If you like popcorn, the next time you make a batch pay close attention to how quickly those kernels turn to popped corn. That's about the speed in which natural gas wells are popping up in the Barnett Shale everywhere! And although these wells are regulated to being 600 feet from a structure in some areas, in our area the rule is reduced to 200 feet from any structure.
The craziness had just begun and we were not here four and half (4-1/2) months when a natural gas rig went up just a couple hundred feet from our bedroom. Our bedroom faces the drill pad site as well as the road used to access the drill site on a daily basis.
So, let me back track a little. Our property was listed on the MLS as:
“Exceptional country home on 5 breathtaking ac.!”“Nestled amid a canopy of gorgeous, tall Pecan trees,”“…rare find!”“…lush back yard”“Lot Description: Cul-De Sac…Heavily Treed”“Gated entrance. Subdivision (unnamed) Estates”
Well, it was exceptional for about four (4) months, until the drill commies arrived. See you don't really own your land when you purchase property; you only own the surface rights and those can be taken from you as well. If you have no mineral rights then the drill companies can take possession of your surface land for drilling and piping. Your mortgage payments are not reduced, and you don't receive any royalties from the minerals piped out. This is exactly what happened to our neighbors behind us.
Mid April 2008 our neighbor contacts us and asked us to keep an eye out for drill commies who were trying to access his property. Well, the did and the rest is history. I have a photo journal of them cutting through our neighbors chains and locks, removing his gate and putting up their survey flag for the drill site.
About this time my elderly parents drive all the way from California
When my parents pulled up the long driveway in their car they had big smiles on their faces, only to find their youngest daughter standing at the round pen crying hysterically. They got out of their vehicle to see my horse bloodied and snorting.
My horse had slipped through a gate to the back yard after Mike had pulled out with the mower. We had been grooming the lawns in preparation for my parents arrival. I was following my husband on foot picking up branches and heading over to close the gate behind him. Mike pulled out with the mower when all of the sudden the horses came running in through the long gate (approximately 12 feet wide).
Once inside the back yard a truck carrying a load for the drill site had spooked the horses and all chaos broke out. One horse going one way and the other headed towards the concrete decking and the house. Within minutes my 1300lb horse, Prince, had become confused and ran straight into the pool falling through the $2,000 (elephant proof) pool cover. He became fully immersed under water as he was tangled in the torn pool tarp. Twice his head became immersed with his eyes open in panic.
Mike ran over and quickly unlatched the pool straps in an effort to save Prince from drowning; while at the same time trying to hold up his very heavy head above water. Prince’s recovery took approximately nine (9) months. Things were never the same and I lost him back in June of 2010 to a rescue because of the financial strain of our law suit.
My parents left after a few days of breathing dirty air and listening to the seventy (70) some semi truck passes a day; and the day after they left we had a horrible storm. This storm would be the one that caused the first flash flooding on our property since closing escrow. Needless to say, one thing led to another and we found out that we were living in a flood zone.
I can not begin to express to you what life is like living through the drilling and fraccing process involved in this natural gas nightmare. The video posted tells our story somewhat, but it doesn't come anywhere close to the reality of the day to day noise and pollution.
Just recently they came back to frac the well head again in order to stimulate the drilling process. The chemicals made it unbearable to go out side and I was seriously ill for a couple of days as a result; unable to carry on a conversation, nausea, shakes, burning eyes etc. Some have had it worse than us like the Ruggerios.
What adds insult to injury for us is the fact that the family of one of the Realtors in our civil case owns the lease to the gas well next to us. The family also owns 50% mineral rights to our property. The sellers owning the other 50%. We are told that another four (4) to five (5) wells are expected to be drilled at the pad site behind us. It won't matter much if we are foreclosed on and homeless.
"Prince, I am so sorry for what you went through. Please know I didn't want to send you away and I miss you very much and our special carrot evenings."
