Since December 2008, lots of stuff has been going on in the
way of our efforts to inspire the COGCC to do its job. It's been an uphill
battle.
August 29, 2010
Importantly, Summerhawk Valley continues to try to recover from impacts; and, as of this writing, I'd guestimate that, on balance, it has recovered by perhaps 70%. This is presumably because conditions that contributed to the seep have been corrected. Problem is, without a proper investigation, we don't know what went wrong, nor how and to what degree it was 'fixed'. That means this land is likely to experience yet another pummeling once drilling commences in earnest on the canyon rim of Summerhawk Valley - already begun August 20, 2010 (see photo below which shows the rig's proximity to the main 2008 seep area).
Part of the slow recovery is due to the fact that probably 20% included vegetation which was killed and will not recover, the remainder continues experiencing impact, both in West Divide Creek and on the land around it. Of the wildlife species, some have returned, but this part of the process takes quite a while, as we learned during the 2004 seep. The area had experienced, at that time, a complete exodus of wildlife and had yet to fully recover when another seep emerged in 2008 and resulted in an almost duplicate experience. Here it is mid-2010 and some species have, again, returned in lower numbers, but EnCana installed a rig on the rim of the canyon above the 2008 seep, and the noise has once again driven away some of the wildlife that had twice returned.
We expect the new rig on the East side of the canyon will result (together with the anticipated installation of another rig to the south, adjacent to and beneath the 2004 seep areas) in impacts that will completely destroy whatever remains of Summerhawk Valley. Sadly, this could have been prevented.
[08-16-10] This area is maybe fifteen feet East of our water well. You can still see a very active area generating biofilm (the oily looking stuff which is actually a bacterial mat); and iron-reducing bacteria (the rusty looking stuff). This is, I believe sourcing from a spring to the East which surged in output at the time of the 2008 seep. The output of water continues to be high, saturating the ground with water that may have elevated salt and hydrocarbons such as methane in it. The little bacteria that make the ground look so yucky eat methane and other hydrocarbons. We are assured from the COGCC that this is fine. However, and finally, a soil gas survey is scheduled to begin for this area this month. Whatever is shown - I expect the COGCC to shout "Biogenic!"; but, certainly, if there is evidence of methane there is reason aplenty to prompt the COGCC to look further. If we had the money, we'd do it ourselves.
[08-16-10] an area to the East of Turkey Point - where ethane had been found expressing to the surface in the creek just left (North) of here.
This is a soggy area closer to the spring mentioned above. I have no idea what the pool of red stuff and trailing black/green stuff are. My guess is some type of bacteria (the red is probably iron-reducing) - the vegetation probably also holds clues as to what water and soil chemistry qualities are supporting these conditions.
Now, let's go back a bit and look at what else has
transpired
since December 2008...
March 16, 2009
I ask Garfield County to ask the COGCC to reinstate the drilling
moratorium
Commissioners agree to retain the services of Dr. Geoffrey Thyne to
review COGCC data and try to determine what conditions may be contributing
to the ongoing seeps from 2004 and 2008.
April 20, 2009
I ask again...
Again, in a letter to Garfield County and the COGCC I ask for a reinstatement of the drilling moratorium ahead of EnCana's plans to frac a series of nine wells on the Brown pad - implicated in the 2004 seep.
No dice.
Dr. Thyne reviews the 2008 West Divide Creek Seep
Dr Thyne finds limited public data due in part to inaccessibility. We have shared that same frustration... no data available to us or no access.
Dr. Thyne's cursory review indicates that my observations are in accordance with those associated with a reductive environment - that is, an environment saturated with methane and bacteria are acting to try and reduce it to more neutral levels.
He recommends that Garfield County take specific actions relative to the obtainment and review of data. The County languishes despite promises for immediate action.
You can see excerpts of his report here
July 14 - 15, 2009
COGCC holds a "special hearing" on the Divide Creek Seep matter - you know,
like "special"...
In this timeframe, Dr. Tyne, on behalf of Garfield County, drafted a
conclusion to the Phase II study. He did this at the request of Garfield
County because the consulting firm who conducted the Phase II analysis --
oops, apparently forgot to.
Dr. Thyne evidently suspected through this and perhaps also through his analysis of the Divide Creek Seep of 2008, and maybe from a few other data sources, that methane may, possibly, it appears, be finding its way into domestic water wells, illuminating a potential pattern of possible contamination for which those in a position to be concerned for such matters, may wish to be concerned.
What a second... "What was that?!" industry raised its mono-brow in a collective grunt heard round the country.
That's right sports fans, methane may be migrating into domestic water wells.
"And from WHAT SOURCE?!" industry bangs their forearms on the ground and demands to know...
maybe...FROM DRILLING!
PR firms are alerted, attorneys are summoned, politicians are speed-dialed and industry huddles... hummuna, hummuna, hummuna... experts whip out their compasses, rulers and lined paper.
In what appears to be a poorly considered and totally reactionary fit of frustrated placation, the COGCC decrees it will hold forth a "hearing" in which no one will have standing to speak or intervene... but a goodly many and several of industries' heavies will pontificate in great measure against Dr. Thyne's reasonable supposition.
In order to appear fair-minded and formal, Garfield County is allowed to present also. This is a "hearing" after all, and the COGCC Commissioners are gathered, it may be presumed, to hear.
Here then, (trumpets sound and the scroll is rolled out) are the terms of the "hearing": Garfield County shall proceed first. Garfield County will have no knowledge of an opportunity for rebuttal. But, Garfield County will be allowed limited rebuttal if it so requests. Industry will have benefit of full knowledge of Dr. Thyne's conclusions, while Garfield County will have no knowledge of the contents of industries' presentations.
What followed was a total sham of a "hearing" and what amounted to a psheudo-intellectual dog-pile upon Dr. Thyne's professional, indeed, papered reputation.
But industry, being industry, and the COGCC being, well, the COGCC, failed utterly to see the crass shallowness in their own contrived display.
To see the agenda for and listen to the full transcript of this ludicrous
event click here
Reporter, Dennis Webb, of the Daily Sentinel outlines some of the more
contentious details between Garfield County and the COGCC relative to this
farce and the unresolved issues swirling around it in the article below.
"Silt-area
drilling report contentious"
http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/siltarea_drilling_report_conte/
By
Dennis Webb / Grand Junction Sentinel
Monday, June 14, 2010
November 16, 2009
We drive to Glenwood - again - and in person - again - implore Garfield County to ask the COGCC for a moratorium.
The country says no way; but, when reminded of the County's promises of "immediate" response (now months later) based on Dr. Tyne's findings, the County does agree to follow through with Dr. Thyne's recommendations (below)
March 30, 2010
Methane appears in two domestic water wells in the near area. We ask again for a moratorium.
Sometime at the end of 2009... beginning of 2010 methane shows up in the Moon (old Dietrich's place) domestic water well. [EnCana bought this property from Dietrich when high levels of methane showed up in the their water at the time of the 2004 seep]. Methane also showed up in Miller's domestic water well. The seeps from 2004 and 2008 lie between these two Easterly and Westerly points along a pretty straight line - which also happens to coincide with the 2004 Arbaney (Magic P3) gas kick, explosion and fault disturbance.
In an amazing turn of events and counter to a long-standing patter of behavior, the COGCC orders a soil gas survey for the area around the Arbaney and the Schwartz pads.
The Arbaney survey, completed in the summer of 2010, reveals a good deal of methane saturation in the area which appears to be of the same or similar origin to the gas found around the P3 pad in 2004. This gas harkens to wells put in place prior to the new stipulations which resulted in the lifting of the moratorium. This appears to focus concern then on the older structural integrity of wells installed pre-stipulations (of which there are only a few).
There appears then to be a resurgence of gas in this area. Which narrows the range of questions, but also encompasses risks of hydraulic fracturing in this unique hydro-geology.
Before the Schwartz well is surveyed at the end of August, EnCana, in a further, astonishing move, volunteers to survey our property as well. When the COGCC ordered EnCana to conduct a soil gas survey of the nine-mile moratorium area in 2004, our property was inexplicably excised. Now, I wonder how that could have happened, especially when we raised nine kinds of heck about it.
In March, we bring the issue of hydrocarbons infiltrating domestic wells to the attention of Garfield County via a letter. Apparently, the county forwarded it to the COGCC.
In our letter, we asked again for the moratorium to be reinstated. To not do so is, we feel, egregious negligence of the sort that led to the Gulf oil disaster.
June 07, 2010
We again, in person, and for last time ask Garfield County to ask the COGCC
for a moratorium.
No dice. (Commissioner Tresi Houpt - recused herself due to her service on
COGCC Board).
I presented a packet demonstrating the background of this situation: its geology, hydrology, soil surveys, risks to groundwater, etc.
Garfield County's Oil and gas Liaison also presented and expressed frustration at the Country's inability to work with the COGCC environmental supervisor to gain access to data and resolve professional disagreement regarding theories relative to ongoing seeps in the area.
Garfield County's environmental consultant also presented a summation of his findings from the Phase I study, Phase II study and Analysis of the 2008 Divide Creek Seep.
Commissioner Mike Samson agreed to my request that Dr. Thyne follow-up with his review of circumstances surrounding West Divide Creek and the seep of 2008. He stopped short of recommending a moratorium.
As expected, Commission Martin noted the importance of jobs over public health.
While there is little hope I will ever see eye-to-eye with Commissioner Martin, and certainly, I fail to appreciate unquestioning adherence to party-line positions from any political representative, I deeply appreciate Commissioner Samson's common-sense and open-minded approach to this complicated issue. Since he first heard our appeal for Garfield County to request the COGCC to reinstate the moratorium, he has appeared to sincerely endeavor to embrace the comprehensive nature of this public health issue, going so far as to pick up the phone himself and request a sit-down conference between the COGCC's environmental supervisor and Garfield County's Oil and gas Liaison and retained environmental consultant.
To date that has not occurred.
The minutes from our June 7th presentation to the County are here - but fail to account for a majority portion of dialogue.
August, 29 2010
Investigation into symptoms which increasingly avail themselves in the former moratorium area
On the 31st of August (eleven days after putting up a rig on the rim of Summerhawk Valley) EnCana's subcontractors are to embark on a soil gas survey for parts of our property.
In the 2004 soil gas survey, our property was excluded, despite there having been symptoms of a seep across it and hydrocarbons detected in the soil on either side of it.
Quite unexpectedly, there appears to be a sudden and concerted effort by the COGCC to figure out what is occurring in this former moratorium area.
Appointed to the task is who appears to be a truly competent, conscientious, objective and capable individual conducting what I would call a reasonable and logical investigation - albeit a bit late in the game.
At this point, I expect this person could well be being positioned in a way which attempts to insulate from culpability those who have botched or intentionally blocked nearly every inquiry into investigation thus far.
Why would I think that, when some could argue the renewed expression of gas in the Moon well is basis enough for such an investigation? Because we would argue that 1) the 2008 seep which is ongoing; 2) impacts to monitor wells; 3) impacts to another neighbor's domestic well; and, 4) EnCana's failure to explain the continued expression of the 2004 seep - also ongoing - should have provided that basis long before now.
Any reasonable person would also argue that to impact an investigation at this stage with very nearby drilling activities - as from the newly positioned O1EB - will only 'muddy the waters'.
Are muddy waters being summoned? Does the COGCC need a 'fall-guy'... someone to put forth a credentialed, heroic but ultimately futile effort, and yield an inconclusive summary only to have drilling commence as if best efforts had long led the way?
Maybe this protracted struggle with an all-too political regulatory agency, that has heretofore appeared more interested in stonewalling than fact-finding, has me a bit jaded. I'd like to believe all this is an innocent or even logical coincidence. And maybe, in part, I will believe that. But, after all these long, difficult years, the theory of benign inattention just doesn't quite add up.
Curiously, this representative launches an investigation (and seemingly very sincerely so) over two years after the 2008 seep emerged and continues to persist, and in concert with a newly engaged and massive drilling assault set to assume on Summerhawk Valley begun a little over a week ago.
I give full credit to this representative's manner and methodology. But I fear, in the face of the destruction surely to come, the effort - and whatever reason that propels it - is simply too late.
