Published: August 21, 2008 10:24 am         

Sour gas protesters picket PS City Hall

PAYNE SPRINGS — BlackBrush Oil & Gas representatives from San Antonio were greeted by picketing protesters before and after Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

City Hall was packed with citizens concerned they may be facing a lethal situation involving sour gas. BlackBrush is considering drilling close to residential areas in the community.

Philip Mezey, an engineer with BlackBrush Oil and Gas, did his best to assure citizens that they will be in no danger, if and when the drilling is approved.

According to Mezey, BlackBrush plans to drill a horizontal well three miles under Cedar Creek Lake.

BlackBrush will take the precautions of embedding cement-sealed steel pipe made to withstand 9500 pounds of pressure, twice the withstanding required by state.

Not everyone in the audience agreed with Mezey and his safety assurances, including a chemical engineer in the audience.

G.W. Hartman, a chemical engineer and consultant who lives near Tool, spoke during the citizens forum and told the group that much of the information they were hearing from BlackBrush officials was incorrect.

Several citizens in the crowd spoke during the comment session, most of them concerned about the safety issues.

BlackBrush officials told the crowd they still hadn’t applied for a permit with the Texas Railroad Commission, and that they had no intention of fast-tracking an oil well at the site near State Highway 198 near the entrance to Payne Springs.

Several members moved outside the building after BlackBrush officials spoke when Mayor J.T. Noble ordered the crowd to take their conversation outside the walls of the meeting because it was a city council meeting and not a Town Hall meeting.

About 40 protesters were lined up on the highway outside the building holding “No Sour Gas” placards prior to the beginning of the meeting.

In other business at Tuesday night’s meeting, the Payne Springs City Council voted:



• 4-1 against purchasing a new pick-up for the police department. The motion was made by Councilman Rodney Renberg and was seconded by Vic Brazzell, who then voted against it;



• A motion was made by Councilman Renberg to discuss a pay raise for acting Chief Shane Renberg, but the motion died for lack of a second;



• Unanimously to extend its sewer contract Nature Calls for one more year.

     

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