UPDATED to include Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe’s article. High emission levels recorded outside Dish. Excerpts below
UPDATE 2: Dr. Theo Colborn and TCEQ comment about what you are seeing in these videos.
Texas OGAP requested emission testing records from TCEQ. These videos and the investigations confirm that massive amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released into our air from shale oil and gas facilities. Below is a list of videos taken by a GasFindIR Camera in the Barnett Shale area. Find your area then click the link to see the fugitive emissions you are breathing.
About the GasFindIR Camera:
FLIR GF-Series of revolutionary infrared cameras find greenhouse gas emissions or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and are unbeatable for detecting even the smallest gas leaks.
The FLIR GF320 detects the following gases:
- Benzene
- Ethanol
- Ethylbenzene
- Heptane
- Hexane
- Isoprene
- Methanol
- MEK
- MIBK
- Octane
- Pentane
- 1-Pentene
- Toluene
- Xylene
- Butane
- Ethane
- Methane
- Propane
- Ethylene
- Propylene
Barnett Shale residents can find videos from your area below. Eagle Ford Shale residents can find videos from your area HERE.
Acton, TX
Quicksilver Resources T&P Unit16 B
Arlington, TX
Cleburne, TX/Johnson County
Crosstex North Texas Gathering Compressor Station 7 B (10 miles south of Cleburne)
Crosstex North Texas Gathering Compressor Station 5 B
Crosstex North Texas Gathering Compressor Station 6 B
ETC Falcon Compressor Station 4 B
ETC Falcon Compressor Station 11 B
ETC Falcon Compressor Station 3 B
Quicksilver Cowtown Gas Processing Plant R 4
Devon W Johnson County Gas Plant 18 B
TCEQ DFW 68
TCEQ DFW 70
Decatur, TX/Wise County
Targa North Texas LP, Bryan Compressor Station 10A
Targa North Texas LP, Bryan Compressor Staton 11 A
Targa Bryan Compressor Station 16A
Targa Bryan Compressor Station 15A
Targa North Texas LP, Bryan Compressor Station 4 A
TCEQ DFW 01
Identified only as “Site 8” between five and 10 miles west of Dish, inspectors with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality found more than 30 compounds at elevated levels at 5 p.m. Aug. 26, including all four of the “BTEX” carcinogens, according to documents obtained by the Denton Record-Chronicle.
Specifically, inspectors measured 15 parts per million of benzene, 21 ppm of toluene, 7.4 ppm of ethylbenzene and 20 ppm of xylene.
…
In their preliminary report, dated Oct. 23, inspectors called attention to troubling levels of emissions downwind from several compression facilities, including a maximum benzene concentration of 1 ppm and hourly average of 0.54 ppm detected at the Targa facility west of Dish. Two other compression facilities were also measured, but not named in the preliminary report.
Houston-based Targa spokesman Joe Bob Perkins said they knew their facility, which is in Wise County, had been selected for monitoring, since residents had complained about noise at the facility in the past. But he questioned the findings, given that they had removed one of the two gas-powered engines there, replaced it with an electric one, and enclosed operations in a building.
Additional Wise County IR Video at Aruba Petroleum facility HERE, and HERE, and HERE. This facility is on Star Shell Road in Allison/Slidell.
Denton, TX/Denton County
Range Production Company, City of Denton Airport 8 B
Devon Energy Justin Compressor Station 16 A
Devon Energy Justin Compressor Station 18 A
Devon Energy Justin Compressor Station 3A
Crosstex Energy Services Justin Devon Plant 17 A
TCEQ DFW 81
Crosstex Energy Services, Justin Plant 2 A
DISH, TX (TCEQ has not yet released the compressor station videos)
Devon Energy Co., S. H. Griffin Estate 15 A
Devon Energy Co., S. H. Griffin Estate 14 A
Please note: We were not given any video of the compressor station in DISH.
“This just keeps getting worse and worse,” Tillman said.
An increasingly vocal critic of the industry, Tillman called for regular monitoring and strict enforcement of state environmental regulations.
“These guys need to get regularly inspected, and fined, otherwise it will never stop,” Tillman said.
Fort Worth, TX/Tarrant County
Crosstex Energy Services Blue Mound Compressor Station 12 A
Crosstex Treating Services Avandale, TX 7 B
Crosstex Treating Services Avandale, TX 5 B
Crosstex Treating Services Avandale, TX 8 B
Crosstex Treating Services Avandale, TX 6 B
Godley, TX
Chesapeake Energy Little Hoss Compressor Facility
ETC Godley Gas Plant 19 B
Grapevine, TX
Texas Midstream Gas and Process Services, Cottonbelt Compressor Station R 4
Texas Midstream Gas and Process Services, Cottonbelt Compressor Station 12 B
Texas Midstream Gas and Process Services, Cottonbelt Compressor Station 11 B
Chesapeake Energy/Texas Midstream, Cottonbelt Compressor Station 10 B
Springtown, TX
Enbridge Springtown Plant 6 A
Enbridge Springtown Plant 20 A
Enbridge Springtown Plant 10 A
Weatherford, TX/Parker County
Crosstex North Texas Gathering LP, Kemp Compressor Station 2 A
Crosstex North Texas Gathering LP, Kemp Compressor Station 8 A
Crosstex Energy White Settlement Compressor Station 20 B
Crosstex Energy White Settlement Compressor Station 22 B
TCEQ DFW 33
TCEQ DFW 28
TCEQ DFW 34
TCEQ DFW 09
For more videos showing emissions from GasFindIR Camera see ShaleTest on YouTube.
For information on the GasFindIR camera and a statement about health impacts from Dr. Theo Colborn see:
“Clean-burning” Natural Gas has a Dirty Secret – Caught on Video
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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These are from compressor stations? There's a big one about 5 miles south of us between Wink and Pyote.
Some are from the condensate tanks at well sites and some are from compressor/processing plants.
You should call the TCEQ and find out if they have filmed with the GasFinderIR camera in Wink. If they haven't, tell them to get after it.
I live in a development called Lantana which is in Denton County zip 76226. I have counted about 10-12 different well sites that surround our community. One site sits adjacent to a Middle School campus right next to the tennis courts. How can I get the TCEQ to check these sites for emmissions? How can they allow a facility like this to be located right next to a school?
Thanks
Bob, you should contact me. There is a group in Denton and we are working on amendments to the drilling ordinance. We need people to contact the council members so they can hear your voice. txsharon.blog AT gmail DOT com
Do you know where I can find a map of the O&G well sites, pipelines, etc. in and around the community of Lantana, TX in Denton County? And, who owns these?
On the GIS map http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/about-us/resource-center/research/gis-viewers/
I live in Niles, Ohio. And in the last few months have had wells dug on my own street and down the street. I was shocked and appalled that once what was there is now here. I've been educating myself and have read that Ohio has the laxest rules in the nation. I am afraid for the people in my community, and the environment… the wildlife, and for the soil, air and water. They are purposely putting these wells near schools in Warren, Ohio…and promise the schools discounts on their gas bills. A disgrace this country is. We are not free and to complacent and ignorant to display an act of bravery. I would like to make a change and do something to stop further damage, and make sure current wells are "safe" as they can be. I don't know who to turn to. Everyone has dollar signs in their eyes. So they're not seeing the reality of the situation…
There is a group in Ohio that can help. Contact me and I'll put you in touch.