Track of the New Pipeline Becomes Clearer

The pipeline progressed much further than I thought. It is well hidden behind one row of corn plants. After a few pictures from Wizz Computer opposite of Witt Farm you follow me South on M52 towards Adrian. The pictures were actually made after returning North bound out of the city to have a better view - but I present them here as if you are going South from Witt Farm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here the pipeline will cross M52

 

Seemingly running towards this house (see the blue flagging stake). Adding up to something like this. Probably achieved by horizontal drilling from the corn field to the drill site of Carson?

 

There is also substantial work going on at the Carson Highway end of the pipeline. As in the case of Savoy's 1st pipeline from Heritage Park to Witt Farm, again it looks like there are 5 parallel pipes to avoid getting a permit for one larger pipeline for going under Beaver Creek. This will again involve horizontal drilling. Whether they will drill horizontally all the way from Carson to the corn field across M52 - or just under M52, then have the pipes buried 4 feet under going through the property on the west side of M52 shown above, and again drilling horizontally under Beaver Creek and then again standard 4 feet under ground to the Carson site is not clear yet - and it will be difficult to follow as it will go almost entirely through private land...

 

Again, Savoy's pipelines pass through very close to nationally recognized wetlands and cuts under Beaver Creek and through - or under one of the largest forested areas within or close to city limits.

Breaking News: New Pipeline SW of Witt Farm Under Construction

Pipes for a new pipeline leading more oil wells to Witt Farm are being assembled right now. As I did not see any stakes indicating the direction of the pipeline track, I suspect this to connect to horizontal drilling from the Carson Highway site.

This would bring the oil of three additional wells to the central processing facility (tank farm) on Witt Farm - and by that increase the already large flare emitting toxic and cancerous BTEXs and other compounds, most probably even hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen chloride (hydrochloric acid).

Witt Farm Prepared to process up to 6 Wells - Flare is very Large and Smelly

Since a few days the wind carries very strong fumes from the hidden flare on Witt Farm all the way to Heritage Park. The smell reminds me of sulfur and hydrochloric acid, which could be connected to the intense drilling and brine pumping we see since a while on the Purse, Stratton and Heritage Park wells. I took a look from the farm entrance but had only my cell phone so the pictures are not very good. But will be updated now:

 The flickering of the air above the barrel from the strong flare inside is not really visible but you can see that there are now 6 storage barrels, which corresponds to 6 wells being processed now or soon to come 

Look at the sizzling air above the barrel. This will give you an indication of how much stuff is emitted into the air all the time.

 

There are now also six separators for up to six wells

Heritage Park Wells are Hooked-Up to Witt Farm - Flare Now Larger

Yesterday morning, the central processing facility on Witt Farm, which is currently setup to receive 4 wells, was temporarily of grid.

4 broiler/separator chimneys - and

4 tanks are indicating that 4 wells are currently exploited on Witt Farm

The flare did not burn for a few hours while the temporarily plugged wells in Heritage Park and the pipeline were primed for production.

The hidden flare in the open barrel chimney was not visible yesterday morning

However, by about 6:00 pm the flare was back and seemed to produce more heat and soot than before. This is only the visible consequences of the now increased production of oil AND gas and volatiles that contain several poisonous and cancerous chemicals - beyond bad smell that will impair the health of many residents in at least a mile radius around the flare - depending on the wind direction and wind speed.

By 6:00 pm, the flare was back and seemed much larger. See the hot air swirling around on to of the chimney and the darkening indicating more soot.

 More is soon to come when the drilling operation on the neighboring landscaping business will hit oil.

Meanwhile the drill site at Heritage Park is now abandoned of workers and equipment and looks almost peaceful if you forget that the black gold is now flowing 4 feet underneath the ground, and the drilling mud was buried under ground in a sandwich of plastic tarps.

Pipeline connected - Heritage Park drill site is being prepared to deliver to Witt Farm

Brine trucks are at the Heritage Park drill site all day. They seem to prepare the delivery of the 3 wells connected to the bore hole to deliver oil and - unfortunately also poisonous and cancerous flare gases and volatiles to Witt Farm.

At the disc golf area everything is now underground - as if not really there...

There is also a lot going on at Witt Farm to prepare for the receipt of the new wells - eventually also from the new drill site on Stratton's Landscaping. The number of separators will tell us how many wells will be processed soon - more oil coming in - and more truck traffic - and the flare will get much bigger - their poisonous gases and volatiles will get much more concentrated...

Pipeline Now Also Buried on the Floodplain

Unfortunately, I was wrong - seems to be no problem to submerge the pipes totally under water. Note the dark, almost black swamp muck indicating that the soil is soaked with water for a substantial part of the year.

 Now only the 10 pipes to go through the woods, under Beaver Creek and up the bluff are lined up next to the newly buried pipes.

 Here is the end of the buried pipes. You can see the 2 stakes shown later that indicate the direction of the connecting piece.

 And the PE pipe to bring the flare gases and vapors to Witt Farm.

 I hope they will not do too bad of a clearcut to put the pipes through the woods - and I am really curious how they will put the pipes under the creek.

Michigan Significant Pipeline Incidents Listing

http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm/reports/safety/IncDetSt_st_MI_flt_sig.html?nocache=2672#_all

Showing quite a high incident of material, welding, equipment failure (MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE) - and these are leaks that were detected. Leaks in the small diameter pipes going 3 feet deep into the soil between Heritage Park and the Witt Farm (approx. 1 mile long!!) will not be easily detected. Standard checkups for some of the pipe segments will not be done before 6 years - and not for the entire length...