So why would Pioneer Natural Resources deny an “enforcement order” by the Alaska Oil & Gas Conservation Committee to shut in two wells that were unsafely piped? Waiting for over a month’s time to perform this action when conforming to the “order” only after the AOGCC warned of further action, by the police! When the regulators informed that this non-action by Pioneer was a “serious non-compliance” issue! This behavior to misbehave is simple. When a small Independent is dependent on paying the bills, lost production can make the shareholders irate, and when that happens, executives and CEOs may find themselves in the un-employment line. So they take a risk, a gamble just to keep the cash register cha-chinging. And when a small Independent knows not what they are doing in Alaska, they have to take these risks and hope that they don’t get caught. Case in point: Pioneer Natural Resources, a Texas based Independent, a “mom & pop” operation wanted to make it big in Alaska. So they came north to the bidding table, unprepared, What I mean by this is the fact that on record Pioneer has paid out the most for the opportunity upon leases to explore to exploit in Alaska, on the “North Slope”. During the 2008 North Slope Area-wide Sale, Pioneer broke the records for “bid per acre”. With the average bid at $36 per acre, Pioneer went overboard and paid out ten times the average, $306 bucks and ended up with a single lease costing the shareholders some $783,000.00 dollars. The highest bid on record! The state loved it. For a lease that was deemed un-economical by the “Big Oil” players, because it was considered marginal recovery “near-shore” and a logistics nightmare. So what was once an interest to “Big Oil” experienced in Alaska, they let the original lease go by the wayside. There was oil, but to hard to extract in an area that was far away from the existing Prudhoe Bay infrastructure. That is why today Pioneer has a supply barge grounded in the Beaufort Sea and leaking fuel! It is stupidity at its best. And that is why they feel proud to disregard orders, as when the cash register goes broke, this place has no other option, then closing up shop. And with a no-give-a-crap attitude upon oversight and/or environmental responsibility, maybe the state should make it easy, with a “Cease & Desist” order, until this outfit can prove that they know what they are doing. In fact of the three exploration wells drilled after the lease sale, the favorite of interest was a dry hole. So they had to try the least favorite, wherein oil was found but in a pathetic formation that finds today “communication” problems wherein the water-flood finds a direct tunnel to the oil and comes right back up out of the ground! Big Oil probably laughs, but cries when they find out that the state made concessions in efforts to lure in the so-called Independents. With tax relief and royalty relief unheard of after 30-years. This is Drill Baby Drill, this is the Sarah Palin legacy. And in the end, the state will pay, the ecosystem and environment will suffer, as this state is open for business and even the regulators find it hard to do their job. Thanks Sarah… And if you can see Russia from your backyard, maybe you can see what is happening on the “slope” with the Independents!
For Our Environment ~ Uncovering Public Trust Doctrine Violators on Alaska's Frontier
THIS SITE HISTORICAL:
In 2008 through 2010, an "Independent mom & pop" oil company violated the "Alaskan Public Trust" doctrine, allowing malfeasance and environmental atrocities upon the "Last Frontier". This "blog" is dedicated to follow the outcome of the illegal activities that have now become front and center attention before the regulators in charge of making sure the "Public Trust" is upheld, as a centralized forum to make sure Alaskans and others are kept abreast of penalties and fines upon those that feel Alaska is the "Last Frontier Dumping Grounds".
The above image depicts a crude oil well flow-back test, wherein for days hydrocarbon saturated "wet" natural gas was allowed to vent to the atmosphere out a safety relief valve, with temperatures and ambient conditions such that the "wet" vapors most likely condensed and fell upon the pristine waters of Harrison Bay of the Colville River delta, a place so far removed from man-made pollution. This image is also the cover photo of the report called "Alaska's Deadliest Sin", a culmination of malfeasance and environmental corruption evidence upon this Independent, collected by an ex-employee who has made it a personal "mission" to make sure this kind of irresponsible behavior is stopped and never again repeated on this "Frontier". To date, the company – Pioneer Natural Resources - has attempted to deny all allegations, but the evidence allowing denial is too strong. With that, the company has started to admit true so serious these violations. They have admitted their actions are indeed a violation of "Public Trust". With a 3rd party ongoing investigation following the submittal of the "Sin", the end result should be stiff fines and penalties upon the perpetrators, that which sends a message to those that want to "Go North" for oil exploration and exploitation.
"Drill Baby Drill" is upon us, thanks to Sarah Palin and others, and we must stand up against this all out blitzkrieg assault upon the ecosystem, to protect the environment from continued malfeasance and environmental atrocities, as it is not worth another Love Canal!
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In 2008 through 2010, an "Independent mom & pop" oil company violated the "Alaskan Public Trust" doctrine, allowing malfeasance and environmental atrocities upon the "Last Frontier". This "blog" is dedicated to follow the outcome of the illegal activities that have now become front and center attention before the regulators in charge of making sure the "Public Trust" is upheld, as a centralized forum to make sure Alaskans and others are kept abreast of penalties and fines upon those that feel Alaska is the "Last Frontier Dumping Grounds".
The above image depicts a crude oil well flow-back test, wherein for days hydrocarbon saturated "wet" natural gas was allowed to vent to the atmosphere out a safety relief valve, with temperatures and ambient conditions such that the "wet" vapors most likely condensed and fell upon the pristine waters of Harrison Bay of the Colville River delta, a place so far removed from man-made pollution. This image is also the cover photo of the report called "Alaska's Deadliest Sin", a culmination of malfeasance and environmental corruption evidence upon this Independent, collected by an ex-employee who has made it a personal "mission" to make sure this kind of irresponsible behavior is stopped and never again repeated on this "Frontier". To date, the company – Pioneer Natural Resources - has attempted to deny all allegations, but the evidence allowing denial is too strong. With that, the company has started to admit true so serious these violations. They have admitted their actions are indeed a violation of "Public Trust". With a 3rd party ongoing investigation following the submittal of the "Sin", the end result should be stiff fines and penalties upon the perpetrators, that which sends a message to those that want to "Go North" for oil exploration and exploitation.
"Drill Baby Drill" is upon us, thanks to Sarah Palin and others, and we must stand up against this all out blitzkrieg assault upon the ecosystem, to protect the environment from continued malfeasance and environmental atrocities, as it is not worth another Love Canal!
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