Tag Archive for: stripper wells

Toxic Waste Next to Little League Fields Since Hurricane Harvey

Harvey inundated many old oil and gas properties in Humble and Kingwood, including many old stripper wells and storage tanks. Nowhere is the problem more apparent than in the abandoned well site next to the Forest Cove little league fields.

Proximity of Abandoned Site and Little League Fields

Harvey floodwaters toppled and rusted tanks which are now leaking onto the soil around them. The wells and equipment have been abandoned. All within range of a long fly ball.

Noxxe Oil & Gas, LLC used to list the abandoned property as its headquarters in Forest Cove until Harvey.
Photo taken from helicopter on 6/16/2020, 1022 days after Harvey.

A home run and you’re out! Ain’t no one going over that fence for the long ball.

Closer shot shows three wells, 16 tanks, a truck and a trailer on the site.
Sign at entrance to property indicates the Railroad Commission has seized the property and equipment. The TRCC will plug the wells and auction the equipment.
This will be a major cleanup.
It looks like one wellhead has been removed already. Tanks are ruptured and leaking. One tank has embedded itself in the ground.

Economics of Stripper Wells

As oil fields mature and well production declines, thinly capitalized operators often buy up old “stripper” wells. They hope they can still turn a profit because of their lower overhead compared to majors. But when a disaster like Harvey strikes, it exposes the flaw in that formula.

Foul!

It won’t take a major flood to cause more problems on this site and surrounding properties. Even a minor flood could spread this foul mess around.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/16/2020

1022 Days since Hurricane Harvey