and their safety and integrity are being questioned.
In the hours that followed the Wylie explosion, Atmos Energy scoured the neighborhood and found 21 defective riser pipes and couplings that needed to be replaced.
Some 24 gas leaks were found.
In a letter dated July 17th, Railroad Commission safety Director Mary McDaniel issues a "safety inquiry" notice to all gas service companies in Texas seeking information about "any leaks or failures of compression risers" and any information regarding the recommended "discontinuance of these risers."
Pipeline expert Don Deaver of Houston and says he has seen extensive problems with these particular pipes and fittings across the state.
The last one he saw involved an explosion in west Dallas in 2001 in which four teens were horribly burned.
Atmos officials say they have discussed compression fittings safety issue with Railroad Commission officials and are complying with all requests.
But Deaver says gas companies need to be more than compliant.
He says they need to replace old compression risers and hopefully help prevent another tragedy. "This is a problem," said Deaver, "this is not a remote problem that happens infrequently, it does happen quite a bit."
Read more
See also House explodes in Wylie; elderly couple dead
By CYNTHIA VEGA - WFAA-TV - Monday, October 16, 2006
WYLIE — An explosion and fire early Monday morning leveled the home of an elderly man and woman who neighbors called the anchors of their Wylie neighborhood.
Both died as a result, and surrounding homes were evacuated as a precaution.
"It just blew up," said Pam Willey. She said the couple was trapped in a raging inferno in the house in the 300 block of South 3rd Street. Her husband tried to help the victims before firefighters arrived by spraying water on them.
"We couldn't quite reach them because it was so hot," Willey said. "My husband kept trying to keep the hose on them to keep them from burning; I mean, we didn't know what else to do."
Benny Cryer, 78, was killed; his 77-year-old wife, Martha, was critically injured. She was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas for emergency treatment, where she later died.
Shocked neighbors told News 8 that the Cryers had lived in the house since it was built in 1964.
The cause of the fire was under investigation. Firefighters said flammable oxygen was being used in the house but they also discovered elevated levels of natural gas in a sewer line.
Sixteen homes on either side of the Cryer home were evacuated as a precaution.
Plano firefighters assisted Wylie units in battling the three-alarm blaze that leveled the building.
An American flag was still flying in the yard at daybreak—a reflection of Benny Cryer's patriotism. He was said by neighbors to be a military veteran.
"They were really sweet people, and they deserved as much help as they could get," Willey said.
Wylie is 14 miles east of Plano in Collin County.
WYLIE — A deadly natural gas explosion in Wylie last October has spawned a major safety initiative by the Texas Railroad Commission.
The state's natural gas regulatory agency has requested all gas companies to survey their use of a particular pipe and fitting that malfunctioned and is blamed for the Wylie deaths last fall.
A state Railroad Commission investigation released last March found that a faulty coupling under the alley caused the explosion that leveled the house where Benny and Martha Cryer were sleeping inside.
Both were killed in the explosion.
The pipe and fitting being blamed for the natural gas leak is called a compression coupling and riser and their safety and integrity are being questioned.
In the hours that followed the Wylie explosion, Atmos Energy scoured the neighborhood and found 21 defective riser pipes and couplings that needed to be replaced.
Some 24 gas leaks were found.
In a letter dated July 17th, Railroad Commission safety Director Mary McDaniel issues a "safety inquiry" notice to all gas service companies in Texas seeking information about "any leaks or failures of compression risers" and any information regarding the recommended "discontinuance of these risers."
Pipeline expert Don Deaver of Houston and says he has seen extensive problems with these particular pipes and fittings across the state.
The last one he saw involved an explosion in west Dallas in 2001 in which four teens were horribly burned.
Atmos officials say they have discussed compression fittings safety issue with Railroad Commission officials and are complying with all requests.
But Deaver says gas companies need to be more than compliant.
He says they need to replace old compression risers and hopefully help prevent another tragedy. "This is a problem," said Deaver, "this is not a remote problem that happens infrequently, it does happen quite a bit."
Read more
See also House explodes in Wylie; elderly couple dead
By CYNTHIA VEGA - WFAA-TV - Monday, October 16, 2006
WYLIE — An explosion and fire early Monday morning leveled the home of an elderly man and woman who neighbors called the anchors of their Wylie neighborhood.
Both died as a result, and surrounding homes were evacuated as a precaution.
"It just blew up," said Pam Willey. She said the couple was trapped in a raging inferno in the house in the 300 block of South 3rd Street. Her husband tried to help the victims before firefighters arrived by spraying water on them.
"We couldn't quite reach them because it was so hot," Willey said. "My husband kept trying to keep the hose on them to keep them from burning; I mean, we didn't know what else to do."
Benny Cryer, 78, was killed; his 77-year-old wife, Martha, was critically injured. She was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas for emergency treatment, where she later died.
Shocked neighbors told News 8 that the Cryers had lived in the house since it was built in 1964.
The cause of the fire was under investigation. Firefighters said flammable oxygen was being used in the house but they also discovered elevated levels of natural gas in a sewer line.
Sixteen homes on either side of the Cryer home were evacuated as a precaution.
Plano firefighters assisted Wylie units in battling the three-alarm blaze that leveled the building.
An American flag was still flying in the yard at daybreak—a reflection of Benny Cryer's patriotism. He was said by neighbors to be a military veteran.
"They were really sweet people, and they deserved as much help as they could get," Willey said.
Wylie is 14 miles east of Plano in Collin County.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Cleburne man sues Atmos Energy over house explosion
Associated Press - Saturday, June 9, 2007
Read more
CLEBURNE, Texas – A man who survived a house explosion that killed his wife and injured several family members is suing Atmos Energy Corp., alleging a gas main leak caused the blast.
David Pawlik, 66, is seeking unspecified damages stemming from the explosion and subsequent fire at his home in Cleburne, about 30 miles south of Fort Worth.
Pawlik's wife Hazel, 64, died just days after suffering burns in the May 29 explosion. The lawsuit contends an accumulation of gas from lines owned and controlled by Atmos leaked into Pawlik's house and accumulated there, leading to the explosion. The suit also alleges Atmos failed to maintain and inspect the pipelines and warn the family of the problem.
Atmos Energy had not been served with the lawsuit by Saturday, said company spokesman Rand LaVonn.
The Pawlik's daughter Hazel Sanderson, 44; her husband, David, 49; and their daughters Misty, 17, and Stephanie, 9, lived at the home.
The Pawliks, the Sanderson's and their youngest daughter had to be transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas for treatment after the blast.
Cleburne City Manager Chester Nolen said leaking gas migrated into the sewer system and caused an accumulation of gas in the house, which erupted when someone inside lit a cigarette. The house did not have gas service.
Read more
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