Oil business creeping in, not quite to crescendo

- Martin Ranch -

The photo was taken in front of brown-painted tanks on FM 611 that have a sign posted out front that reads "Gunn Oil Co., Martin QR Lease, Bridjourner Field, RRC No 31148, 3,840 acres". I could hear a pump-jack hydraulic sound across the road behind me, on the Sojourner Cave Lease, which butts up to the south side of the Sojourner Womack Lease, which is just down the road from the Sojourner J.P. & Travis Martin Lease. All of this is south of the US 180 blinking light. I believe my photograph matches up with one of the permits pointed out by Clint Liles on the Fisher County Mineral Rights Forum. It is situated on the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch.

The fence all along the west side of the RPQRR has been taken down, with stakes running just a few yards to the inside of where the fence used to be. I don't know if it's for oil and gas reasons, or a part of ranch maintenance. You can keep up with other aspects of the ranch at their website.

There is an interesting and informational article about the Cline Shale on the Lucid Energy site. Boy, that Cline Shale just gets a little bit bigger every week.

You can check out more oil field and Hobbs photos on my Facebook page.

Devil Ridge to play Hobbs Gym this weekend

- Devil Ridge -

Country dance band Devil Ridge will be entertaining at the Hobbs Gym on Saturday, September 28. It's BYOB, cover charge is $15 per person, $5 per cooler. Start dancing at 8:00 p.m., the party ends at midnight.

A termite ate my yard

-  Tiny Towers -

Termite shells on grass blades and weeds have been something that I've noticed a lot the past year. Not to say this has only started happening, it doesn't seem that it has ever been as noticeable as it has been lately. There's a big, huge patch in the yard (as pictured) that is bare, thanks to the little chomping insects. Hopefully the grass will grow back in before winter. If they would only eat the weeds, that would be a good deal.

Thanks to a botched-up Dish TV receiver, I'm thinking about going back to antenna-only service. My three favorite shows, Grey's Anatomy, Parenthood and Nashville, are all on local channels, and I believe I can watch Justified and Portlandia online (In theory, haha! I still haven't worked that out). I've also got a vhs recorder that I could set to record the shows. I could save a little nest egg on satellite tv payments alone. I pay a lot of money just to watch Friends and Everybody Loves Raymond every night.

I saw the flare on the Hench Wild Wings well yesterday morning. Someone had asked me about it and I thought it wouldn't be visible because the site is just over a rise when looking at it from the road directly south of it, but you can see the fire ball plain as day from the hilly spots just east of Camp Springs. You can look up the permit status on this well, and any others, on the Railroad Commission's W1 Search Query page (Thanks for the info, J.R.!). When you find your query, don't miss out on looking at the maps at the bottom of the page. J.R. told me the ones to look for are two (Yes, two!) for the Wild Wings and another for Emma.

It's back!

- US 180 Bridge -

The bridge on US 180 going into Snyder, which crosses over US 84, is back in order. While others may have known this from newspaper reports or visiting the work site, I found out it was open again when I was explaining my detour routes to someone and they said "Why don't you just use the bridge?" So, it may have been open for weeks or months, but I have only recently become aware that it has finished being rebuilt. Last week I even drove right up to Rip Griffin's and turned right through the industrial park and never looked any further than the truck stop. Not very observant, this one. Just who you want reporting news.

Oil field rumors are abound again, this time about the Hench Ranch well, purported to be making 500 barrels a day. This is the well west of Camp Springs that I may have mentioned a time or two. I've heard that Sojourner is looking for leases. I hope they call me, my number is 867-5309.

It seems I missed a dance last weekend at the Hobbs Gym. I am a little fuzzy on where I was at that time, but I hope not to be so remiss as to neglect the occurrence of the next entertainer who graces our community with their talent.

Another day on the prairie

- Doodle Bugs -

Dawson was out south of Loraine this weekend, giving the locals a little excitement. I passed three thumpers (I don't really know what they're called) like the one in the photo, and noticed a pad a little further down that had more of the same type vehicles along with some pick-ups, utility vehicles, transportable tanks and other equipment.

I talked to one of the neighbors who had come out to get his mail, (see, I was delivering it) and he told me they were working behind his house in a draw, and he could feel the thumps in his house. He said it excited the dogs.

I've known about the Texas Country Music scene that's been going on the past few years, but wasn't much interested in it until I heard Reckless Kelly just recently and thought, "Hey, that really hits the spot." I'm still investigating, but I think it's gonna be a big hit! I was disappointed not to find a magazine at Books-a-Million on the subject. It's a good sign, though, because I always find the underdog a little more interesting.

I keep talking up fall and all, but last week I was at the mall in Abilene and was drawn into Bath & Body by the smell of something apple-y, where I picked up a pumpkin candle and smelled it, and then immediately walked out, because I'm just not ready for all that yet. I just want some nice slanty fall light and cooler weather.