The recent "
emissions event" at an
EagleRidge site (near the Presbyterian Hospital) released
59 lbs. of benzene into the atmosphere, according to TCEQ estimates. (*Update on 5/5/2013 - the initial TCEQ report was replaced by a FINAL report, which is a self report by the operator! Luckily, a member of DAG, Cathy McMullen, captured the
initial report here before it was overwrtten. It is hard to believe it, but the usual practice is to treat the operator's own self-report as the final report.) The prevailing winds around here likely brought that plume right over town, in fact, right over my house.
But also note that gas wells are allowed to emit 10 tons per year of benzene. That works out to an average of 55 lbs. per day. How's this for an outraged response to this event: "Hey, that's four pounds more of benzene than they should be spewing out! They'd better only emit 51 pounds tomorrow to make up the difference!"
So it has been decided that this kind of 'event' is actually pretty acceptable even on a routine, daily basis. You could call this a
normal accident - the inevitible break down of complex systems. But in a legal sense as far as air pollution goes, this is hardly an accident at all. It is business as usual. This is technological determinism in cahoots with big money politics. "It has been decided" that this kind of technology with these kinds of emissions is good enough. "It has been decided" that more demanding standards would unduly burden the industry...indeed would make us pay too much for the commodious lives we enjoy on the back-end of this nasty business.
Wait... 10 tons per year PER WELL? Are you sure? And Denton has how many wells -- 400 in our city limits?? So that's 4,000 tons of benzene that could be emitted just in Denton, and that's okay? Really?
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should take up smoking. At least then my deep inhalations will be taken using a filter. Gross.
During the last work session James King stated gas wells should not be monitored because they are spread so far apart. Could it be Mr. King's interest in unmonitored gas wells is due to the fact his parents and his wife's family make a large amount of royalties from the gas wells they own in the Denton city limits and west of Denton?
ReplyDeleteBecause they are scattered is the very reason they should be monitored. Each gas well site is permitted to singularly to allow 10 tons of Benzene EACH. If the sites were concentrated they would be permitted as a single source and multiple gas wells would only be allowed to emit 10 tons of Benzene. We must monitor them because each site is allowed 10 tons of Benzene a year.
When we will learn from the past and quit electing these officials who have a vested interest in protecting the industry? Why is money more important than the health and well being of their constituents? Because we don't demand accountability and allow ourselves to be sacrificed for the monetary gain of those we place in power.
Gas well emissions from J. Christal road per the TCEQ 4/18/2013
Benzene allowed 10.0 TONS/YR released 59.61 lbs (est.)
Butanes allowed 25.0 TONS/YR released 11047.0 lbs (est.)
Pentanes allowed 25.0 TONS/YR released 6277.0 lbs (est.)
Propane allowed 25.0 TONS/YR released 12556.0 lbs (est.)
Xylene allowed 10.0 TONS/YR released 404.3 lbs (est.)
Maybe this will give you some insight as to why I am always so angry at gas production industry who puts this crap into the air and the elected officials who allow it.
This will go away and everyone will forget but I won't and I will still be mad when the next "accident" happens.
http://newsgatheringblog.dentonrc.com/2013/04/emissions-estimated-for-friday-gas-leak.html/
ReplyDeleteI tried to post on DRC but would not let me under my Facebook or Google account.
DeleteAny amount of toxic emissions is unacceptable - but ten tons of benzene per year per site??? I am in Arlington surrounded by drill sites. Our city has approximately 60 pad sites which equates to 600 tons of benzene per year!!!! Its no wonder so many Barnett Progress ads and Cancer Treatment Center ads are constantly running on television. The lack of regulations this State of Texas has is shameful and immoral. So much for living in the Bible Belt.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caSTkuGO2z8&feature=em-uploademail Here is the neighbor’s video on this.
ReplyDeleteactually 2,000 lbs in a ton is 5.5 lbs per day not 55 lbs, but still this is too much!!
ReplyDeleteno-I rechecked my math and holy cow dunk....10 tons per day = 20,000 lbs per year divided by 365 days is 55 lbs per day !!!!
DeleteThere is no way a well at Masch branch road & University is 1500 feet from the hospital!
ReplyDeleteClean Energy Foundation from Poland ensure sustainability of investments related to exploration of conventional, unconventional gas & oil, renewable energy sources in an environmental, social and legal context in Europe. Our mission consist primarily on monitoring development of extraction projects.
ReplyDeleteEuropean shale gas extraction is only in its infancy and Poland is now at the beginning on track for better methods in gas extraction but is one of a few country from the UE in which work goes on continuously.
With respect to the explorations and the extraction of various minerals we are the only organization of such type in Poland.
Clean Energy Foundation prepared also the Report about Unconventional Gas in Poland Report, concerning legal, environmental and social aspects in Poland.
In order to more information about the mission and objectives of the Foundation, please visit website at www.czystaenergia.org.pl and Facebook profile www.facebook.com/Fundacja.Czysta.Energia
Clean Energy Foundation from Poland ensure sustainability of investments related to exploration of conventional, unconventional gas & oil, renewable energy sources in an environmental, social and legal context in Europe. Our mission consist primarily on monitoring development of extraction projects.
ReplyDeleteEuropean shale gas extraction is only in its infancy and Poland is now at the beginning on track for better methods in gas extraction but is one of a few country from the UE in which work goes on continuously.
With respect to the explorations and the extraction of various minerals we are the only organization of such type in Poland.
Clean Energy Foundation prepared also the Report about Unconventional Gas in Poland Report, concerning legal, environmental and social aspects in Poland.
In order to more information about the mission and objectives of the Foundation, please visit website at www.czystaenergia.org.pl and Facebook profile www.facebook.com/Fundacja.Czysta.Energia
it's gross all the things they are spraying in the air to get rid of it. When is this goign to stop. Let's use hydro power or solar power.
ReplyDeleteBardzo inspirujący artykuł. Pozdrawiam !
ReplyDelete