Floyd-area resident: ‘I would give back the money’
By Amy Widner
LITTLE ROCK — Jerry and Nora Quattlebaum, who live outside of Floyd, hope that others will take their Fayetteville Shale experience as a cautionary tale.
“They (the gas companies) are not whatthey say,” Jerr y said. “If I had it to do over, I would give back the money. Overall, I think the gas industry is great for the state and great for the county, but there are two sides to every story.
“I have two dry holes on my property. I have dealt with two different gas companies. My experience is that on the front end, you’re good buddies, but once theydon’t need you anymore, they disappear,” Jerry said.
The Quattlebaums’ first well was worked by Hallwood Energy. It was right next to the road, causing very little damage to the surrounding environs, and Hallwood capped it when they finished trying to get natural gas from the well. Quattlebaum said they were a little slow but did the environmental reclaim work they are required to do by the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission.
The second well was worked by Chesapeake Energy, who punched a mile-long road through the Quattlebaum property, crossing a creek and ending at the extreme back end of their land. Work stopped at the site in June, but Chesapeake has not returned to seal off the well and prevent environmentaldamage, despite verbal assurances that the work would be done, Quattlebaum said.
In the meantime, Quattlebaum added, contamination from the site has been leaking into the nearby creek, especially after the intense rains brought to the state by hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The Quattlebaums have hadto call the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, the state agency responsible for monitoring gas industry projects for pollution.
“It’s a mess,” Quattlebaum said.
Quattlebaum said the key is getting the paperwork right in the first place and then documenting as much of the companies’ actions as possible along the way in case something goes wrong.He and his wife have started attending Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission hearings and gathering as much information as they can in hopes that they’re not too late to find a solution to their problem.
Quattlebaum has basically given up hope that his situation will be fixed without getting a lawyer involved. He is considering starting a loose group to provide support for people in similar situations and advice for those just getting into the gas industry.
“There’s a lot that has to be considered before you start spending those checks,” Quattlebaum said. “There’s always a downside, and sometimes that downside outweighs the good. It’s definitely something you have to be aware of, because it could happen to you.
- awidner@arkansasonline.com
This article was published Thursday, October 2, 2008.
Three Rivers, Pages 57 on 10/02/2008
