Barnett Shale news

Fort Worth residents had a HUGE victory this week when the Ethics Review Committee decided it is a violation of ethics to allow industry representatives on the Air Quality Study Committee. Well, duh. That’s such a no-brainer. I hope other cities and counties around the shale are paying attention.

Fort Worth ethics panel questions fairness of having industry representatives on air quality committee

Mike Lee

Jim Ashford, an east Fort Worth resident who is suing Chesapeake over noise and air pollution from a compressor station near his house, filed the ethics complaint in the spring. He said it was improper for the gas companies to have representatives on a committee that is studying pollution potentially caused by their industry.

Lon Burnam wrote an editorial calling again for a temporary moratorium on new drilling gas drilling permits.

In all, the TCEQ has found elevated levels of benzene in 66 samples at 29 facilities in the Barnett Shale over the past year.

This editorial is filled with important information and questions that need answers.

And, if you think we have problems in the Barnett Shale now, just wait…
Exxon closes on purchase of natural gas company XTO Energy

Exxon Mobil Corp. completed its purchase of XTO Energy Inc. on Friday and named Exxon executive Jack Williams president of its new $35 billion prize.

If you want to see how Exxon operates in Texas and get a glimpse of our future, check out Rancho Los Malulos. You might find the video showing Exxon patching pipelines with duck tape entertaining.