S. Central Hill County Activity

Water trucks work non-stop as drilling and fracturing of wells escalates between Whitney and Aquilla.
Recent rains helped replenish area frac tanks.
Water truck parks at entrance to Aquilla station. Excavated dirt shows path of gathering line to nearby well.
Backhoe and other heavy eqipment make a path to the recently fractured Dennis-Gerik wellsite. Aspect is ready to get this well online.

Gerik Trust #1 Drill Abandoned

Drilling problems almost 2 years ago ended in abandoning this lease.
Speculation is that Aspect will drill again on or near this location, using a different drilling company.
Drill was never completed according to info on the TRRC website. One look at the lack of a wellhead is a dead giveaway.

Fracturing EOG's TAM Lease *UPDATE 8/15/2008 This Unit has NOT been frac'd

Due to the lack of a pipeline infrastructure the TAM lease has been idle for over a year. Today it was being fractured. View looking south towards Aquilla.
TAM lease entrance looking north.
A job well done.
Sights in and around Aquilla, TX.

Forest Oil's Gus Jones 1H Unit

Forest Oil's Gus Jones 1H Unit south of Whitney, on HCR 2122. Forest is really starting to flex their muscles in this area of Hill county.
The 'doghouse' sits on the rig platform while the drill bit grinds away some 1800 feet below the surface.
A Halliburton worker power washes the rig following it's move from the Cornerstone 3H drill several weeks ago.
The day wouldn't have been complete without a visit with the rig manager (ie, tool pusher). I enjoy picking these guys brains for whatever info I can glean. This fellow was really accomodating.

Clearing a Path to the Gus Jone's 1H

About the only way you can get a decent road in Hill county is to have a well drilled on your property.
Looking south towards the Gus Jones 1H from the pad for the 2H. This is a private road on the Jones property.
The pilot hole for the Jones 2H awaits Patterson's drilling rig. Patience is the key.
Lot's of trees were cleared as the road for these drills winds deep into the Jones property off of HCR 2122.

Location of Forest's Cornerstone Leases

The 2H and 3H have been drilled. The 2H has also been fractured. The 1H should be next, but you never know.

Water transfer pipe has been racked and is awaiting further instructions.

The Cornerstone 3H rig has been taken down.

Southern Hill Activity - Whitney Area

Forest's Cornerstone 2H lease has been fractured. Also, the Patterson UTI rig is down as the 3H drill is complete and awaits fracturing.

UDI Sign Points to Quicksilver Drill

Union Drilling of Texas sign marks path to Quicksilver's Gray-Griffin Unit Well 1H near Blum.
A peek through the front gate of the J-G Ranch just south of Blum, affords one a look at Quicksilver's Gray-Griffin drill.

Rig Navigates Tarrant's Urban Traffic

Felderhoff Brothers heads toward merge from I-20 to I-35 in south Ft. Worth. Urban drilling is at a frenzy.

Sights of Hill County Texas, USA

The always majestic courthouse in Hillsboro.
Water transfer lines enroute to the Dennis-Gerik lease being fractured after the recent drill by Nabors.
An Eagle overlooks Lake Aquilla from a perch high above the water.

Fertile bottom land immediately south of the Lake Aquilla dam.

Bluebonnets in Bloom near Blum

Our State flower graces FM 933, just south of Blum, TX.
The blooms will begin to flourish mid April to May. Always beautiful, no matter where you run across them.

Steiner Valley Seismic - Dynamite Style

TimeSlice drills holes for dynamite charges used in the 'Steiner Valley' seismic shoot done in western Hill county back in 2005. This shoot was conducted as a joint data sharing agreement between Quicksilver Resources and J-W Operating. (photos courtesy of Mike Igau)

Cowtown Strings Pipe in NW Hill County

Looking west the line parallels Hwy 174 between Blum and the Bosque county line.
Many scrubby cedars were cleared to make way for this line.

The line turns south near this old landmark and disappears into the countryside.

Quicksilver's Dudley Farms 1H

A former Devon location that was apparently obtained by Quicksilver Resources according to a recently filed TX/RRC permit.
The pad located in northwestern Hill county is ready for drilling to commence.