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Texas Sharon's Bluedaze

Fracking News

Offshore spills happen onshore too but they get covered up

May 2, 2010 By TXsharon

The river of oil that is flowing into the Gulf is mind-boggling. My friend, Laura, did some calculations that not only estimate the amount of oil that will end up in our Gulf but also the amount of oil Americans consume everyday.

What you need to realize, dear readers, is that what happens offshore also happens onshore but it’s much easier to cover up onshore.

Just last week, another lunatic cyclist sent me these pictures of a Carrizo well in the Argyle/Bartonville/Lantana area. You will notice that the worker is wearing a gas mask/respirator.


The day these pictures were taken, 4 calls complaining of strong chemical/gas smells were placed to TCEQ. The cyclist reported that the odor was extremely strong and almost suffocating when he took these pictures.

The cyclist reported this incident to the Texas Railroad Commission. Carrizo told the TRC inspector that they were only power washing the tanks. The TRC inspector concluded in his report that there was no spill and that Carrizo was only power washing and painting the tanks.

In the Texas Railroad Commission’s universe where Runner Susan’s pool water flows uphill and bubbles that ignite are normal settling, it’s normal for people to wear gas masks when they use a power washer.

Here is what we have learned in the Barnett Shale:

Power washing tanks = covering up a spill

You can take that to the bank. If you wake up and notice workers out power washing tanks at 5:30AM in subfreezing weather, you can bet that there has been a spill. See, that stuff leaks down the side of the tanks and causes corrosion so they need to wash the tanks to conceal the evidence, unless, of course, it’s Shanty Town. At Shanty Town they don’t care about corrosion.

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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Filed Under: Texas Railroad Commission

Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    May 3, 2010 at 12:37 am

    Typical of the RRC. They are masters at cover-up! Nothing but lapdogs! Go get the written report from the RRC and it will probably blame the incident on the person complaining–something like they made us do it!! Keep calling that RRC and complain—only entertainment will result!

  2. Anonymous says

    May 3, 2010 at 12:06 pm

    The man is sand blasting,see the bull hose and nozzle in the photo.I bet next he primed and painted the tank.Paint fumes!!!!!

  3. TXsharon says

    May 3, 2010 at 12:15 pm

    They did paint the tanks after washing. They often do that after a spill because the condensate is so corrosive.

    It's interesting that there were so many odor complaints shorty before this beautifying of the tanks started.

  4. bobsafeway says

    May 3, 2010 at 1:02 pm

    I guess the brownish-black crud he was hosing off the top of the tank was just a mirage.

  5. Anonymous says

    May 3, 2010 at 2:30 pm

    From the chief executive of BP "We are responsible, not for the accident….." Hayward said – – – not responsible for the accident? Uhhhh, yes, you are. It doesn't work when my kids try it, it certainly doesn't work for you, either….and my kids didn't destroy an entire regional industry in the blink of an eye.

  6. greenfrog says

    May 3, 2010 at 10:25 pm

    I think it was bird poo from all the dirty birds involved. The mask was to keep the worker safe from the bird flu.

  7. Jovan Gonzales says

    May 3, 2010 at 11:10 pm

    Clearly he's only wearing a gas mask and lots of clothing because he's allergic to all the maple pollen in the air! It's a common misconception. I often do the same thing when pollen counts are high! 😛

    If the "maple pollen" is so corrosive, then how does it stay in the tanks, or do they randomly spring leaks and that's where the need to power wash and paint comes in?

  8. Anonymous says

    May 4, 2010 at 12:54 am

    Google sand blasting he is wearing proper PPE for sand blasting.You know so much LOL,LOL,LOL

  9. bobsafeway says

    May 4, 2010 at 3:23 am

    He may be sandblasting but it still doesn't explain the brownish-black crud that he's blasting off the tank which looks like it leaked out from the top.

  10. Anonymous says

    May 5, 2010 at 3:26 am

    They dont use latex paint,use oil base thinned with xylene.Blasting to bare metal removes rust(brown in color).You are so smart LOL,LOL,LOL,LOL,Hi CURTIS WHERES LITTLE TIMMY

Stalk TXsharon

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