Here's Jim Fuquay's Q&A with George Mitchell, who drilled the first well in the Barnett Shale in 1981. Jim reports the well was a puny producer thatl took 17 years to become profitable, but led to the drilling boom that's seized the field today.
-- Scott Nishimura
(Photo: Mitchell, left, at a Fort Worth party in his honor this week)
CURIOUS ABOUT THE BARNETT SHALE? HERE ARE SOME USEFUL LINKS:
CORPORATE
www.askchesapeake.com (Chesapeake Energy site)
DRILLING ORDINANCES
Arlington (includes city gas drilling resource page)
Bedford (city's gas drilling page, including ordinance and property owner Q&A)
Bedford (city's comparison of provisions in several area drilling ordinances)
Colleyville (city web site)
Fort Worth (includes city gas drilling resource page)
Grapevine (Type "gas drilling" in the search bar to find the ordinance)
ECONOMIC IMPACT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Barnett Shale Economic Impact Study, Ray Perryman, 2007
The Economic and Fiscal Impacts of Devon Energy in Denton, Tarrant and Wise Counties, Bernard Weinstein and Terry Clower, University of North Texas, 2004
Public Perception of the Natural Gas Industry: Insights from Two Barnett Shale Counties, Sam Houston State University, 2007 (Johnson County results, Wise County results)
Credit FAQ: Why the Barnett Shale Gas Basin Could Benefit Texas Municipalities, Standard & Poor's, 2008
LEASE FORMS
NEIGHBORHOODS
Arlington Neighborhood Network, City of Arlington site. Includes updated contact info.
Arlington neighborhoods, neighborhoodlink.com. Spotty, but includes some info, such as neighborhood association email addresses, that isn't on the city site.
Bedford neighborhood associations, City of Bedford site, includes updated contact info.
Benbrook neighborhood associations, City of Benbrook site. Includes updated contact info.
Colleyville neighborhood associations, City of Colleyville site, includes updated contact info.
Fort Worth neighborhood database, City of Fort Worth site. Includes updated contact info.
Grapevine homeowner associations. City of Grapevine site. Includes contact info.
ORGANIZATIONS
Barnett Shale Energy Education Council
Fort Worth League of Neighborhoods Gas Drilling Resource Page, including "Tips for Neighborhoods Negotiating Gas Leases."
FWCanDo (Fort Worth Citizens Against Gas Drilling Ordinance)
Texas Land and Mineral Association (represents mineral rights owner)
PUBLICATIONS
Powell Barnett Shale Newsletter (paid subscription)
Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University (oil and gas publications)
GOVERNMENT
Railroad Commission of Texas, includes Barnett Shale resource page, information on regulations.
Tarrant County public records site (Includes lease/lease memo lookup so you can check out how many leases energy companies are filing in Tarrant County, and where.)
ROYALTY CALCULATOR
Fort Worth League of Neighborhoods gas resource drilling page
CONTINUING EDUCATION
TCU Energy Institute's Petroleum Land Practices Program
KNOW OF A GREAT LINK THAT'S NOT LISTED HERE? Let us know about it! snishimura@star-telegram.com
