Oil Drilling by Lake Hefner

[ljbab728]

Oil company proposing drilling and fracking just south of Lake Hefner | KFOR.com

I've never been a fan of Ed Shadid before but he makes some very good points in his interview for this story.

[venture]

What could possibly go wrong?

[jn1780]

What could possibly go wrong?

Fracking a couple hundred feet away from our largest source of drinking water. Sounds like a great idea!

[Just the facts]

If there was any doubt left this should erase it; Oklahoma has turned everything, and by everything - I really mean everything, over to the oil companies at the expense of everyone and everything else. It is only a matter of time before they start drilling in graveyards. Remember the Simpsons episode where the drill in the elementary school. That doesn't seem so far fetched anymore.

[bradh]

Why do the TV news station's not even try to edit their online stories? Not for inaccuracies, but the grammar, Lord it's terrible (and this is from someone who gives zero F's about grammar).

Maybe I'm thinking of this wrong, but typically your concerns of contaminating drinking water is pollution of rural wells, not a lake that holds water that's sent to an adjacent treatment plant for treatment before use. If I'm wrong there feel free to throw me to the wolves.

[Midtowner]

Why do the TV news station's not even try to edit their online stories? Not for inaccuracies, but the grammar, Lord it's terrible (and this is from someone who gives zero F's about grammar).

Maybe I'm thinking of this wrong, but typically your concerns of contaminating drinking water is pollution of rural wells, not a lake that holds water that's sent to an adjacent treatment plant for treatment before use. If I'm wrong there feel free to throw me to the wolves.

You're probably correct, but there could be an accident at the site which might cause surface discharge with runoff contaminating our water supply for years. And these guys are choosing to have their plant where they're choosing it, so I can't see that they have much regard for the safety of ordinary folks. The risk outweighs the reward.. and to do this when prices are down.. well it makes zero sense.

I agree though.. the cojones it takes to even be proposing this is extreme. And if it's approved? I think that will pretty much signify that our politicians are too afraid of the oil and gas industry to reasonably regulate them.

[bradh]

I'm as pro oil as anyone on here but I'm also a frequent user of the Lake Hefner recreational/golf facilities, and for that reason I don't agree with this.

[mkjeeves]

Assuming they manage to not pollute the lake, this is still stupid. The proposed location in in the natural area with the trail to the immediate south, the TORKS field to the west, hobie point to the north and paddlers point to the northeast. Seems contrary to the adopted Lake Hefner Recreation Master Plan as well.

https://www.okc.gov/planning/hefnerr...mer%202007.pdf

[rezman]

Keeping in mind too the site prep work involved in setting up a drilling pad, or possible pads. Clear cutting, grading, and graveling each drill site, and the infrastructure and equipment brought in to support such operations. If this goes through, all the residents in the area should get ready for round the clock disturbance. Not just from having to listen to the drilling rigs running at all hours, but from the heavy trucks and traffic.

But hey, ... look at the bright side. The city just might have finally found a way to clean up Hobie Point.

[RadicalModerate]

Keeping in mind too the site prep work involved in setting up a drilling pad, or possible pads. Clear cutting, grading, and graveling each drill site, and the infrastructure and equipment brought in to support such operations. If this goes through, all the residents in the area should get ready for round the clock disturbance. Not just from having to listen to the drilling rigs running at all hours, but from the heavy trucks and traffic.

But hey, ... look at the bright side. The city just might have finally found a way to clean up Hobie Point.

I suppose you might guess that your comments could be considered to be offensive to some.
Fortunately, I don't live directly north of the damn dam.

[RadicalModerate]

What could possibly go wrong?

Well . . . "They " could consider beginning the construction of a Braum's location in the immediate vicinity of that Fish Farm and Water Treatment Plant . . . Nah . . . Too close to Randy (whatzisfaces) Re-Do of Bricktown North. After all . . . Without a Lake, what is it? =)

Please be Advised: I am not a Skater nor Bicyclist not a Feral Rock-Dwelling Local Cat Fancier.

At some point in time, I think one has to say nope to dope.
No matter what supposed immediate economic benefits apparently seem to present themselves.

As you well know: There is a distinct difference between "Weather" events and "Whether" events.
(ain't there?)

[onthestrip]

Didnt the city put a moratorium on more commercial development around the lake? I'm quite sure that a little while after Louies was built, they put a stop to more development. So, I guess a housing tower is bad but a drilling rig is just fine?

The risk here just seems to big compared to the reward.

[Jersey Boss]

Welcome to the way things are today. The risks are socialized, the rewards are privatized.

[PhiAlpha]

"Fracking" will not, in any way, affect water in the lake. If that is legitimately anyone's concern, you clearly don't understand the process. It's almost asinine that "fracking" is even brought up in the article. The location is also far enough from the lake that any spill or runoff from a spill wouldn't be an issue.

The primary issues here should be whether the noise and traffic from the drilling operations will affect those living around the location and how much the physical location will affect the natural setting of the area and people's use of it.

[Dustin]

Hell to the NAW!

[bradh]

"Fracking" will not, in any way, affect water in the lake. If that is legitimately anyone's concern, you clearly don't understand the process. It's almost asinine that "fracking" is even brought up in the article. The location is also far enough from the lake that any spill or runoff from a spill wouldn't be an issue.

The primary issues here should be whether the noise and traffic from the drilling operations will affect those living around the location and how much the physical location will affect the natural setting of the area and people's use of it.

saw a neighborhood email floating around (not ours, but made it to our HOA president anyhow) and the second sentence was this...

There is a Lake Hefner Drilling Proposal (fracking) public meeting that we just found out about.

What is the purpose of putting fracking in parentheses? There is none. I'm not for this proposal, but it continues to amaze me how a portion of the populace refuses to learn anything about natural resource exploration and just hang their hats on buzzwords and heresay.

Phi is correct in that the largest nuisance in this proposal is heavy truck traffic and sight and hearing nuisances from said traffic along with the same from the drilling operation itself. Lake Hefner drive is already the worst road in the metro, don't need to beat it up anymore.

[ylouder]

And a few months back you and phi alpha were swearing that waste water disposal had nothing to do with making our state more seismically active than california...we all have seen how that has turned out.

So when you say that there is no risk for contamination during or after the fracing process...

Well you both have proven to be nothing more than mutts trying to appease your masters.

[ljbab728]

I'm thinking that name calling has little to add to this discussion.

[mkjeeves]

"Fracking" will not, in any way, affect water in the lake. If that is legitimately anyone's concern, you clearly don't understand the process. It's almost asinine that "fracking" is even brought up in the article. The location is also far enough from the lake that any spill or runoff from a spill wouldn't be an issue.

PooPoo never happens in the oilfield, except when it does. Below, one of many stories from a simple google search of fracwater not being where it's supposed to be. In this case it flowed for miles. The proposed Hefner site is less than a quarter mile from the lake.

On the morning of June 28, a fire broke out at a Halliburton fracking site in Monroe County, Ohio. As flames engulfed the area, trucks began exploding and thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals spilled into a tributary of the Ohio River, which supplies drinking water for millions of residents. More than 70,000 fish died. Nevertheless, it took five days for the Environmental Protection Agency and its Ohio counterpart to get a full list of the chemicals polluting the waterway. "We knew there was something toxic in the water," says an environmental official who was on the scene. "But we had no way of assessing whether it was a threat to human health or how best to protect the public."

This episode highlights a glaring gap in fracking safety standards. In Ohio, as in most other states, fracking companies are allowed to withhold some information about the chemical stew they pump into the ground to break up rocks and release trapped natural gas. The oil and gas industry and its allies at the American Legislative exchange Council (ALEC), a pro-business outfit that has played a major role in shaping fracking regulation, argue that the formulas are trade secrets that merit protection. But environmental groups say the lack of transparency makes it difficult to track fracking-related drinking water contamination and can hobble the government response to emergencies, such as the Halliburton spill in Ohio.

According to a preliminary EPA inquiry, more than 25,000 gallons of chemicals, diesel fuel, and other compounds were released during the accident, which began with a ruptured hydraulic line spraying flammable liquid on hot equipment. The flames later engulfed 20 trucks, triggering some 30 explosions that rained shrapnel over the site and hampered firefighting efforts.

Halliburton Fracking Spill Mystery: What Chemicals Polluted an Ohio Waterway? | Mother Jones

[Plutonic Panda]

And a few months back you and phi alpha were swearing that waste water disposal had nothing to do with making our state more seismically active than california...we all have seen how that has turned out.

So when you say that there is no risk for contamination during or after the fracing process...

Well you both have proven to be nothing more than mutts trying to appease your masters.

So correct me if I'm wrong here, I but remember phiapla was just disputing the water-wee contamination myth, not the earthquakes. I've had people who were directly involved in fracking tell me they caused earthquakes and quite frankly, I don't care. I'll take the small tremors over the loss of economic impact that fracking is adding to the economy.

[ylouder]

So correct me if I'm wrong here, I but remember phiapla was just disputing the water-wee contamination myth, not the earthquakes. I've had people who were directly involved in fracking tell me they caused earthquakes and quite frankly, I don't care. I'll take the small tremors over the loss of economic impact that fracking is adding to the economy.

There were threads earlier this year over earthquakes that im referencing where a phiaplha and pahdz were disputing the claims that the oil companies had anything to do with the earthquakes. Fast forward a few months later and numerous scientist, universities, usgs, and even the Devon CEO admit that waste water injection near faults is causing the earthquakes.

Fracing itself only is known to cause small earthquakes over a short period of time, but remember there is a huge earth dam on the north side of the lake that directly overlooks thousands of homes, businesses and hospital. But more importantly remember that there have been dozens of proven cases around the country where well casings have broke, spills happened, and contamination entered private and public water supplies.

So if you think it's ok to risk the main drinking supply of water for a hundreds of thousands local citizens, so a private company can create a very short term profit on 1 well. Well not much I can do to fix that.

[Plutonic Panda]

There were threads earlier this year over earthquakes that im referencing where a few Homers were disputing the claims that the oil companies had anything to do with the earthquakes. A point that devon ceo, numerous scientist, and universities have all stated that ww injection near faults is causing the earthquakes.

fracing itself doesnt create large earthquakes( waste water injection does), but remember there is a huge earth dam on the north side of the lake that directly overlooks thousands of homes, businesses and hospital. But more importantly remember that there have been dozens of proven cases around the country where well casings break, spills happen, and contamination enters private and public water supplies.

So if you think it's ok to risk the main drinking supply of water for a hundreds of thousands local citizens, so a private company can create a very short term profit on 1 well. Well not much I can do to fix that.

I honestly don't know much about the water contamination issue. I am trusting the experts here because I haven't done my homework. If there is any proof of water contamination, than that is an issue. For the earthquakes, I just don't see a problem with small tremors.

[ylouder]

Not to derail anymore on the waste water injection earthquake side because you obviously arent a homeowner. If you think that Oklahoma is having small quakes with no damage conduct a 5 second Google search over the damage people have sustained to their homes and businesses. Broken windows, collapsed chimneys into the structure of their house, foundation damage, split drywall, water well casing breaking, numerous instances of entire walls of bricks coming off a the side of a house, etc. (Think of all the jobs us homeowners are creating getting all this stuff fixed, right?)

Alot of insurance companies aren't even offering earthquake insurance here anymore because of the exponentially increasing number of manmade occurrences. We have a new build home that was completed over a year ago and have minor damage already. Even though we were able to get coverage on our home, the deductible is insane, never mind the fact that I'm being forced to pay a yearly cost for an industry that has admitted it is damaging my property and others; plus I also get to pick up the cost for minor (thank god) repairs I've had to make so far.

If that isn't socialized cost and privatized profits i don't know what is.

[PhiAlpha]

And a few months back you and phi alpha were swearing that waste water disposal had nothing to do with making our state more seismically active than california...we all have seen how that has turned out.

So when you say that there is no risk for contamination during or after the fracing process...

Well you both have proven to be nothing more than mutts trying to appease your masters.

Quit putting words in my mouth, I never said that water injection wasn't causing earthquakes and you know it. I specifically said that it could be in response to everyone of your insulting rants. I'm not going to bring that ridiculous conversation again. And to this point, injection still hasn't been proven as the cause so the jury is still out.

In this case, there is no way fracking would damage above ground water, 7,000 feet higher than the lateral they are fracking, and that's if this is even a horizontal well.

[PhiAlpha]

PooPoo never happens in the oilfield, except when it does. Below, one of many stories from a simple google search of fracwater not being where it's supposed to be. In this case it flowed for miles. The proposed Hefner site is less than a quarter mile from the lake.

On the morning of June 28, a fire broke out at a Halliburton fracking site in Monroe County, Ohio. As flames engulfed the area, trucks began exploding and thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals spilled into a tributary of the Ohio River, which supplies drinking water for millions of residents. More than 70,000 fish died. Nevertheless, it took five days for the Environmental Protection Agency and its Ohio counterpart to get a full list of the chemicals polluting the waterway. "We knew there was something toxic in the water," says an environmental official who was on the scene. "But we had no way of assessing whether it was a threat to human health or how best to protect the public."

This episode highlights a glaring gap in fracking safety standards. In Ohio, as in most other states, fracking companies are allowed to withhold some information about the chemical stew they pump into the ground to break up rocks and release trapped natural gas. The oil and gas industry and its allies at the American Legislative exchange Council (ALEC), a pro-business outfit that has played a major role in shaping fracking regulation, argue that the formulas are trade secrets that merit protection. But environmental groups say the lack of transparency makes it difficult to track fracking-related drinking water contamination and can hobble the government response to emergencies, such as the Halliburton spill in Ohio.

According to a preliminary EPA inquiry, more than 25,000 gallons of chemicals, diesel fuel, and other compounds were released during the accident, which began with a ruptured hydraulic line spraying flammable liquid on hot equipment. The flames later engulfed 20 trucks, triggering some 30 explosions that rained shrapnel over the site and hampered firefighting efforts.

Halliburton Fracking Spill Mystery: What Chemicals Polluted an Ohio Waterway? | Mother Jones

While this was a bad and extremely rare accident when compared to the number of wells drilled yearly in the US, the conversation was about fracking poluting drinking water and this is a quote from the bottom of the article you posted:

"Ohio state officials maintain that the river water is safe to drink because the fracking chemicals have been so heavily diluted."