Thursday, May 31, 2018

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - May 26 - 29

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Saturday, May 26, 2018
Morning 77 Degrees, Wind SSE at 4 to 8 Mph, Humidity 82%, partly sunny.
Afternoon 102 Degrees, Wind ESE at 5 to 7 Mph, Humidity 24%, sunny.

My wife started inside packing away thing last night we always complain to each other about the pack away getting ready to move from each gate. This work season there have been many gates so that frequent repack is old. We do put out a lot as we are at each place it is home for a period of time and we are comfortable in our surroundings. There always are things we use and put back every day, but there are somethings we use every day but leave out for easy access, those are the things getting packed away now.

We did have a slower not but lower volume of vehicles in today. All the different crews were here but fewer of each of them. Thank you. More oil removal trucks than normal days but there have been just as many water removal trucks.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Sunday, May 27, 2018
Morning 78 Degrees, Wind SE at 3 to 7 Mph, Humidity 75%, sunny.
Afternoon 104 Degrees, Wind E at 10 to 20 Mph, Humidity 23%, sunny.

Frac moved back in (that is why w moved up our departure date two days) the pressure trucks and support companies all coming and going moving equipment in to the well pad area. We started our planned breakdown and packing operation so we are ready on Wednesday to move Buster. Last move was a rush very tiring in the heat of summer. So far we will do some taking down and putting away everyday. 


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Monday, May 28, 2018
Morning 78 Degrees, Wind SE at 3 to 9 Mph, Humidity 76%, sunny.
Afternoon 104 Degrees, Wind ESE at 8 to 17 Mph, Humidity 23%, sunny.

Sand trucks are running in and out, started with them leaving sand boxes and going out with an empty trailer to get more sand boxes. Oilfield work knows no holiday, everyday is a workday for drilling and fracking. Even some of the piping people on the pads are working today and yesterday. The pipeline will finish this month they were off today and yesterday.   


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Morning 79 Degrees, Wind variable at 3 to 13 Mph, Humidity 71%, sunny.
Afternoon 104 Degrees, Wind SE at 10 to 16 Mph, Humidity 20%, sunny.

I finished picking up our decking (keeps our shoes out of the mud when it rains) wiped the boards down and put them away inside Buster’s compartments. I did his after the morning rush that starts coming in while my wife is on shift. I get out there after breakfast but I am out there before six in the morning to releave my wife. By nine I had the wood put away and it was already hot in the sun. I waited until after seven tonight to take down the canopy (after the evening shift change) and put that away inside Tan Jan.   



Thought For The Day – At my age, “getting lucky” means walking into a room and remembering why I’m there. 






Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - May 19 - 25

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Saturday, May 19, 2018
Morning 73 Degrees, Wind ESE at 2 to 12 Mph, Humidity 81%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 98 Degrees, Wind SE at 14 to 21 Mph, Humidity 29%, mostly sunny.

Our anniversary, fifty three years, we went to Laredo for dinner. After we went shopping at Walmart and H E B for our weekly groceries. We were able to have another guard watch our gate while we were gone. It takes a while to plan this and the trip is a little over an hour each way so we were gone a little over six hours all told.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Sunday, May 20, 2018
Morning 76 Degrees, Wind SE at 7 to 19 Mph, Humidity 88%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 84 Degrees, Wind S at 3 to 7 Mph, Humidity 60%, mostly cloudy.

 Same old same old. 


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Monday, May 21, 2018
Morning 67 Degrees, Wind E at 3 to 14 Mph, Humidity 92%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 93 Degrees, Wind E at 7 to 17 Mph, Humidity 34%, sunny.

Busy Monday   


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Morning 73 Degrees, Wind SE at 5 to 14 Mph, Humidity 93%, cloudy.
Afternoon 93 Degrees, Wind SE at 10 to 17 Mph, Humidity 40%, sunny.

Pipe line crew, workers for the T pad, workers for the Q pad, work over rigs. Ins and outs during the day (I do not know how much “work” actually gets accomplished in a day) with all the ins and outs. Parts and pipe suppliers are some of the vehicles keeping me busy during the day.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Morning 75 Degrees, Wind ESE at 3 to 10 Mph, Humidity 93%, cloudy.
Afternoon 96 Degrees, Wind  at  to  Mph, Humidity 30%, sunny.

 Another work over rig came in today. 


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Thursday, May 24, 2018
Morning 75 Degrees, Wind ESE at calm Mph, Humidity 93%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 98 Degrees, Wind SSE at 6 to 13 Mph, Humidity 27%, sunny.


Yesterday and today water company people are coming in and I realized they as setting up for a frac job so I asked them where (I thought they were sending water from our frac pond to another ranch) on the C pad. Another frac at this gate. The T and Q pads frac were under way when we arrived (there are multiple wells on these pads). It is going to get real busy here.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Friday, May 25, 2018
Morning 77 Degrees, Wind ESE at 4 to 7 Mph, Humidity 88%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 100 Degrees, Wind SE at 8 to 14 Mph, Humidity 24%, sunny.

BUSY DAY frac is moving into another pad, they have been bringing in equipment for water the past few days. The frac company brought in pipe and manifold trailers. Liners came in today. Yes they plan ahead putting down a liner to catch spills. 

So when my wife got up today we talked about this work coming in and decided we want out. We have had enough for this work season. So we are leaving two days earlier than planned. Too late to call our Buster work shop to let then know we are coming early so that will be Tuesday.



Thought for the Day:

I’m never sure if I have a lot of free time, or I’m just forgetting a lot of stuff.



Saturday, May 26, 2018

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - May 13 - 18

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Sunday, May 13, 2018
Morning 75 Degrees, Wind SSE at 1 to 7 Mph, Humidity 83%, cloudy.
Afternoon 96 Degrees, Wind SE at 11 to 20 Mph, Humidity 34%, partly sunny.

Our first slow day today, thank you. I am having some time to write and watch a little TV. 


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Monday, May 14, 2018
Morning 76 Degrees, Wind S at 2 to 11 Mph, Humidity 79%, cloudy.
Afternoon 95 Degrees, Wind SE at 12 to 20 Mph, Humidity 38%, mostly cloudy.

Work over rig in today, equipment moving in and out, and shift changes for the flow back crew. Plenty to keep me busy during the day.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Morning 73 Degrees, Wind SSE at 4 to 9 Mph, Humidity 84%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 94 Degrees, Wind SE at 9 to 16 Mph, Humidity 37%, mostly sunny.

More of the same, at least my wife’s night shift is slower without sand trucks. We are having some water removal trucks but not crazy in and out. It is also easier for us when trucks as the computer program rembers returning vehicles and after putting in a couple of letters of the license plate sugested records are shown to pick a record and stop entering all information every time the vehicle enters. More of the plate number is needed if there are two plate numbers close together like 2851 and 2852. 


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Morning 69 Degrees, Wind S at 1 to 2 Mph, Humidity 83%, partly sunny.
Afternoon 96 Degrees, Wind SE at 2 to 8 Mph, Humidity 26%, sunny.

This has been the continuos busy gate for us, but nights have slowed to an acceptable level. Daytime has been continuos active gate. I can not get any time to me for relaxing or TV watching or writing. As I am writing this on Saturday May 26 a holiday weekend I have quite a few in already today and interruptions while writing. 


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Thursday, May 17, 2018
Morning 71 Degrees, Wind SE at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 74%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 99 Degrees, Wind SSE at 6 to 12 Mph, Humidity 17%, sunny.

Slower today even with the work over rig moving out. Pipeline and well pad workers are in and out morning and evening. We have flow back and coil tubing crew on site twenty-fours a day so that is morning and evening shift changes

Two Generator trailers
Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Friday, May 18, 2018
Morning 71 Degrees, Wind SSE at 2 to 6 Mph, Humidity 58%, .
Afternoon 104 Degrees, Wind SE at 12 to 20 Mph, Humidity 12%, sunny.

 GENERATOR FAILED, company generator power stopped about six tonight. I first checked the breakers and they did not trip and then I cycled them as the engine was still running. When that failed I called for help. In about an hour and a half latter another generator was here from a near by location. Buster was connected to that and wa la we had power again. We probably were using maximum power when the geneator failed as there were three air conditioners and microwave oven and the washer in addition to low power usage things like fans. Hot water electric heater might also have been consuming power. So basically we had everything on and at the hottest time of the day power stopped. The one good thing is we have a light tower generator here at this gate and used that to operate our third or floor air conditioner after the main generator failed. It did take some time to extend the power cord and get it started. During that time temperature in side Buster got up to eighty eight degrees. And while I am trying to figure out the power problem there are vehicles I have to check out of the gate as it is also the end of the work day for our day workers. The backup generator trailer has no water tank so they could not just switch it out. But when I heard there was another generator coming I made this one ready to roll out by disconnecting our water. Well that was a wast of time and reconnected that.

Thought for the Day:   The Older I Get, Seems Like The Earlier It Gets Late.





Saturday, May 19, 2018

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - May 6 - 12

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Sunday, May 6, 2018
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind SE at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 95%, .
Afternoon 93 Degrees, Wind ENE at 4 to 14 Mph, Humidity 17%, mostly sunny.

Another busy day shift change and sand trucks. All types of vehicles coming and going during the day to keep me busy.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Monday, May 7, 2018
Morning 64 Degrees, Wind ESE at Calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 80%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 90 Degrees, Wind S at 5 to 8 Mph, Humidity 26%, mostly sunny.

And the beat goes on and on and pipe line crew in and out the gate, day shift only.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Morning 63 Degrees, Wind SSE at 1 to 3 Mph, Humidity 80%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 92 Degrees, Wind SSE at 4 to 9 Mph, Humidity 28%, mostly sunny.

Coiled tubing came in today for the completed frac pad, that is a convoy of trucks and crew pickup trucks with shift change. Sand trucks continues for the other frac. Water crew for the first completed frac is in and out picking up their equipment. They use rolled hose on reels using a Bobcat to pick up and carry out on trailers. I am talking about twelve inch wide hose large volume of water delivery.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Morning 66 Degrees, Wind SSE at 1 to 3 Mph, Humidity 80%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 91 Degrees, Wind SSE at 3 to 13 Mph, Humidity 31%, mostly sunny.

Frac finished last night, moving out today pressure trucks and sand handling equipment. They are moving only eight miles away from here the equipment is moving in two and three vehicle convoys with vans bring the drivers back to move more vehicles.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Thursday, May 10, 2018
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind SE at 3 to 6 Mph, Humidity 81%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 893 Degrees, Wind SE at 12 to 18 Mph, Humidity 26%, mostly sunny.

Vehicle traffic is slowing but still a busy gate for our likes but we press on.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Friday, May 11, 2018
Morning 67 Degrees, Wind SSE at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 85%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 92 Degrees, Wind S at 9 to 19 Mph, Humidity 32%, mostly sunny.

We have added a crew working in the well pad installing equipment and piping for the product processing. This is in addition to the pipe line crew and welders and digging crew and project (inspectors) consultants. 


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Saturday, May 12, 2018
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind SE at 3 to 5 Mph, Humidity 80%, partly sunny.
Afternoon 96 Degrees, Wind SE at 1 to 18 Mph, Humidity 30%, sunny.

Getting some time to write this morning but still a busy day with ins and outs. I went shopping today, I still know how to drive the car, it has been two week since I last drove a vehicle.

We will be here until the end of the month and head to San Antonio for some work on Buster. The rear slide out has some rollers that need to be replaced and the main awning fabric will be replaced. I already ordered that and it will be waiting for us when we get there in San Antonio. We will be heading east in the first week of June and going to Florida first before hurricane season.


Thought For The Day – I thought the dryer made my clothes shrink. Turns out it was the refrigerator.


Saturday, May 12, 2018

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX May 1 - 5

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Morning 72 Degrees, Wind SSE at 7 to 12 Mph, Humidity 87%, cloudy.
Afternoon 91 Degrees, Wind SE at 13 to 20 Mph, Humidity 53%, partly sunny.

Sand Truck with two sand boxes
Busy, sand trucks, shift change and pipeline work has started, a lot of vehicles in and out the gate. These sand trucks do not stay on the ranch long, they bring in two boxes containing the sand and carry out two empty boxes to be refilled. The tank trucks off load into the sand silo’s taking time to unload but there could be wait time for room to transfer their sand. The sand boxes are set on the ground and then placed onto the conveyor trailer using a large forklift truck. That forklift can be busy moving boxes from the truck and conveyor trailer when operations are going.

Single sand box
(Square opening in the bottom that opens
to drop the sand onto the conveyor belt)
Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Morning 76 Degrees, Wind SSE at 7 to 10 Mph, Humidity 84%, cloudy.
Afternoon 96 Degrees, Wind SE at 14 to 24 Mph, Humidity 41%, partly sunny.

More of the same, but if the project is not using (emptying) the sand boxes the sand trucks still come and put the boxes on the pad and go out without boxes and come back with more. Later they will send empty trucks to pickup the empty boxes. Just more trucks coming and going thru the gate.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Thursday, May 3, 2018
Morning 76 Degrees, Wind SE at 9 to 15 Mph, Humidity 81%, cloudy.
Afternoon 100 Degrees, Wind SE at 13 to 22 Mph, Humidity 32%, mostly cloudy.

One of the frac’s finished overnight and that equipment is moving out today. So a few less sand trucks today, but there are other vehicles keeping the vehicle count up.


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Friday, May 4, 2018
Morning 75 Degrees, Wind SE at 12 to 17 Mph, Humidity 93%, cloudy.
Afternoon 82 Degrees, Wind ENE at 12 to 24 Mph, Humidity 64%, cloudy.

Rain overnight (0.20)
That got me busy getting our decking out and building our walking area. We try and reduce the amount we walk in the dirt as it sticks to our shoes, is slipery and the walkway will prevent slip and fall injuries.   


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Saturday, May 5, 2018
Morning 65 Degrees, Wind NE at calm Mph, Humidity 94%, cloudy.
Afternoon 90 Degrees, Wind NE at 7 to 10 Mph, Humidity 27%, mostly sunny.

My wife got up from her day sleep and went shopping. As we are right next to the highway no dirt road to deal with she ventured out today to do our weekly shopping





Sunday, May 6, 2018

Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - April 28 - 30 (Second half of Saturday)


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Saturday, April 28, 2018
Second half of the day
Afternoon 84 Degrees, Wind  at  to  Mph, Humidity 38%, overcast.

Two weeks and we are moving again, we did know it would be a short gate coming in, but we were thinking from word of mouth we had another week. The breakdown went well but the actual move started latter than expected. The trip out. Slow dirt road traveling with Buster. To the main gate nine miles then another nine miles of dirt road until we touch pavement. That in less than twenty miles an hour traveling. Then twelve miles to US numbered highway and that is only another four and one half miles, and we are at out new gate.
 
Tan Jan was not connected to the tow bar, for the long dirt road and only a short drive on pavement. We got to this gate and left to do shopping and dinner together. While we were gone another couple filled in for us here at the gate.

After arriving back at the gate it was parking and getting setup while checking many vehicles. We were busy. I had backed buster in but wanted to move him ri the right about eight feet. Then connect water and electric power from the gate company generator. I had left Buster’s generator on while we were in town. 


Buster’s Gate Asherton, TX - Sunday, April 29, 2018
Morning 61 Degrees, Wind SSE at 1 to  Mph, Humidity 85%, partly sunny.
Afternoon 82 Degrees, Wind SE at 7 to 14 Mph, Humidity 40%, partly sunny.

Two empty sand boxes leaving the gate
TWO FRAC’S going on inside this gate, we are very busy here. There is a different company fracking here using a different sand delivery system. Extra busy morning we were both out there checking vehicles coming in and going out (shift change) for about an hour, it is unreal as it seams like every vehicle coming down the highway is coming in here. There is no down time for us here as the sand trucks just keep coming. These trucks are carrying two boxes that aare lifted off the trailer and placed on a frame (Trailer) that can hold five boxes. Sand drops out when the bottom door is opened onto a conveyer belt that carries the sand to a blender trailer. My wife was out early to help with the shift change time this afternoon.

Square door at the bottom mates with the conveyor trailer
Buster’s Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, April 30, 2018
Morning 69 Degrees, Wind SE at 5 to 12 Mph, Humidity 92%, cloudy.
Afternoon 80 Degrees, Wind SE at 13 to 18 Mph, Humidity 64%, partly sunny.


Slower morning one of the frac’s is winding down and will move out latter this week. We both worked during the shift change in the morning and afternoon.