• Home
  • About
  • Publications
  • Links
    • Drilling and Fracking
    • Resources
    • Stuff I Like
    • TX Progressive Alliance
  • Must See Videos
  • PSYOPS
  • Shale Survival
    • Before drilling starts
    • Tools
    • Medical
  • FAQ
  • Contact Me

Texas Sharon's Bluedaze

Fracking News

Chesapeake Energy executive tells conflicting stories about Oklahoma gas well blowout

January 8, 2012 By TXsharon

A Chesapeake Energy drilling rig working in Oklahoma hit a shallow pocket of gas on Thursday causing a blowout which burned the rig to the ground. Jim Gipson, Director – Media Relations for Chesapeake, told the media one story but told a concerned Denton citizen a completely different story. Both stories can’t be true.

You can read Story #1 and Story #2 on EARTHblog.

UPDATE: the comments on EARTHblog are interesting and gave me the opportunity to update the post with additional information from a petroleum engineer.

Since this industry is stuck on stupid we may never know the whole truth so we will have to assume the worst.

Here’s what we do know:

Somewhere near Sweetwater, Oklahoma there is a big, gaping hole directly through the High Plains aquifer. The hole is now full of additive laced drilling mud and the newly  released shallow gas .

Previous blog post about the blowout HERE.

 

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.

  • Mail
  • |
  • Web
  • |
  • More Posts(5121)

Filed Under: Chesapeake Energy, Oklahoma

Comments

  1. David says

    January 8, 2012 at 9:50 am

    I think usually the first story you get from the crew working the well is more true than what follows from spokesmen, trying to avoid litigation. Case in point:
    One week after several south Caddo Parish residents were first urged to evacuate their homes because of a GAS WELL BLOWOUT are still waiting to get access to their homes.
    “Monday morning after employees from Dallas-based Exco Resources called authorities to say they couldn’t contain bubbling gas and extreme gas well pressure underground. Workers at the drill site had noticed the problems the previous evening, but waited approximately 12 hours before calling emergency crews and warning them to evacuate people who lived nearby”
    http://www.propublica.org/article/louisiana-well-blowout-forces-hundreds-from-homes
    Now watch the spokesman’s response:

    • TXsharon says

      January 8, 2012 at 10:00 am

      That made me laugh. Stuck on stupid.

      • GhostBlogger says

        January 8, 2012 at 5:04 pm

        Wait 12 hours to start evacuations?

        Smells like Lawsuit material. And, an invitation to have stronger regulator oversight.

  2. Anonomous says

    January 8, 2012 at 9:51 am

    Makes one wonder where this shallow high pressure gas pocket came from?? It certainly could have migrated upwards to this place from other shale gas drilling/production activity. When we drill into high pressure zones(shale formations), that high pressure gas will tend to migrate to a lower pressure zone (high pressure to low pressure)–and many, many paths are available to allow this migration. You can bet that CHK didn’t know about this gas pocket, nor did they expect it–or they would have taken proper measurements to protect the rig from this event.
    PS: Remember that, in general, lower pressures exist higher up in mother earth.

    • TXsharon says

      January 8, 2012 at 10:01 am

      Thank you! That is very interesting and explains a lot.

      I hope people in that area are getting their water tested STAT.

  3. Anonymous says

    January 8, 2012 at 10:58 am

    It’s as if the frackers are completely unaware of the fact that we insurgents are sharing info, videos, news stories and, of course, the frackers varying responses. “__________ couldn’t be reached for comment” is always a bad sign. Maybe they are too busy cooking up a better explanation that sounds more plausible. As if we were completely unaware of the first set of lies.

  4. Anonomous says

    January 8, 2012 at 11:30 am

    To David above. It is common knowledge in the oil patch that if something goes wrong, everybody preaches the prescribed song–which is entitled “Protect the Oil/Gas company”–it was not their fault.

  5. A Nonny Mouse says

    January 8, 2012 at 12:05 pm

    It looks like my hunch might have been right. How can we warn people in Oklahoma about the dangers to their drinking water?

  6. Cathy McMullen says

    January 8, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    The aquifer and water shed in that part of Oklahoma feeds into the water supply for the Texas Panhandle, Norht Texas ,New Mexico, and Colorado. Millions of people will be affected if there is contamination. I will contact the EPA since it would seem to be a multi-state issue.

  7. Anonymous says

    January 8, 2012 at 1:47 pm

    Hey Chesapeake officials,

    Where will we send our invoices for the air and water testing to be paid? Please answer ASAP!!

  8. A Nonny Mouse says

    January 9, 2012 at 8:44 am

    Considering it’s Oklahoma, the officials will go ask Chesapeake if everything is okay and Chesapeake will slap them on the back and assure them it’s all good. If you notice any OK officials suddenly getting a new gravel driveway, cattle guard and pipe fence you’ll know.

Trackbacks

  1. Fracking PSYOPS: Eye witness accounts says:
    January 8, 2012 at 10:19 am

    […] only have themselves to blame. If they continue to employ these tactics and show poor judgment like Chesapeake Energy’s Jim Gipson who lied rather than let people know their drinking water could be at risk, you will lose. Cancel […]

  2. Chesapeake Energy OOPS! Blowout in Oklahoma burns down rig. says:
    January 8, 2012 at 10:20 am

    […] in Chesapeake Energy,Explosions UPDATE: Chesapeake Energy executive tells conflicting stories about Oklahoma gas well blowout […]

  3. Chesapeake looks everywhere for answers « Dallas Drilling's Blog says:
    January 8, 2012 at 5:54 pm

    […] CLICK HERE to see Texas Sharon’s report on Chesapeake’s […]

  4. Chesapeake Energy Oklahoma fracking blowout question says:
    January 16, 2012 at 11:30 pm

    […] Uncategorized I’ve been thinking about the blowout Chesapeake Energy caused near Sweetwater, Oklahoma and I have a two […]

  5. Another fracking blowout in Oklahoma says:
    January 29, 2012 at 9:12 am

    […] This blowout came very close after this blowout: Chesapeake Energy executive tells conflicting stories about Oklahoma gas well blowout […]

sign up

Together we can make the world a frack free place. Sign up to receive my posts in your inbox.

Stalk TXsharon

Recent Posts

  • Oilfield Witness: Who we are and what we do.
  • Inaugural Field Notes from Oilfield Witness are live
  • Sharon Wilson and Miguel Escoto launch “Oilfield Witness,” continue conducting fieldwork in Texas oilfields
  • Oilfield Witness is live as we continue to witness oilfield crimes
  • I’m continuing to expose the dirty secrets of oil and gas.
  • Register for the worldwide premier of Uncovering the Permian Climate Bomb

Like Earthworks on Facebook

Categories

Archives

All work © Sharon Wilson. No works may be shared copied in full without permission. Bluedaze: Drilling Reform. Site Design by Sumy Designs. Powered by those who advocate for a safe and healthy environment.