Texas Sharon's Bluedaze

Fracking News

TCEQ continues to allow Aruba Petroleum to endanger public health

By

And the beat goes on…

Aruba Petroleum continues to endanger public health and safety
while our regulators do nothing.

On April 3rd I posted about how Aruba Petroleum continues to cause health problems for Barnett Shale residents and I included quite a few photographs as evidence.

Photo evidence
More photo evidence
Even more photo evidence
Still more photo evidence

Within minutes after Aruba started venting these toxics, one neighbor had a massive nosebleed and others had intense rashes and blinding headaches.

The TCEQ investigated this incident and guess what they found.

“Investigation conducted on 04/02/2011 resulted in no violations found, please reference investigation # 922207.”

This weekend, there was another incident at Aruba’s Wright Lease 6H. The landowners saw black smoke coming from the flare on that property.

  • The landowner called Aruba at 6 AM. (I have no idea why this particular landowner continues to call Aruba first which only gives them time to hide the evidence.)
  • The landowner called a neighbor, Lisa Parr, who called 911 and the TCEQ.
  • 911 Dispatch told Lisa the fire department is closed on the weekend. ???
  • The Parr family left the area because they got sick with headaches and rashes.
  • The TCEQ finally showed up at 8:30 PM.

Of course, by the time TCEQ arrived, any toxics in the air were long gone. They did confirm that Aruba shut off the flare which probably means the emission were escaping and that is likely what caused people to get sick.

Can anyone explain to me why Aruba is allowed to continue to operate?


Oh, and you might find this video of Elizabeth Ames Jones amusing. She had to go reassure the people in Cuero–after Calvin and I visited there–that the Texas Railroad Commission is on top of everything. If you suddenly find yourself thinking about Felicia Alden, the possessed woman in The Witches of Eastwick, don’t blame me. The resemblance is uncanny.

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.

Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    Typical of the WCEQ! They can't see anything, smell anything, nor hear anything! This investigation sounds like the ones made in Booger County!

  2. Tim Ruggiero says

    I know Aruba Petroleum just insists on being the world's worst operator, but is there a contest between the TCEQ and TRRC as to who can be more incompetent and serving of the Industry instead of the people?

    Elizabeth Ames Jones is just another corrupted politician, and her extreme lack of on-hands actual experience in the real world is prrof enough of that.

    In testifying recently before Congress, and now visiting with the folks in the Eagle Ford, she is doing nothing more than pandering for Industry support in her US Senate run.

    To say that ground water contamination is geologically impossible, she apparently has never heard of 'Flowback'. No, Lizzy, I'm not talking about kickbacks, but the mere fact that 40% or more of the carcinogenic crap Industry pumps down through the water table comes back up through the water table. Add one idiot operator like Aruba with a bad casing, and you have yourself a contaminated water supply.

    The two people who are the Railroad Commission- (Industry Whore Michael Williams quit to run for Senate, now Representative,) Jones and Porter, have zero gas and oil experience between them. Not one day. Jones' claim to fame is interior decorating (or is it 'designing', because I know there is an enormous difference) and Porter, whose extensive experience with gas and oil is doing their taxes for them has been silent so far. Maybe he's too busy reading up on his job duties, all materials provided by Industry. Then again, ther is that cute little hydraulic fracturing coloring book that CHK just came out with, maybe he found that.

  3. Anonymous says

    Right on Tim!! Both the WCEQ and the RRC are corrupt and a bunch of BBO's–BUT the RRC is also very dangerous to the ordinary citizen. They will purposely do damage to us peasants if we complain to the RRC about an operator. Just avoid both agencies, but expecially the RRC!!

  4. TadGhostHole says

    It also infuriates me that more likely than not flaring is in violation of the permit for that well. But more than that all of the signs around Flower Mound that say "Burn Ban in effect, no fireworks" but hey if your fireworks contain dangerous toxic byprodcuts (more so than conventional fireworks) flare away.
    Fire department closed on the weekend, thats a good one. Looks like they're sick of cleaning up after bad operators already.