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Saturday, December 9, 2017

Were Seismic Operations Illegally Conducted by the Oil and Gas Industry in Boulder County? Supporting Documents May Reveal Answers

It appears three oil and gas operators conducted seismic operations in Boulder County in 2013 and 2014. According to documents and mapping maintained by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, (COGCC), Extraction Oil and Gas Inc., Encana Oil and Gas and Anadarko Petroleum Corporation have conducted 3D seismic testing operations in Boulder County. 

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

1.) Extraction Oil and Gas Inc., filed a Form 20 (Notice of intent to Conduct Seismic Operations) on December 8 2014. With the signatures of COGCC Director, Matt Lepore and Permit Technician and project manager, John Krull approved Extraction’s approximate 41 square mile seismic testing for shale in Larimer, Weld and Boulder Counties.

On the Form 20, Extraction indicated that their start date for seismic testing would occur one month prior to the authorization of the permit with an estimated date of completion of Feb 15 2015.

The type of seismic shale testing conducted is listed as 3-D – Vibroseis.  It is a truck-mounted or buggy-mounted device that is capable of injecting low-frequency vibrations into the earth.


Vibroseis trucks conduction seismic shale operations. Image Wikipedia




















Extraction hired Houston Texas contracting company, Geokinetics USA Inc. to conduct the seismic testing with RLI Insurance holding the bond for the operations.

COGCC FORM 20 - Extraction Oil and Gas authorized permit to conduct
seismic activities in Boulder County. Click  image to enlarge.
Extraction's 3D mapping indicating Boulder County in 3N 69W.
Note the bottom right of map indicating Larimer, Boulder and Weld Counties
are the area of seismic testing interest. Click map to enlarge.
































































Green area illustrates Extraction's seismic operations in Boulder County.
















Reviewing the legend on the bottom right indicates the green areas are listed by Extraction as
'Good to Go.' Could this mean seismic permitting authorization has been approved or the
shale is viable for drilling?

































LINK TO DOWNLOAD EXTRACTION DOCUMENTS


2.) Encana Oil and Gas Inc., filed a COGCC Form 20A - Completion Report for Seismic Operations on April 18 2013. Notice of intent Form 20 is missing from the COGCC's database.

Encana's seismic operations contracted by Lockhart Geophysical Crew #4 out of Montana consisted of 5,438 square miles of 3-D Vibroseis methodology in Weld and Boulder Counties starting on March 15 2013 with a stated completion date of March 24 2013.

It seems odd that seismic operations for 5,438 square miles could be completed in a mere nine days  by Encana when in-fact, it took Extraction almost three months to conduct seismic testing on much smaller 41 square miles.


Encana Oil and Gas Inc Form 20A Completion report for Seismic Operations.
Click to enlarge







































Longmont, CO map indicating Encana's seismic activities. Red diagram - left side





































Encana's seismic operations mapping - possibly indicating select areas in Boulder County
(left side of map - red areas).



































LINK TO DOWNLOAD ENCANA'S SEISMIC DOCUMENTS


3.) Anadarko Petroleum Corporation filed a Completion report for Seismic Operations on April 27 2015. 

Yet another out-of state contractor was hired. Dawson Geophysical Company from Midland, Texas conducted the seismic operations on 70-100 square miles. (The Form 20A has both 70 square miles and 100 square miles listed.)

The start date of seismic activities on November 5 2014 with a completion date of December 15 2014. 


Anadarko's FORM 20A Completion report for Seismic Activities April 27 2015






On the left side of the map you'll notice 1N 69W and 2N 69W (Boulder County Sections) where
Anadarko seimic operations took place in 2014.



































Anadarko's Seismic Identifier is listed as #8750, however in the file cache, this document is listed as #8055 with information of seismic activities in Boulder County. There is more than one Identifier listed in the COGCC's database. 

There is much more to discover about Anadarko's seismic operations in Boulder County and there are many missing documents that need to be found to provide public transparency.


According to the COGCC, one of the three seismic contractors described above, Geokinetics USA Inc., conducted illegal seismic testing operations in Weld County without prior submittal and approval of a  COGCC Form 20 - Notice of Intent to Conduct Seismic Activity.

Geokinetcs USA Inc, Houston Texas was issued a ‘Notice of Alleged Violation by the COGCC and was fined $10,000 for illegal seismic testing operations for 196 days. The fines imposed were $1,000 per day of the violation, up to ten days for a maximum fine of $10,000 for ten days of illegal operations. Geokintetics was not fined for the additional 186 days of illegal operations.


One more time: Geokintetics was not fined for the additional 186 days of illegal operations.

This is a clear demonstration of ineffective, unfair and unbalanced, arbitrary and capricious COGCC oil and gas rules and regulations to issue a fine that is in no way, a deterrent. The COGCC should be fined for allowing these illegal activities to occur unnoticed for any length of time, let alone 196 continuous days.

The COGCC and the industry both know it’s clearly cheaper to operate without rules and regulations and pay a fine (also known as a fee) rather than have a single day of down-time. The COGCC rules and regulations were created with the interest of ‘time’ in mind to not fairly penalize the fracking industry for not following the suggestions in the COGCC rules and regulations handbook.  

After all, it’s the COGCC’s job to foster oil and gas development and not slow the industry down.  
      
Do not be fooled however, there are no fines that currently exist in the COGCCs Rules and Regulations that would deter an operator or contractor from practicing illegal activities if it saves them money long-term. 

In-fact, many of the violations have fines that are a positive economical avenue for the industry to take and the cost of a fine is nothing when it comes to ‘down -time’ operators would face waiting for public comments, notifications, permitting, signatures etc. - so much down time wasted on paperwork.  

The fines are designed as a public pacifier to create the appearance of penalties in action. Wait, isn't that called 'fake news?'

COGCC rules and regulations are an annoyance.  If a person got a ticket for running a stop sign or red light 196 times in a single year what would be the imposed fines and penalties? Would the operator still have a license to operate?

How could Geokinetcs USA conduct seismic operations for 196 days without the state regulators even knowing? The answer is simple; there are not enough inspectors, and the COGCC Rules and Regulations penalties and fines are insufficiently assessed and imposed.

On the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission’s website it states: ‘The Commission provides rules and regulations to establish operational standards and requirements for industry activity in the state.’ The COGCC rules and regulations are not effective or adequately enforced, but rather suggestions like a speed sign on the Autobahn. 

Operate as fast as you want, wherever you want, and don’t worry about reading the regulations, the fines are so small it does not matter and there are no police to enforce your illegal activities anyway.

This case also demonstrates the lack of enforcement of formal processes within the fracking industry and state regulators to ensure accountability of all procedures of operations. Both the COGCC and the fracking industry are not fully accountable.

Any novice review of the state’s online oil and gas database illuminates the COGCC’s and the oil and gas industry’s operations as grossly incomplete, incompetent and in shameful disarray, thus harming public health, safety and environment.



Please leave a comment and donate for more information.


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Sunday, December 3, 2017

Boulder County: Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells In Residential Areas, Near Elementary School and Seismic Permitting Already Underway


My late mentor Dr. Theo Colborn, Founder and President Emerita of The Endocrine Disruption Exchange once said: 


“Deep inside everyone, there is something bigger and stronger than we are aware of at this time that cannot be suppressed by man-made chemicals... something... that will prompt some very exceptional leadership to step forward with the courage to turn off corporate control of the government and the world -- and take back for society what it needs to thrive.”


Is Boulder County preparing to allow the fracking industry to destroy Boulder County as we once knew it? 

Will Boulder County Commissioners stand up against the oil and gas industry for the health, safety, welfare of our community and environment?  Will Boulder County 'politicians' become desensitized tools of the industry and allow reckless endangerment of hazardous industry to drill next to our homes, forcing the prices of homes to plummet, allowing a myriad of negative impacts on human health, and even Boulder County Open Space to be contaminated?

Will Boulder County 'politicians' become 'public servants' and step forward with courage to turn off corporate control and protect what Boulder County needs to thrive? 

Below is a historic overview of oil and gas activities in Boulder County. I can't help but think of the Firestone home explosion that killed two innocent men and injured others.  Home prices tanked, People could not sell their homes. Children and their parents were afraid to live in their community for fear of another catastrophic event caused by the fracking industry.

Are Boulder County Commissioners prepared to answer the questions I have laid out in this piece?

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE
Boulder, Colorado: Abandoned oil and gas wells near and under homes.










Linden Avenue: Four abandoned oil & gas wells near or under homes along the foothills. Do the property owners know? Were the abandoned oil and gas wells disclosed to the home buyer upon purchase? Does their insurance company know of these potential hazards?











Linden Drive: 3735 Wild Plum Court Boulder, CO 80304
Abandoned oil and gas well -1936. Maxwell #2 API 013-60015
No mechanical integrity test on record. There are no records indicating flow-line pressure tests were ever conducted.












555 Jack Pine Court Boulder, Colorado 
Abandoned oil and gas well on property - 1936
Maxwell #1 API 013-60014
Status UNKNOWN. No mechanical integrity test on record.
There are no records indicating flow-line pressure tests were ever conducted.











Howard Heuston Park - Trail
Abandoned oil & gas well - 1930 FOSTE #1 API 013-05010
Status UNKNOWN - No mechanical integrity test on record.
There are no records indicating flow-line pressure tests were ever conducted.











Boulder Colorado: Kalmia and 28th Street (top left). Abandoned oil & gas well on property at  'The Boulders Apartments Homes'. Abandoned oil and gas well - 1930

COGCC Inspection form states: "Location ID 379964 with the following well API:013-60011 has no evidence of disturbance based off field observations. Location is now apartment housing. Refer to attached photo in Doc.#682401153"











CLICK TO ENLARGE: 2016 COGCC Inspection report for abandoned oil and
gas well on 'The Boulders Apartment Homes' property.
COGCC states: Abandoned well location is now The Boulder Apartment Homes

The Boulder Apartment Homes Continued: CLICK TO ENLARGE



























I have three questions:

1. How does the COGCC inspect an abandoned  oil and gas well they cannot find?

2 . Why is this specific inspection listed as 'PASSED' with no follow-up inspection required thus releasing the operator's bond?'

3. Do the citizens of The Boulders Apartment Homes know of an existing  abandoned oil and gas well on their property which may be a potential danger to their health, safety and welfare?



Creekside Elementary School is located ~100' from an abandoned oil and gas well (date unknown). The name of the abandoned oil and gas well is: Martin #1 API: 013-05003 and in the backyard of 3755 Martin Drive Boulder, CO 80305.

Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation (COGCC) documents state: 'Location of well is in residential housing are. Unable to find evidence of oil and gas activities and/or disturbances.'

Inspection passed because there was 'nothing to see here folks.' The deadly explosion in Firestone also did not have evidence of oil and gas activities or disturbances.
3755 Martin Drive Boulder, Colorado location of abandoned oil and gas well. 
~100' from Creekside Elementary School. Abandoned oil and gas well listed as 'plugged' but there are no records at the COGCC confirming the well was in-fact plugged.









Boulder County overview of abandoned oil and gas well locations.











Teal blue areas indicate 'seismic testing'  into Boulder County. Black vertical line indicates Boulder County to the West and Weld County to the East. Red dots indicate oil and gas well locations.

























It appears Boulder County Commissioners have given permission to Anadarko Oil and Gas, Extraction Oil and Gas and Encana Oil and Gas to conduct seismic operations, testing the shale before filing for drilling permits. 

Will Boulder County forever become ruin?


Will Boulder County Commissioners take the advice of one of the world's most prominent women in science and humanity and seek the courage to stand on the right side of humanity and history? 

















Out with politicians, in with public servants.



Want more data regarding this piece? Please donate.


Source: COGCC/COGIS



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Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Dear Mayor Ahrens and Mayor Pro Tem Stokes of Broomfield, CO - Have you been lying to your community about abandoned oil and gas wells under their homes?


Location: Broomfield, CO
Who: Mayor pro-tem Greg Stokes
What: Abandoned oil and gas wells near or under Broomfield residents homes, on school property and more

*Note: Don't miss Part II 'Mayor Randy Ahrens' and 'Public Servant Warning' at the bottom


Dear Mayor pro-tem Greg Stokes: Broomfield, CO:

First, it appears you have not been transparent with the community you are a 'pubic servant' to. Every community has a 'right to know' if their elected public servants have information, or know about existing potential threats or hazards to their public health, safety, welfare and environment.

I believe you, and others had prior knowledge of existing abandoned oil and gas wells in Broomfield, Colorado communities.  Many of the abandoned oil and gas wells are under occupied homes, on private properties, (where the home owner, upon purchase of said property did not receive full disclosure to the existence and location of said potential hazards). Let's not forget there are abandoned oil and gas wells on school property as well.

Lack of disclosure to the home buyer is ethically and morally unjust.  As exhibited in the recent past, an abandoned oil and gas facility and related equipment caused a house in Firestone, CO to explode into a fireball killing two people and injuring others.


























NEVER RELEASED BEFORE:  Oct 6, 2013 Firestone, CO - Location of deadly explosion and abandoned well location. Image of  home developers who appear to have severed the
flow-line using heavy equipment.
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE




A reminder to you and others - active and abandoned oil and gas wells have been shown to pose a deadly threat to those who live near their location(s).  This is a dangerous heavy industry that should never riddle neighborhoods. Period.

Mayor Ahrens and Mayor pro-tem Greg Stokes, let me also remind you that lack of disclosure of abandoned well locations to the home buyer appears to be willful and grossly negligent. It is the duty of a public servant to be transparent and act immediately to inform the community of potential threats to their safety. That is your elected and sworn duty.

Home mortgage companies and home insurance companies will undoubtedly deny or stop existing home loans once they discover the home is near, or on-top of an abandoned oil and gas well facility. I have spoken to home owners in other states that have been denied home owners insurance due to their home location near active and or abandoned oil and gas facilities.

Who is liable for the home owner's loss? Who is responsible to inform them prior to their purchase that a myriad of potential risks exist?

The City of Broomfield, its public servants, the planning and zoning commission, its lawyers, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), Matt Lepore, Dept. of Natural Resources, Colorado Division of Public Health Safety and Environment, Governor John Hickenlooper et al, should all be held accountable for placing the owner and residents at risk by  willfully allowing the development of residential homes on-top, or near abandoned oil and gas well facilities which pose a probable threat to their safety, health, welfare and environment.

This is the Setback Loophole which I publicly disclosed in 2012 that needs to be closed immediately.  All current and future residential development that is planning to build on-top, or near abandoned oil and gas facilities should cease and desist operations immediately. A statewide moratorium should be mandated.

Below is a map of abandoned wells in your backyard Mr. Stokes. But you already knew these locations existed didn't you? 

Have you knocked on the door of 4562 Longs Court, or 4765 Capitol Court and notified the occupants that it appears the City of Broomfield allowed the development of their homes on-top of, or near abandoned oil and gas well facilities?

What about address: 3751 Troon Circle?  Do the home owners know they have an abandoned well from 1992 a mere ~30' from their porch?

Coyote Ridge Middle School also has an abandoned well on its property.  Also approved by the City of Broomfield et al.

Click image to enlarge - then expand or use large monitor to view fine details
Greg Stokes, Mayor pro-tem Broomfield, CO - Have a look at your neighborhood. It appears you live about 340' from an abandoned oil and gas well-bore. Does the community know they live in a field of abandoned oil and gas hazards? What is the blast radius of a failed well-bore seeping gas that ignites? Have mechanical integrity tests been conducted by the state?

















4765 Capitol Court Broomfield, CO  according to the COGCC - COGIS database, it appears this residence has an abandoned oil & gas well in their backyard. Is this a hazard to all those that live within the vicinity? Will their mortage and insurance companies deny them loans or coverage?


Extraction Oil & Gas LLC facility and equipment locations - Broomfield, CO











Extraction Oil & Gas removal of equipment. Have the well-bore and flow-lines been pressure tested? There are no documents on the COGCC's website indicating so.

Surface removal of Extraction Oil & Gas LLC's equipment. What lies beneath, and are the adjacent homes at risk from well-bore or flow-line failures?

COGCC COGIS screen capture with abandoned oil and gas facility locations in a Broomfield, CO neighborhood. Click to enlarge image









































PART II
Mayor Randy Ahrens


Mayor Ahrens, have a look at the maps below that pertain to your backyard.  Please take great care to notice the timelines and location of the Aspen Ridge Elementary School as one point of interest amongst many.

It is always the case where the oil and gas industry 'goes first.'  The fracking industry will develop their operations and then make way for the housing developers to come in (and not have to abide by COGCC setback regulations) - Setback Loophole.


According to the COGCC's database, it appears that Extraction Oil & Gas LLC owns the Carlson 1-24 oil and gas facility developed in 1992 and there are no state records indicating a mandatory mechanical integrity test was ever conducted. Are there any associated flow-lines that were never pressure tested during the Governor's mandatory pressure check parade?

There was a notice of alleged violation NOAV Doc ID # 3608552 issued to the original operator with no subsequent documentation indicating alleged violation was take care of satisfactorily.

Aspen Ridge Elementary School was built in 1999 with full knowledge of the location of an existing oil and gas facility location  a mere 190 feet away.

Mayor Ahrens, can you provide documentation indicating this specific oil and gas facility has conducted a flow-line and mechanical integrity test? The community and school have a right to know if an increased potential threat exists.

While you're researching, please add the abandoned oil and gas well-site Martin Exploration Carson 1-24 to your list. This abandoned facility is actually on the property of Aspen Ridge elementary School. Let's have a look at the history of that facility and please provide the information to the parents of each child that attends that school.

1993 - Broomfield, CO - Oil and gas develop facility while planning Aspen Ridge Elementary School construction .  Oil and gas first, then school second, to avoid setback regulations.

1999 Broomfield, CO Aspen Ridge Elementary School construction approximately 190' from existing oil and gas facility.

Extraction Oil & Gas LLC a mere 190' from Aspen Ridge Elementary School. Does the school have an emergency response plan to evacuate the children if the oil and gas well fails?  What if the oil and gas well ignites?  What is the blast radius? Mayor Ahren's do you have a community evacuation plan? Please inform your community immediately.

Martin Exploration Carson 1-24 abandoned oil and gas well facility on the property of Aspen Ridge Elementary School. It appears no mechanical integrity test has been conducted on Extraction's: Carlson 1-24

Click image to enlarge - continue to enlarge for details
Sheridan Parkway - Broomfield, CO
Over one dozen abandoned oil and gas wells riddle this neighborhood. Many abandoned wells appear to be located underneath homes.

This map should be the context for a new horror film.  Remember, this is not my information, it is the information the COGCC has in their database and you are privy to. Everyone has access to this information, it's a right and a duty to know precisely where hazards are to prevent public harm.

Mayor Ahrens, I would like to invite you to accompany me when I walk door to door in all Broomfield communities and hand out official state and city documents illustrating that numerous homeowners may have abandoned oil and gas wells under or near their homes and schools, and that their public servants never told them about.  This is an open invitation to you and your entire staff.

Please be prepared to speak to the points "what will you do when my home owners insurance company denies me coverage?" or, "what will you do when my mortgage lender pulls my home loan?" "What do we do when a well-bore seeps methane and homes explode?" "How does our community evacuate?"


ANTHEM RANCH - Click image to enlarge
Anthem Ranch - Broomfield, CO  -  abandoned oil and gas wells near or under homes






















Mayor Ahrens, how do you explain to the community and to the world that there are twenty two (22) abandoned oil and gas wells in the Anthem Ranch neighborhood? Many are under homes, near homes and in public areas.

Please take note of your planning and zoning development mapping system (yes, your own website), where it clearly shows you have approved further development of residential homes on-top or near an additional half-dozen abandoned oil and gas wells.

How in the world, and in what world do humans allow the development of homes in a field riddled with abandoned oil and gas well hazards? This must cease immediately and every resident should be informed that there is a potential 'mine-field' of fracking industry hazards in their neighborhood and in some cases, right below their homes.

These are some of the address locations that appear to have an abandoned oil and gas well located near or under their home. Source: http://cogcc.state.co.us


  • 14985 Silver Feather Circle Broomfield, CO
  • 4947 Buffalo Grass Loop Broomfield, CO
  • 14919 Sheridan Parkway Broomfield, CO
  • 14909 Sheridan Parkway Broomfield, CO
  • 5023 Silver Feather Way Broomfield, CO
  • 4471 Tanager Road Broomfield, CO
  • 14655 Golden Eagle Run Broomfield, CO
  • Holy Family High School appears to have 3 abandoned oil and gas wells located under the school and on its property


I know every concerned citizen will take this information and tell every Broomfield resident 'What Lies Beneath.'  Will you Mayor Ahrens?

Will Broomfield be the next Firestone?

...................................


Warning: Any public servant - Mayor, County Commissioner, City Council, planning and zoning, local government designee, literally anyone who is a state or government employee that knows of potential threats to public health, safety and environment of Colorado communities and who does not perform their elected duty by immediately and publicly disclosing the locations of abandoned wells under or near homes, school, playgrounds, hospitals, public areas, etc., I will disclose all locations of active and abandoned oil and gas facilities in every community. I will have a large team of professionals going door to door in every community providing official oil and gas location documents to the home owner's while making a documentary film and holding you all accountable for your negligent behavior.  You will close your oil and gas - home development setback loophole and end the unjust, ethically reckless behavior that is negligently unbalanced and favors oil and gas over community health, safety and environment. 

You are on the wrong side of history and the courts will deem you liable. 

Out with politicians, in with public servants.






 hit the donate button if you intend to use this information please. It will            allow me to dig up more information.




please forward far and wide and leave a comment

All data sourced by COGCC: http://cogcc.state.co.us


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Sunday, November 12, 2017

What's Hiding Under Your Home? Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells in Firestone, CO

Here is a sneak peek as to what's under your home in Firestone, Colorado.

Firestone received international attention as the location of the deadly home explosion that killed two men and injured others. And just weeks after, four miles North, a second deadly explosion killed one man and sent others to a burn center when a tank holding approximately 4,000 gallon of highly flammable oil and gas exploded.

The City of Firestone has some explaining to do to its community residents as to why they appear to have allowed residential homes to be built on top or near abandoned oil and gas well site locations.

The City of Firestone immediately blocked me on Twitter because I was sharing 'right to know' information to its residents. What are you hiding Firestone?

Did the home owners ever know they were purchasing a home that was built on top of an abandoned oil and gas well?

I demonstrated in June of 2012, to the City of Loveland's Mayor, Gutierrez, that it is morally and ethically reckless to allow the development and sale of homes on top or near abandoned wells, but it appears that this 'Setback Loophole' favors the oil and gas industry and home developers and not public health, safety, welfare and environment.

This is not an oversight, it's a designed loophole that appears to be willful and negligent.

What say you Mr. Mayor of Firestone? Shall I walk door to door with a map of your City and explain to the residents that it appears public safety information may have been withheld from them? Or rather, the potential for catastrophe was approved by the City?

The citizens have a right to know if someone has marginalized their safety and that of their family.

Do the residents of Firestone know the City of Firestone appears to have approved the reckless development in pursuit of money over safety?

The maps below are a snippet of oil and gas locations in Firestone, CO. The data was derived from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission's GIS website. http://cogcc.state.co.us/#/home

Mr. Mayor, it looks like your home and other homes in your neighborhood appear to be in some form of danger.


CLICK TO ENLARGE - then expand or use large monitor
Firestone Mayor, Sorensen and Mayor Pro-Tem, Bobbi Sindelar live in a neighborhood with what appears to be, abandoned oil and gas wells under homes.



CLICK TO ENLARGE
Directional Locations (well-bore locations under ground in Firestone, CO)













































CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE
Planned development of Coal Ridge Middle School 2002

Development of Coal Ridge Middle School complete

Subsurface locations of well-bores indicating it lies beneath Coal Ridge Middle School

Distances of oil and gas - heavy industry (dangerous equipment) near areas of special concern.