Jun 10, 2008
by Kevin Buchanan
It’s just energy news day, isn’t it? The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Fort Worth’s own XTO Energy will be purchasing Hunt Petroleum:
Natural-gas producer XTO Energy Inc. has agreed to acquire closely held Hunt Petroleum Corp. for $4.19 billion in cash and stock, a deal that may help put to rest a Hunt family feud.
The purchase price consists of $2.6 billion in cash and 23.5 million shares of XTO common stock valued at approximately $1.6 billion, or $67.50 a share.
[Read more]
Jun 8, 2008
by Steve-O
Jim Bradbury, the District 9 representative on the City’s Gas Drilling Task Force, is West and Clear’s guest for today’s podcast. He discusses the Task Force’s work on this issue, as well as many of other related areas, such as the Trinity Trail and public parks, eminent domain abuse and pipelines, injection wells and setback requirements. I would like to encourage concerned citizens of Fort Worth to attend the Public Hearing on Monday night at 6:30 at City Hall. I’d also like to encourage you to listen to Jim’s explanation of the issues.
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Apr 22, 2008
by Steve-O
The City Council voted unanimously this morning to extend its moratorium on new wastewater disposal wells for another six months, Don Young of FWCanDo told me in a phone call a few minutes ago.
Apr 21, 2008
by Steve-O
I know folks are busy, but I’d like to ask you to take a couple of minutes and write a letter to the Mayor and your City Council representative and ask them to vote to extend the moratorium on saltwater disposal wells in the City of Fort Worth.
If this extension is not passed, additional injection wells could be drilled within the city.
Jim Bradbury, the Fort Worth Gas Drilling Task Force representative from District 9, is asking all concerned Fort Worth citizens to “send a message to their City Council representatives calling for the extension of the moratorium.” Bradbury goes on to say he has “deep concerns about even letting one more injection well in the city and moreover that this is being conducted without adequate public participation and input.” He takes this position because the issue of injection wells was removed from topics allowed for consideration by the Gas Drilling Task Force where citizen input should occur.
Hell, I’ll even write the letter for you. Just cut, paste and make any needed edits:
Dear Mayor and Members of the Council:
I urge you to vote tonight to extend the moratorium on saltwater injection wells in the City of Fort Worth. Although the Mayor has wrongfully chosen to use rule by edict and keep the issue of wastewater disposal — which is known to contain many harmful chemicals which would jeopardize the health the safety of the people of Fort Worth — out of an appropriate public forum such as the gas drilling task force, I still believe it is not too late to do the right thing and extend the moratorium. In the meantime, give the people of Fort Worth a say on how this issue is handled. Allow the Gas Drilling Task Force to address this issue.
Sincerely,
A citizen of Fort Worth
You may find the e-mail addresses you need right here.
Oh, and in case you are wondering how effective the Texas Railroad Commission oversight of oil and gas drilling is in this state, check this out. The answer is “not very effective.”
Apr 7, 2008
by Pete Wann
Editor’s Note:At about 5 minutes into the show, the air compressor kicks on in the bike shop. Turn your speakers down. It only lasts about 15 seconds.
This week’s guest is Don Young, the man behind the Friends of Tandy Hills and lead organizer of Prairie Fest, which will be held on Saturday, the 26th from 11AM to 7PM.
Also this week:
Don’t forget to get out and vote on Tuesday in the Democratic Primary runoff for Railroad Commissioner.
There will be a $60 buy-in charity poker tournament benefiting the Euless Trinity Trojans Football team this Friday at the Rahr & Sons Brewery. The tournament starts at 7PM. I have no info on prizes.
If you’re looking for a way to spend your morning on Saturday the 26th, you could do worse than to start at Dane Fest in Keller. (Why NOT hit two Fests in one day?) Normally we don’t plug things outside the city limits, but this is a good cause.
Special thanks to this episode’s sponsor: Rahr and Sons Brewing. They tell me that Summertime Wheat is in the works and should be out within the next two months, just in time for 100 degree weather. The Monk tells me that local beer is the best no matter the style, because it’s as fresh as it can be without drinking directly from the bottling line hoses. (He also says that the “local is better” rule only applies if your local brewery makes good beer.)
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Mar 31, 2008
by Kevin Buchanan
Big real estate news - Chesapeake Energy has purchased the Pier 1 Tower.
“The purchase of this architecturally significant building in downtown Fort Worth clearly demonstrates Chesapeake’s commitment to a very long-term presence in the Barnett Shale play,” said Julie H. Wilson, Chesapeake’s vice president of corporate development, in a written statement. “This building will allow us to provide much needed office space to support our rapidly growing Barnett Shale activities and will give our employees the space, amenities and resources they need to perform their jobs at the highest level.”
Pier 1 will continue to occupy about 250,000 square feet and plans to enter into a seven year lease agreement at closing. The anticipated transaction closing is no later than June 30. The $104 million purchase price was disclosed in a Pier 1 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Interesting. I wonder if they’ll be turning the lights back on? There will surely be much discussion amongst us Fort Worth architecture geeks about this, not to mention the gas drilling angle.
Tip of the hat to Crystal Forester at the Fort Worth Business Press.
UPDATE: Chesapeake is making some fairly obvious hints that the building’s signature crown lighting will be coming back.
Mar 17, 2008
by Pete Wann
This week, we’re joined by Jason Smith, the attorney challenging the shady dealings at the TRWD and City Hall around the Trinity Trees Drilling site.
Technical note: We’ve been making some adjustments to how the podcast is delivered so that we can ensure it’s showing up properly in iTunes and/or however else you get it. PLEASE, take a moment to check your subscription in iTunes and make sure that all of the most recent shows are there. Those of you who use iTunes and want our show delivered automatically to your iTunes library whenever we post one, click here and subscribe!
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Mar 10, 2008
by Pete Wann
This week:
Sign the petition to put a moratorium on high-impact gas well variances!
Arlo Guthrie is appearing at Bass Hall Wednesday. Bernie has tickets, but he doesn’t know much about the guy except that he wants to go see it.
Central Market and The Fort Worth Weekly are resuming their “Burgers and Bock” concert series this week. (I can’t find a damn thing on that black hole they call a website, so I’m just going to link to it, and you can give it a go.) One of my favorite local celtic rock bands (OH MAN am I white!), The Killdares, will be the headliner for the annual Paddy O’ Party, this Saturday, the 15th. It must not be that big of a deal, though, since NEITHER website says a damn thing about it.
We probably talked about other things, too, but I’m too tired from following Bernie (and everyone else who went) on “The Official Monday Night Group Ride.” Here’s a tip, kids, for living comfortably after YOU have turned 30. If your idea of exercise is trotting up the 9 stairs between your sub-basement cube and the main office in the slightly-less-basementy part of the building, DON’T try to jump back into fitness with a 20 mile bike ride. Take it from me. I’m still numb in the you-know-where.
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