Living in fear of drilling impact in Khon Kaen

[webfact]

Living in fear of drilling impact in Khon Kaen
CHULARAT SAENGPASSA
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- EVERY morning members of the Ban Na Mun-Dun Sad Environmental Conservation Group in Khon Kaen's Kranuan district gather to raise villager awareness about what they allege will be the negative impact of a nearby petroleum-drilling operation.

It is feared that Apico (Khorat) Ltd's upcoming natural gas flaring - a drilling operation in which unwanted gas is burned off via huge naked flames - could yield a negative impact on the environment.

A previous warning for residents not to use rainwater and a lack of explanations has left people nervous and worried.

"Everyday we live in fear. We have a meeting at alternate places to exchange information," said the group's co-ordinator Nattaporn Artharn, adding that the villagers' fear and their desire to protect the community's resources prompted them to come together to protest, even when martial law was in effect.

She recalled how residents of Ban Na Mun Moo 4 and Moo 7 in Tambon Dun Sad officially formed this group in January after learning about Apico's plan to move in its drilling equipment.

The private company did this in February, a process guarded by hundreds of national security officers and overlooked by far fewer protesters on site, Nattaporn said.

"The private company was supported by the state, which also disregarded people's objections. Some villagers were also threatened by the officers," she said.

Some people believed the protest - given it was occurring in the Northeast - was politically motivated, Nattaporn said. But what was happening was actually the people's attempt - regardless of their political colour - to protect resources, she said.

Ban Na Mun resident Wichai Jaiboon told a recent seminar that the group gathered without leaders and all members helped one another.

"We think that the [leadership] burden should not be pushed onto anyone and we don't emphasis having anyone to decide [things] alone," he said, pointing out that the goal was to stop the gas exploration drilling and have all equipment removed. "We don't want anymore development. We are content with fresh air and our lifestyle," he added.

Another speaker, fellow villager Pakorn Sakaengtoom, said the group was established to unite the villagers and create a better understanding about the issue inside and outside the area. "We've also thought about setting up a fund to fight this case and support other community activities," he added.

In their battle to win, villagers had educated themselves about civil servants' habits, gas-drilling procedures, and the impact on other communities that suffered a similar fate, Pakorn said.

"We have to fight all the way no matter how small the percentage the company will stop. We are gathering information to fight and are trying to find possible solutions to protect our rights against a development that will aversely affect out community," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Living-in-fear-of-drilling-impact-in-Khon-Kaen-30260665.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-22

[Smegs]

Typical rabble rousing by the local Big Noodle who has not had a sufficient 'donation' into his bank account.

Same thing happened down South at Chana (Songkha). Locals told that laying a pipeline would kill all their fish.

[halloween]

Let's hope no one tells them that big fire will attract ghosts.

Edited May 22, 2015 by halloween

[rametindallas]

In their battle to win, villagers had educated themselves about civil servants' habits, gas-drilling procedures, and the impact on other communities that suffered a similar fate, Pakorn said

I'm curious to know what fate other communities have suffered. Anyone with links to suffering in other communities because of oil and gas drilling? In the US, people are delighted if the oil and gas companies want to drill because it means revenue from royalties. No one worries they will 'suffer'. I live in Texas and oil and gas drilling here, and in Oklahoma and Louisiana, is super common and super safe.

"We've also thought about setting up a fund to fight this case and support other community activities," he added.

Now we get to the crux of the matter. The protesters want to turn 'professional' and control (siphon) a fund. It looks like fear-mongering has its rewards.

Even in ecologically minded Los Angeles California, there are oil and gas wells throughout the city, including Hollywood. If there were any danger of causing bad air or water, there are enough influential people there that the oil and gas companies would have never begun drilling. Rumors in Thailand spread like wildfire and no one waits for the facts. Oil and gas companies should know this and send an advance team to educate the villagers and assure them of the safety of modern drilling techniques and the benefits to the country of energy independence. Spreading a little spending money around never hurts, also.

[MJKT2014]

What utterly one sided reporting by The Nation. This reads more like a NGO's advert than anything of news substance. Will this newspapers standards ever improve?

[impulse]

Do they go to the meetings before or after lighting fire to their sugar cane, their corn fields and their garbage?

[Pinot]

Check YouTube for "Natural gas in well water". I wouldn't want any drilling around me. I'd be on the front lines protesting if it was my neighborhood.

[sean in udon]

"It is feared that Apico (Khorat) Ltd's upcoming natural gas flaring - a drilling operation in which unwanted gas is burned off via huge naked flames - could yield a negative impact on the environment."

Always puzzled me. Perfectly good fuel going up in smoke.

[gandalf12]

If the flare is close to the residents I wouldnt want to be there. If it goes out and there is raw gas coming out it could be a disaster

[gandalf12]

"It is feared that Apico (Khorat) Ltd's upcoming natural gas flaring - a drilling operation in which unwanted gas is burned off via huge naked flames - could yield a negative impact on the environment."

Always puzzled me. Perfectly good fuel going up in smoke.

Where do you think LPG cmes from?

[halloween]

Damage to the environment, I think that's about reducing the number of edible moths in the area

[RigPig]

"It is feared that Apico (Khorat) Ltd's upcoming natural gas flaring - a drilling operation in which unwanted gas is burned off via huge naked flames - could yield a negative impact on the environment."

Always puzzled me. Perfectly good fuel going up in smoke.

Where do you think LPG cmes from?

¨Where do you think LPG cmes from?¨

So why are they burning it off? And it´s actually NPG....

[RigPig]

If the flare is close to the residents I wouldnt want to be there. If it goes out and there is raw gas coming out it could be a disaster

And you think someone wouldn´t notice it had gone out? Do you think someone just lights a match and goes for lunch at the local bar? If it goes out they just close the tap and re light it.......

[RigPig]

In their battle to win, villagers had educated themselves about civil servants' habits, gas-drilling procedures, and the impact on other communities that suffered a similar fate, Pakorn said

I'm curious to know what fate other communities have suffered. Anyone with links to suffering in other communities because of oil and gas drilling? In the US, people are delighted if the oil and gas companies want to drill because it means revenue from royalties. No one worries they will 'suffer'. I live in Texas and oil and gas drilling here, and in Oklahoma and Louisiana, is super common and super safe.

"We've also thought about setting up a fund to fight this case and support other community activities," he added.

Now we get to the crux of the matter. The protesters want to turn 'professional' and control (siphon) a fund. It looks like fear-mongering has its rewards.

Even in ecologically minded Los Angeles California, there are oil and gas wells throughout the city, including Hollywood. If there were any danger of causing bad air or water, there are enough influential people there that the oil and gas companies would have never begun drilling. Rumors in Thailand spread like wildfire and no one waits for the facts. Oil and gas companies should know this and send an advance team to educate the villagers and assure them of the safety of modern drilling techniques and the benefits to the country of energy independence. Spreading a little spending money around never hurts, also.

¨In the US, people are delighted if the oil and gas companies want to drill because it means revenue from royalties. No one worries they will 'suffer'. I live in Texas and oil and gas drilling here, and in Oklahoma and Louisiana, is super common and super safe.¨

I´m not sosure about that, those areas seem to have a bit of contoversy over ¨fracing¨ and the impact it seems to be having sround the place.

¨If there were any danger of causing bad air or water,.....¨

If you had been to any of the oil fields in the Middle East, where they just don´t care and we turn a blind eye you would see the damage that can be caused. However if enough money is spent and the correct procedures put in place and adhered to it shouldn´t be a problem. However we are in Thailand.......

¨educate the villagers and assure them of the safety of modern drilling techniques and the benefits to the country of energy independence.¨

Oil companies will only spout propaganda to suit their own end and profitability, how would that benefit anyone? However stopping them from using ANYTHING that has any oilbased products init for a week should do the job 555.....

[RigPig]

"It is feared that Apico (Khorat) Ltd's upcoming natural gas flaring - a drilling operation in which unwanted gas is burned off via huge naked flames - could yield a negative impact on the environment."

Always puzzled me. Perfectly good fuel going up in smoke.

Yep, and there is a fair chance you have no idea how much just gets burned off. It´s simple, the money is in the oil!!! They quite often use the gas pressure to push the oil down the pipe line and then just burn it. It is absolutely criminal when you see what REALLY goes on.

Flaring the line on a production well is common and probably necessary. It is done to relive the pressure in the hole, gas usually sits on top of the oilif you relieve the pressure where the gas is then the oil will flow into the space and then the pressure (imagine having 3 Kilometeres of rock on top of you) will force it up the hole where you can harvest it. A VERY rough description.

[eeeya]

Thailand is a gas producer for their electricity.. Where do you think it comes from. Pedal power I guess

[MobileContent]

In their battle to win, villagers had educated themselves about civil servants' habits, gas-drilling procedures, and the impact on other communities that suffered a similar fate, Pakorn said

I'm curious to know what fate other communities have suffered. Anyone with links to suffering in other communities because of oil and gas drilling? In the US, people are delighted if the oil and gas companies want to drill because it means revenue from royalties. No one worries they will 'suffer'. I live in Texas and oil and gas drilling here, and in Oklahoma and Louisiana, is super common and super safe.

"We've also thought about setting up a fund to fight this case and support other community activities," he added.

Now we get to the crux of the matter. The protesters want to turn 'professional' and control (siphon) a fund. It looks like fear-mongering has its rewards.

Even in ecologically minded Los Angeles California, there are oil and gas wells throughout the city, including Hollywood. If there were any danger of causing bad air or water, there are enough influential people there that the oil and gas companies would have never begun drilling. Rumors in Thailand spread like wildfire and no one waits for the facts. Oil and gas companies should know this and send an advance team to educate the villagers and assure them of the safety of modern drilling techniques and the benefits to the country of energy independence. Spreading a little spending money around never hurts, also.

The difference is that the villagers around that drilling sites get nothing.

[RigPig]

Check YouTube for "Natural gas in well water". I wouldn't want any drilling around me. I'd be on the front lines protesting if it was my neighborhood.

I havn´t looked but it probbly isn´t all that uncommon. The water tables are sealed off, and how it is done all depends on the situation, but rubber seals are quite often used and they can fail, and accidents do happen. However if the correct precautions are taken it is reasonably foolproof. We do however live in Thailand and I can see money being passed under the table to save costs.....

[gandalf12]

"It is feared that Apico (Khorat) Ltd's upcoming natural gas flaring - a drilling operation in which unwanted gas is burned off via huge naked flames - could yield a negative impact on the environment."

Always puzzled me. Perfectly good fuel going up in smoke.

Where do you think LPG cmes from?

¨Where do you think LPG cmes from?¨

So why are they burning it off? And it´s actually NPG....

They burn a flare as a safety measure. If anything goes wrong they can divert to the flare. The gas may be very sour and insufficient to make it profitable to process, I dont know but you are right it should be minimal to the flare and save the rest. Knock any Sulphur out and sell that as well.

[rametindallas]

"It is feared that Apico (Khorat) Ltd's upcoming natural gas flaring - a drilling operation in which unwanted gas is burned off via huge naked flames - could yield a negative impact on the environment."

Always puzzled me. Perfectly good fuel going up in smoke.

Flaring is not continuous but happens for safety reasons as an overload preventer. The oil and gas companies install systems to recover as much of that gas as possible because that is money going up in flames.

http://www.exxonmobil.com/AP-English/about_who_profile_understanding_flares.aspx

[rametindallas]

In their battle to win, villagers had educated themselves about civil servants' habits, gas-drilling procedures, and the impact on other communities that suffered a similar fate, Pakorn said

I'm curious to know what fate other communities have suffered. Anyone with links to suffering in other communities because of oil and gas drilling? In the US, people are delighted if the oil and gas companies want to drill because it means revenue from royalties. No one worries they will 'suffer'. I live in Texas and oil and gas drilling here, and in Oklahoma and Louisiana, is super common and super safe.

"We've also thought about setting up a fund to fight this case and support other community activities," he added.

Now we get to the crux of the matter. The protesters want to turn 'professional' and control (siphon) a fund. It looks like fear-mongering has its rewards.

Even in ecologically minded Los Angeles California, there are oil and gas wells throughout the city, including Hollywood. If there were any danger of causing bad air or water, there are enough influential people there that the oil and gas companies would have never begun drilling. Rumors in Thailand spread like wildfire and no one waits for the facts. Oil and gas companies should know this and send an advance team to educate the villagers and assure them of the safety of modern drilling techniques and the benefits to the country of energy independence. Spreading a little spending money around never hurts, also.

The difference is that the villagers around that drilling sites get nothing.

They get to live in a country that is not totally dependent on imported oil and gas. That improves Thailand's balance-of-trade and leaves more money in the country for them to have access to. Why is energy independence a bad thing?

[rametindallas]

Check YouTube for "Natural gas in well water". I wouldn't want any drilling around me. I'd be on the front lines protesting if it was my neighborhood.

I havn´t looked but it probbly isn´t all that uncommon. The water tables are sealed off, and how it is done all depends on the situation, but rubber seals are quite often used and they can fail, and accidents do happen. However if the correct precautions are taken it is reasonably foolproof. We do however live in Thailand and I can see money being passed under the table to save costs.....

Fracking is done miles deeper than any water table. There are plenty of natural gas 'seeps' in the world that occur naturally and predate fracking.

[RigPig]

¨Where do you think LPG cmes from?¨

So why are they burning it off? And it´s actually NPG....

They burn a flare as a safety measure. If anything goes wrong they can divert to the flare. The gas may be very sour and insufficient to make it profitable to process, I dont know but you are right it should be minimal to the flare and save the rest. Knock any Sulphur out and sell that as well.

"It is feared that Apico (Khorat) Ltd's upcoming natural gas flaring - a drilling operation in which unwanted gas is burned off via huge naked flames - could yield a negative impact on the environment."

Always puzzled me. Perfectly good fuel going up in smoke.

Flaring is not continuous but happens for safety reasons as an overload preventer. The oil and gas companies install systems to recover as much of that gas as possible because that is money going up in flames.

http://www.exxonmobil.com/AP-English/about_who_profile_understanding_flares.aspx

Flaring on a land rig anyway is not done for safety (at least not primarily) and this issue is about flaring on a rig site, by the sound of it, as the first line of your quoted article says :

Flares are important safety devices used in refineries and petrochemical facilities.

We use a Blow Out Preventer and drilling mud to control excess pressure. Flaring at a refinery will already be happening somewhere else....

[RigPig]

Check YouTube for "Natural gas in well water". I wouldn't want any drilling around me. I'd be on the front lines protesting if it was my neighborhood.

I havn´t looked but it probbly isn´t all that uncommon. The water tables are sealed off, and how it is done all depends on the situation, but rubber seals are quite often used and they can fail, and accidents do happen. However if the correct precautions are taken it is reasonably foolproof. We do however live in Thailand and I can see money being passed under the table to save costs.....

Fracking is done miles deeper than any water table. There are plenty of natural gas 'seeps' in the world that occur naturally and predate fracking.

You still have to drill past (through) the water table, and seal it off appropriately. Depending on the area the bigger problem can be H2S which is odourless and deadly. I can´t remember if Thailand had H2S issues or not when I drilled here, I don´t think it does.

[tbthailand]

In their battle to win, villagers had educated themselves about civil servants' habits, gas-drilling procedures, and the impact on other communities that suffered a similar fate, Pakorn said

I'm curious to know what fate other communities have suffered. Anyone with links to suffering in other communities because of oil and gas drilling? In the US, people are delighted if the oil and gas companies want to drill because it means revenue from royalties. No one worries they will 'suffer'. I live in Texas and oil and gas drilling here, and in Oklahoma and Louisiana, is super common and super safe.

"We've also thought about setting up a fund to fight this case and support other community activities," he added.

Now we get to the crux of the matter. The protesters want to turn 'professional' and control (siphon) a fund. It looks like fear-mongering has its rewards.

Even in ecologically minded Los Angeles California, there are oil and gas wells throughout the city, including Hollywood. If there were any danger of causing bad air or water, there are enough influential people there that the oil and gas companies would have never begun drilling. Rumors in Thailand spread like wildfire and no one waits for the facts. Oil and gas companies should know this and send an advance team to educate the villagers and assure them of the safety of modern drilling techniques and the benefits to the country of energy independence. Spreading a little spending money around never hurts, also.

obviously no one in Texas is worried... http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/01/07/26-earthquakes-later-fracking-s-smoking-gun-is-in-texas.html

except for the ones afraid that fracking will stop... http://www.npr.org/2015/05/20/408156948/new-texas-law-makes-local-fracking-bans-illegal

[bendejo]

And then comes the question of how this oil will be transported out to the rest of the world. Railroad? Um....