Category Archives: Natural Gas Industry

Truthland – an Answer to Gasland?

The Gas Industry has come out with a movie “Truthland” their answer to GasLand.

Here is the trailer for Truthland

You can go to the Truthland site and watch the entire movie. I haven’t done that yet. (Don’t you think the kissing the baby thing is shameless?)

Here is the trailer for Gasland:

Personally I thought GasLand, which I saw on NetFlix was a good movie. It could have been a great movie if they paid as much attention to the facts as they did the cinematography but hey, that’s the movie business. I can’t vouch for Truthland and I can see why some would view it skeptically because it was funded by the gas industry. But hey you know what? I think that you and I should look at all opinions and presentations skeptically, but not cynically.

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(Sweetie’s family is not afraid of fracking. They are here having a picnic on a Chesapeake Energy well site in western Oklahoma. The well was horizontally drilled into and hydraulically fracked in the Colony Wash formation. Sweetie is in the back at the far left standing up trying to sneak some food. So far, no ill effects except that I have gotten somewhat older, fatter, balder, dumber, and uglier since the event.)

Do your research, check the facts, decide for yourself but keep an open mind. Write your Senator, take some action if you feel led. Don’t take everything at face value. Think about what the unstated assumptions are? (Like do you really want all the water quality enforcement everywhere taken over by the Federal Government? Is that good? bad? Why? Or should exploration companies be allowed unchecked access anywhere they want regardless of the environmental impact? Why? Can’t we keep sensitive areas untouched? Why not?) Check and see who has what to gain or lose by presenting a certain viewpoint.

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It’s kind of fun actually googling GasLand and TruthLand and seeing how the pro and con fracking trolls are tearing each other up on the internet. Are the various advocates answering questions and providing information that can be checked or are they just bobbing and weaving?

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(And they like hot showers in the morning!)

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(And your most stubborn oilman likes a to get away from it all to a place with  clean air and water.)

I could give you a bunch of links, but I’m not. Just google it. Read the pros and the cons. Make up your own mind. (But keep it open.)

Hydraulic Fracturing Equipment

Can I get off my soapbox now?

(Full disclosure: I work for a natural gas pipeline company and I don’t have any problem with properly designed and executed fracking. My opinions are my own and not necessarily that of my employer).

Skywatch Friday – Something New Out on the Prairie

Used to be that what dominated the sky in western Oklahoma were grain elevators like this one in the town of Geary.

Grain elevator - Geary, Oklahoma

The farmers are still growing lots of wheat in Oklahoma but they have also leased their minerals to the natural gas producers who have brought new features to the landscape.

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Late afternoon, Canadian County, Oklahoma, drilling rigs trying to tap the Cana Woodford Shale formation  for natural gas.


Skywatch Friday

Ruby Tuesday – Orpha’s Lounge

Drab day to be looking for Ruby Tuesday photographs last week. I saw lots of red over near Orpha’s. Tulsa’s most venerable dive bar.

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(No I was not in Orpha’s before I captured this image. I kind of like the tilt, sorry.)

I’ve seen lots of people passed out in front of it over the years. Well maybe two or three in twenty years.

IMG_7684 Orphas Gas Meter

As some of you know, I work for natural gas pipeline company. So I’m really liking their gas meter. Sure looks better than standard utility company gray.

Ruby Tuesday 2

Damn the Torpedos….. Fort Morgan, Alabama

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During our recent vacation to Alabama we went to Fort Morgan State Historic Site which guards the entrance to Mobile Bay.

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There has been a fort there since before the War of 1812. There is a small information packed information packed museum on site that tells the story. Wikipedia also has information on Fort Morgan. The fort consists of over 40 million bricks most set with slave labor.

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The Fort was important in the War of 1812 and the Civil War, and the Spanish American War, and was manned during both World Wars. I. During all that time the the fortifications were added to and modified so it is quite an extensive area.

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There are lots of underground chambers that are pretty spooky. If only they could talk.

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It was here during the Civil War during the Battle of Mobile Bay that Union Admiral Farragut uttered, “Damn the torpedoes, ull speed ahead!” Torpedoes back then were actually remotely actuated mines. Anyway, it is unclear whether he actually said it or not. But it makes a heck of a story.

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Where the Battle of Mobile Bay raged exists now the huge Mobile Bay Gas Field. It, Fort Morgan, and the surrounding area seem to coexist rather well.

Our World

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GasLand – The Movie on HBO

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GasLand is a documentary movie that has come out that is critical of the Natural Gas industry especially some of their drilling and completion methods. It is showing on HBO tonight and I plan to watch it if I can to see what it’s all about. Of course I’m very interested because I work in the Natural Gas industry so I’m going to watch it if Sweetie will let me have the remote.

Here is the GasLand official trailer.

GasLand has a website listed but it doesn’t seem to go anywhere. Give it a shot if you like here.

Here is the HBO Link. It has all sorts of good stuff on it including links to environmental organizations.

The Independent Petroleum Association of America (“IPAA”) through their Energy in Depth website has posted a detailed counter to many of the assertions made in the film. You can check that out here. It is quite detailed and if you want to look at a simpler version of their specific points check this.

For the record, I haven’t seen the movie but the trailer seems a little sensationalist to me. I know the IPAA is hardly an impartial source but they do provide links to back up their claims. If you watch the movie please comment back and let me know what you think.

Thanks,