As oil and gas drilling booms throughout the state, a new court case has raised concerns about the oversight of so-called landfarms, the privately owned, state-regulated sites used to dispose of the waste produced during the drilling process. Read the full story at StateImpact Texas.
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Comments (3)
David Spratt
The term used commonly is " Mud Farm." The mud disposed of in these privately owned farms is supposed to be water based drilling muds only which consists of Bentonite a naturally occurring clay. Berms are used to control runoff and contain mud. After this is tilled into the soil grass grows very well There is no indication that even with the additives used in water based drilling fluids that environmental damage is done.
Oil based drilling fluids cannot be disposed of in this manner. Oil based fluids must be disposed of at a disposal site classified for disposal of hazardous waste. While some companies may be violating the law and should be punished ,,, this is not the doom and gloom scenario portrayed here. No distinction is made between the different types of fluids used or the impact they have in this article.
While some try and cut corners as some people will always do, on the whole the industry is responsible. EVERYONE working in it knows we are all under the microscope and on the hit list. Americans love their cars and modern conveniences that require energy, but on the other hand attack the very source of their comforts. A few bad operators should not be taken as indicative of the industry as a whole.
We breath the same air and drink the same water as everyone else and welcome constructive dialogue and solutions ,, but resent being demonized for simply trying to earn a living to feed our families and provide for the energy needs of this country.
BiffTannen
If you have to use an euphemism to cover up what you're doing, then it is inherently something you shouldn't be doing.
There are plenty of dump sites in Wise County where it is apparent that what is dumped on the ground isn't just mud. Just like the water that is injected into dead wells isn't just "salt water".
David Spratt
Most of the people accepting this slurry of drill tailings are small private landowners. All of which are obviously Republicans since we all know they crave dirty water , air, and now poisoned land. Makes perfect sense ,,,,, most of them raise cattle or bale hay on this land. So naturally they would poison it so it would be non-productive .