Monday, May 31, 2010

Seismic Testing: This Is What Happens

Seismic Mapping in Dimock, PA from Debbra Nagle on Vimeo.

The person who narrates this video does not seem to mind the idea of testing. This is an interesting video, showing a lot of the seismic testing process. This kind of testing is being done in many, many areas right now. When a landowner signs a permit to allow this testing, the workers feel free to come on the property and do their job unannounced unless the landowner requests a phone call. I tried this on a property in PA but was never contacted.

Here is an account of one resident of PA when a worker entered a property this week where she keeps her horses and her cow:

I was sitting out on the grass with a few friends today on Post Pond Road at a friend's house where I keep my horses and cow and on walks a seismic tester surveyor; one lone man with his ribbons and stakes and walked past us, up the driveway and opened the gate to the barn and proceeded to tie ribbons on the gate and fence and walked past the barn and into the field and did his dirty deed without saying a word to us or acknowledging us at all, like we didn't exist.

A very surreal, strange experience and I felt pissed off and angry, wanting to kick his ass off the property; the property is leased and the owner signed the permit for this nonsense and felt he had to because of how his lease was written. But to see this guy walk on the property and ignore us and do his thing, was disturbing--I had to take some breaths and cool down.
This is my (Peacegirl's) personal story: Last summer seismic testing was done on our family property in PA against my wishes, but another relative signed the permit. Geokinetics came on our property, driving all over the plce with their little Caterpillar vehicles, trampeling areas of our woods, and putting in dynamite right next to a little brook that I have crossed over for years in the summertime. They left there equipment on our property for several weeks. Blue, orange, and yellow ribbons were ominously tied on trees. When other family members were gathered there for a weekend later, men appeared walking on our property, unannounced. Reportedly, they were foreign, did not speak English, and did not interact with my family. (This is not to say that these men were anything but good people just doing their jobs.) However, it is just a bad feeling to encounter these things in a place that has felt safe and quiet for decades. Welcome to the new era of gas drilling.

6 comments:

smurfette said...

I wish we had taken the ribbons down, too, but after the document was unilaterally signed by Rick, they had the legal right to do the testing. Of course, the family corporation should have approved it first and voted on it, but we all know that no other point of view would have been listened to or taken into account except Rick's anyway, so it was a lost cause. If they sign a lease now, that will be the final nail in the coffin of Camp Hutchinson. It was a wonderful Camp for many years and we will always have our memories of singing around the piano with Grandaddy and walking the loop, but let's face it- with the many large trucks zooming by, it won't even be safe for kids to walk down to Frutchie's, let alone around the loop. And the music, once a cherished part of Camp, is pretty much gone now. I will always remember floating the rapids with our little guys and singing Camp songs which reverberated through the hills. Memories cannot be taken away by callous gas companies. I feel most sorry for the people who live in Dimock and other ruined areas, which are chemically polluted now (similar to Love Canal)and basically are unfit for human habitation due to unsafe water.They can try to sue the gas companies, but the gas companies have the high-priced corporate lawyers and infinite small amounts of money to pay out as hush-hush money. To the families, it's their lives, but to the gas company, it's just the price of doing business and we can be certain that the companies will always, eventually, come out on top.I still have hope that Camp will NOT sign a lease.

F.C. Blues said...

What a great little video! Thanks for posting it.

Anonymous said...

thanks for all the information you have showed me, we are in the process of the gas company taking over our community. People have signed the release fearing of law suits from the gas company. I have requested more information of their responsibilities and have been threating with a injunction from the sheriff's dept, if i don't sign their release

Ruthe Hach said...

Thanks for the info!

Most Seismic companies improve their methods and equipments for a more accurate and credible result. Which are now called Seismic exploration companies which explores the land, shy and sea just to come up with a cost effective and efficient data.

Unknown said...

There are some seismic companies that are very careful of their work. They study the area very well before getting into some drilling or so. This is to conduct safety precautions for the people or community in the vicinity. A seismic company should uphold to its mission to protect the health of the people to avoid hazards in certain areas.

Ruthe Hach said...

There are some seismic companies that are very careful of their work. They study the area very well before getting into some drilling or so. This is to conduct safety precautions for the people or community in the vicinity. A seismic company should uphold to its mission to protect the health of the people to avoid hazards in certain areas.