See, they need that variance for the masonry fence because it will be in the way of the 5 additional wells they plan to drill after the first two are in. So, that’s 7 wells additional wells they plan to drill. At this point the total number of wells planned for this area is unclear. What is clear: It’s going to be more than 2.
Welcome to a heavy industrial zone.
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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Here's a surprise. Aruba drilled 2 wells on 2 acres, but XTO can't seem to drill two on 24 acres. We knew in the beginning that XTO had a long term plan of putting in many more than 2 wells on this 24 acres, and know that the concerned residents in the immediate area finally got their city council to ask, now XTO Bob admits there's plans for at least another 5 wells. Surprise, surprise. This is the reason for the variances, not because of the two wells. At some point in the very near future, XTO is going to run out of room on that 24 acres, and THAT is the reason why they want the variances. Not to mention that if these variances are granted, every other ditch digging fool with a rubber stamped permit will want-and get the same variances.
Is it really necessary to drill next to homes, churches and parks and playgrounds?
If the mineral right owner had the foresight to retain his or her mineral rights, but then parceled off the property-the surface only, over the years, then he or she should have expected that people were going to build homes on that property, schools and churches and parks. what other reason would a HOME DEVELOPER buy the property? Why would anyone buy property if there was no intention of building a home or a business on it?
I get it. No expectation on the part of the mineral right to know what was likely to happen, but the onus is on us home buyers to make the same prediction.
Mineral right owners may very well have the right to 'access' their minerals, but they don't have the right to endanger our families.