Behind the Shale: A Five Part Series

Here are links to all five of the Behind the Shale articles by Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe and Lowell Brown of the Denton Record Chronicle.

Eminent dominance
Expansion of natural gas industry into Barnett Shale leaves Argyle families little recourse.

Chapter 1: Neighbors along Britt Drive are approached by land men eager to drill in the Barnett Shale. Some are wary of the impact on their quality of life and question whether the amount of money offered is worth it.

Perils afoot
Gas boom brings potential dangers closer to homes

Chapter 2: Urban drilling means these rough-and-tumble workplaces are closer to homes than ever. But its boom-or-bust nature creates a psychosocial environment for the Britt Drive neighborhood that fosters distrust of both sides.

Culture clash
Texas in tug-of-war between valuable resources underground and the people who live above

Chapter 3: Cities are trying to preserve their authority to make rules for health, safety and welfare, but the industry is pushing back. Britt Drive neighbors watch one such battle unfold in their backyard.

Voicing the silence
Observations, studies show subtle, long-term effects of gas drilling

Chapter 4: A doctrine of exemption allows the industry to develop oil and gas resources without having to study the environmental or health impacts of their work. Britt Drive neighbors worry about how drilling would affect their environment.

Neighborhood metamorphosis
Opponents, backers of gas wells take up life-altering battle

Chapter 5: Industry insiders sometimes marginalize gas drilling opponents, but the conversation about where to draw the line in urban drilling persists. The Britt Drive neighbors’ quest to keep drillers away grows increasingly desperate.