This photo was taken by a resident in the Eagle Ford Shale very near their home. They are surrounded by a number of these flares and the whole family is experiencing health effects.
The sign on the gate says “Plains Exploration.” So much for myth that natural gas will improve our air quality.
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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Think of all that money going up in smoke. Wonder what the share holders think about that. With the current price of gas so low how can they afford to waist any?
Not that the flares are better when they burn clear, but I don’t think those flares are supposed to emit black smoke. Not an expert, but if they emit black smoke I think it means they are burning fluids and not allowed. I would love for someone to put a summa in that plume. We’d probably learn alot.
I think they might be burning sulpher. There have a lot of H2S in the Eagle Ford Shale. But, it’s no doubt that the flare is not functioning properly.
Looks just like in Booger County! To me it looks like a lot of H2S in the gas.
I was told by a Range Resource spokesperson when the flare is burning black that means it is incinerating all the toxins which are being discharged. He said no chemicals could survive the intense heat from the flare.
I now know why these Aholes make so much money. It must take a superhuman amount of discipline to lie like and keep a straight face.
That is a good picture. It looks exactly like the 4 flares that can be seen from our home. Why is this allowed? This cannot be healthy. My car does not run 24/7 yet it must meet emissions standards. My mother-in-law near Falls City has recently noticed that all of the birds she has been feeding for the past 10 years has gone away.
That’s how it starts. The birds leave first. The reason they can do this is because our state gives them carte blanche. Texans need to vote for a change or they will continue to get the same old thing.
Most flares are used to burn excess natural gas, flash gasses and of course the great H2S. When they turn black and sooty it means they are burning liquids and some equipment malfunction is more than likely the cause. Not good for the flare nor the habitat around. I have seen soot mushroom clouds 1000’ high come out of these units after a separator has been restarted from a swamp out. Thankfully some counties like Gonzales county have a ban on eternal flares like these. Producers are required to use flare systems that do not have a visible flame nor produce any smoke due to the reburn catalyst that are in them. It’s up to the community to stand up and fight against these things. Most of us depend on the commissioners court to set the regulations on this type of activity. Get in there, get them educated, and stay on top of them. Sooner or later they will have to listen or boot you out of the meeting..