Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 29

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Friday, April 29, 2016
Morning 72 Degrees, Wind S 11 & gusting to 18 Mph, Humidity 83%, overcast.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind W 16 & gusting to 24 Mph, Humidity 15%, sunny.

Before daylight we had a thunder storm move thru wetting everything but it did not last long and after daylight the sky’s cleared to a nice sunny sky and less wind. Well that lower wind speed did not last long but I was able to attach the sun screen to the windshield while the wind speed was low. As I said the rain made everything wet but it was not measurable. The wind did not stay down long and came back with plenty of gusts.

There were some of the Frac crew in setting up and bringing in more trucks. Latter in the afternoon and evening sand truck showed up at the gate two at a time. But we only had two at the site at a time. The work pad is small thus there is not the room for more than two sand trucks. In total it was a slow day for gate traffic coming and going.

after my wife got up from the sleep I made a quick run into Big Spring for the prescription that was ready for pick up.

One of the Frac trucks

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 27 - 28

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Morning 50 Degrees, Wind SW 7 & gusting to 8 Mph, Humidity 37%, sunny.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind W 7 & gusting to 30 Mph, Humidity 12%, sunny.

The neighbors cows came around today eating everything in sight, first time they have been around in over a week. Another group of ten came by in the afternoon.

The electric problem persisted and we called for maintenance, answer is another generator set was delivered this afternoon. Outside preparation for move tomorrow. Stowing the white water hose, dumping the black tank and stowing the hose. Putting the propane bottle away.

Last sunrise at this location

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Thursday, April 28, 2016
Morning 54 Degrees, Wind E 2 & gusting to 4 Mph, Humidity 58%, sunny.
Afternoon 70 Degrees, Wind S 13 & gusting to 28 Mph, Humidity 56%, mostly sunny.
 

Today is very important, my wife’s birthday but it is also move day as Buster is moving to another gate for the oil company. The total miles will be low, under ten miles basically on the same paved road.

I did some outside preparations last night for our move this morning, about nine-thirty our guy came to move the generator trailer and we finished making Buster ready to move to the new location. A big nine mile trip not enough time to rest behind the steering wheel between the pack up and we have the setup at the new location.

After setting Buster and cleaning our self’s up we were off to town of Big Spring, I had called in a prescription last night and that was ready for pick up. As I got to the pharmacy window they were finishing closing for lunch, maybe Friday. We pushed on to Midland for lunch/dinner. We also never leave a town with out some grocery shopping on our way home.

Buster's new gate

Arriving back at Buster’s new location two sand trucks followed soon after us and unloaded then left the location, and quite all night. As you can see in the picture Buster and the well pad are close together.

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 25 - 26

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Monday, April 25, 2016
Morning 61 Degrees, Wind SW 8 & gusting to 18 Mph, Humidity 90%, .
Afternoon 91 Degrees, Wind WSW 8 & gusting to 16 Mph, Humidity 11%, sunny.
 

Sunrise thru the windshield sun screen

Our gate location with Buster is only a couple of hundred feet off the paved road, but the oil company work site is two miles in from Buster. These days the road is dry and the wind is a blowing so there is plenty of dirt in the air and along with that most drivers are traveling the road at more than the posted fifteen miles per hour speed limit. We do remind some but it is a daily training job.

Finding out the windshield sun screen has stayed in place with the wind today. Using the tape on the edge has been the added key to keeping the windshield sun screen in place.


Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind WSW 2 & gusting to 6 Mph, Humidity 79%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 89 Degrees, Wind W 16 & gusting to 26 Mph, Humidity 20%, mostly cloudy.

And the mostly cloudy has lead to a rain shower about twenty minutes long with the bigger part of the storm cell passing north of Buster. The oil company brought in a water tanker to wet down the road dust during the morning and it did help lower the dirt in the air. Now this shower completed the job of lowering the dirt in the air. Lucky for us the other tanker trucks were going nice and slow when passing Buster thus not raising too much dirt. Further in on the road the speed of the vehicles was up and the dirt clouds were very large. The sun screen has stayed in place today even with these wind gusts.

Electrical problems are causing our lights to go off. These big outside lights then need time to reset before they come back to life. Se are seeing flickering in our night light and our lamps are also flickering. The television also went off a couple of times this evening before the big lights went on. The engine is not surging (engine RPM has been steady, not changing down then up) like other times that we have had electric  problems.

Sunset

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 23 - 24

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Saturday, April 23, 2016
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind S 6 & gusting to 11 Mph, Humidity 59%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 82 Degrees, Wind S 5 & gusting to 10 Mph, Humidity 58%, mostly sunny.

Very slow day for me mostly watching other traffic on the paved road. The other gate has had a water tanker working (coming and going) where I have been able to help him by opening his gate with my remote control device. When he comes in it sets off my alarm and I have to look out and see if there is anyone at our gate. Seeing the tanker at the other gate I open that otherwise he must exit his truck to use the key pad. As I know today we will move Buster to another gate on Thursday or Friday about six miles south and three miles east from our current location. Today after my wife got up it was a grocery trip into Big Spring.

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Sunday, April 24, 2016
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind S 12 & gusting to 19 Mph, Humidity 81%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 86 Degrees, Wind WNW 4 & gusting to 17 Mph, Humidity 24%, sunny.

So we will be here this week as the work over rig is here and some other work is planned at this gate entrance. I had the windshield sun screen blow off again last night finding only two magnets of the three in place this time. One was actually still on the windshield. Just to be clear I have installed magnets on the inside using double sided tape and the top of the sun screen has a hem where I have been able to push magnets into and capture in location with staples. Today I have used some Gorilla tape on the edge to the windshield to help with keeping the sun screen in place.

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 19 - 20

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Morning 57 Degrees, Wind SE 5 & gusting to 7 Mph, Humidity 95%, overcast.

Afternoon 72 Degrees, Wind SSE 7 & gusting to 13 Mph, Humidity 67%, overcast.

   

Gate vehicle traffic here at these gates has been easier than at other Frack gates we have covered. There are not as many different companies involved with the operation. There is not a continuous flow of sand trucks though out the day and night. 

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Morning 52 Degrees, Wind NE 2 & gusting to 7 Mph, Humidity 96%, overcast.

Afternoon 68 Degrees, Wind ESE 10 & gusting to  Mph, Humidity 74%, partly sunny.

  

We had another wind and rain event last night enough to wake me after midnight, just over an inch of rain was recorded.

We will be relocating to another site soon as this Frac is complete here. Some equipment started moving out late today. This is a one shift operation it and did go into dark but not all night. Compared to the Frac’s we were on in south Texas these in west Texas are mini Fracs maybe because of different rock formations. One of the 

Running across the center is the deflated water main thay are picking up

Thought For The Day – There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. – Will Rogers.  

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 21 - 22

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Thursday, April 21, 2016
Morning 56 Degrees, Wind ESE 2 & gusting to 5 Mph, Humidity 83%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 5 Degrees, Wind NE 4 & gusting to 12 Mph, Humidity 63%, mostly sunny.
There was wind and thunder last night but no measurable rain.
 
My wife stayed up covering our gate this morning while I watched another gate for our companies worker in the area working a gate for the same oil company. Al had an appointment in Midland Texas for his eye. Their gate was slower than our gate as the move out of the Frac equipment continues today while other work equipment is starting to move in. A water transfer company is also in and out picking up their temporary water main that was on the ground.

I as at this gate for the morning

There is also a work over rig moving in today adding to the gate traffic.


Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Friday, April 22, 2016
Morning 58 Degrees, Wind SW 2 & gusting to 6 Mph, Humidity 73%, sunny.
Afternoon 79 Degrees, Wind E 3 & gusting to 11 Mph, Humidity 29%, sunny.
 
Our other company gate guards Al & Diane are moving their rig today to a Frac location. I was setting in the passenger chair when a fifth wheel trailer went past our location followed by a generator trailer just like ours. Diane stayed behind at the gate as the drill rig will be moving out over the weekend. They will be only a daytime gate for the move out. That’s where our Frac equipment went about five miles from our location. Their old gate was a drill rig working there and is moving out going west to Pecos, TX.

Our gate was slow with only some equipment and water companies coming and going thru the gate today.

I am having trouble keeping the sun screen panel on the window another blow off with the high wind gusts. My wife brought it in as it happened overnight. Then I am looking for the magnets on the ground. I found three of the four magnets and reinstalled it on the windshield. Below the windshield wiper on the inside edge I used some Gorilla tape as I did not find the fourth magnet I use there.

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 19 - 20

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Morning 57 Degrees, Wind SE 5 & gusting to 7 Mph, Humidity 95%, overcast.
Afternoon 72 Degrees, Wind SSE 7 & gusting to 13 Mph, Humidity 67%, overcast.
 
Gate vehicle traffic here at these gates has been easier than at other Frack gates we have covered. There are not as many different companies involved with the operation. There is not a continuous flow of sand trucks throughout the day and night.

Sand Truck

One of two trailers the sand trucks transfer sand into

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 17 - 18

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Sunday, April 17, 2016
Morning 56 Degrees, Wind NE variable & calm & gusting to 9 Mph, Humidity 95%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 67 Degrees, Wind NE 7 & gusting to 11 Mph, Humidity 66%, partly sunny.

Packing up and picking up to move to a new gate today, a big six hundred feet.  The driver showed about eleven to move the generator trailer to the new spot he pulled that into the other road then I moved Buster in behind. The waste tank will be emptied and moved tomorrow.

Otherwise a slow day gate wise, the crew is off today. If oil prices were up they would be working Sunday but there is no rush to sell oil at a cheep price.


Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Monday, April 18, 2016
Morning 49 Degrees, Wind ENE 11 & gusting to 13 Mph, Humidity 67%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 61 Degrees, Wind ENE 6 & gusting to 11 Mph, Humidity 63%, partly sunny (late).

Sunrise at the new gate

Picture is the sunrise here this morning. Rain showers off and on during the day today, nothing measurable just enough to show on the windows and get me a little wet when outside. Nothing but routine coming and goings today.

The septic company emptied the waste tank and moved it over to Buster today completing or move to the new location.  The picture is the waste tank with the red spare hose fitting and the black rubber coupling I had to purchase the first Saturday we were at the gate. All the other gates we have had it was supplied by the waste company with the tank.

I had to supply my own coupling and hose fitting to the waste tank

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 16

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Saturday, April 16, 2016
Morning 64 Degrees, Wind SE 5 & gusting to 11 Mph, Humidity 78%, partly sunny.
Afternoon 83 Degrees, Wind SE 5 & gusting to 14 Mph, Humidity 78%, mostly cloudy.
 
A front moved thru late afternoon, I was in Big Spring doing shopping for groceries when my wife texted me with the report of high wind and hard rain at Buster. A few minutes latter it was there in town. On my drive returning to Buster there were a few places where there was flooding of the road, water draining out of the fields, and no markers at this location. Another place there was leaves blown off and turned the road green. Three electric transformers were on a platform between two poles were off the platform and on the ground. Another place a small shed was blown down and into pieces strewn over the ground. One place there was slush from hail on the road I was traveling. In some places there were markers on the sholer for indicating water level, they were all not indicating any flooding.

Sand trucks were busy here today loading the Frac equipment for a Monday morning start of the fracing job at the new location. More equipment moved out of the first site all this kept me busy between the two gates. The sand trucks all tried to enter the first gate and I signed them in then had them backup and enter the other gate to get to the unload area for Monday’s frac.


Thought for the Day:
“I’m an excellent housekeeper. Every time I get a divorce, I keep the house.” – Zsa Zsa Gabor

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 12 - 15

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Morning 51 Degrees, Wind ENE 6 & gusting to 14 Mph, Humidity 77%, overcast.
Afternoon 53 Degrees, Wind NE 5 & gusting to 13 Mph, Humidity 88%, rain.
  Forecast rain and thunderstorms latter today. We did have rain showers

Just a routine ins of Frac and piping crews and outs of vehicles today. There were also sand trucks.


Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Morning 52 Degrees, Wind W variable & calm & gusting to 1 Mph, Humidity 98%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 69 Degrees, Wind SW 3 & gusting to 6 Mph, Humidity 45%, sunny.

There was equipment problems today with the Frac crew working late (after dark) changing equipment that was delivered this afternoon.

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Thursday, April 14, 2016
Morning 50 Degrees, Wind ESE 6 & gusting to 7 Mph, Humidity 93%, sunny.
Afternoon 82 Degrees, Wind SE 15 & gusting to 18 Mph, Humidity 33%, Mostly Sunny.
 
The frac is done at this gate and we move to the other gate at this site. Equipment started the move this evening. Some of the Frac crew is off tomorrow and will work Saturday, the rest of the crew will be here to finish moving equipment and setting up at the new site.

 
Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Friday, April 15, 2016
Morning 58 Degrees, Wind SE 15 & gusting to 20 Mph, Humidity 89%, sunny.
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind SSE 24 & gusting to 33 Mph, Humidity 49%, partly sunny.

We started with a nice sunrise but that did not last long by nine we were overcast and the wind blow into partly sunny.

Thought For The Day – Remember back when we were kids and every time it was below zero outside they closed school? Me neither.

Busters next location

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 11

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Monday, April 11, 2016
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind W 5 & gusting to 9 Mph, Humidity 73%, partly sunny.
Afternoon 79 Degrees, Wind W 11 & gusting to 23 Mph, Humidity 19%, mostly sunny.
 
At this location we are not using clipboard and paper to log the vehicles in and out the gate. Here we have an I-Pad that has a gate company program installed for the logging process, a first time for us logging vehicles this way. Like the company man for the oil company can view this on his telephone real time to see who or which vendor companies are on site and at what time.

Today is starting to establish the “routine” for the Frac operation with this company. Even the Frac company is different than we worked with previously at other locations. So far it does seem different “day traffic”, during the day in and out seems to be less at this location but there seems to be less total people involved with the Frac operation. There is other work taking place, piping for transporting product to holding tank batteries. One of the functions available on the I-Pad program is favorites “vehicles” that are frequent can be put on a favorites list for and easier way to create a new record of coming on site. There was a late group of sand trucks that came in after five this afternoon. The Frac operation is shutting down and not working overnight.

The work area from the gate

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 10

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Sunday, April 10, 2016
Morning 63 Degrees, Wind S 20 & gusting to 25 Mph, Humidity 86%, overcast.
Afternoon 87 Degrees, Wind W 13 & gusting to 26 Mph, Humidity 10%, mostly sunny.
 
Move in day, the frac company moved in trucks and support equipment to hydraulically fracture the rock under ground. Chemical tank trucks and sand trucks followed during the day. Latter the wind was trying to rock Buster causing us to keep the awnings in. Latter there were a few gusts that caused us to bring in the table slide out as the slide topper was unrolling and flapping in the wind. When it calmed down I put the slide out again. The spring might be losing some tension allowing that to happen. After we put the slide out out again I used a tie down strap to hold the slide topper from unrolling.

Some neighbors came over today 

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 8

West Texas Friendly RV Park - Big Spring, Texas - Friday, April 8, 2016
Morning 55 Degrees, Wind E 7 & gusting to 10 Mph, Humidity 51%, partly sunny.
Afternoon 75 Degrees, Wind E 17 & gusting to 21 Mph, Humidity 29%, mostly cloudy.
 
I can tell we have moved away from the Gulf of Mexico by the higher winds and the lower humidity we are having the past few days. During the mid day there were a few drops of rain.

Busters Gate - garden City Texas -
We were up early today for move to the gate. The coordinator came to the RV Park and gave us instruction to use their I-Pad for the logging of people and vehicle, including a picture of the vehicle. I finished getting Buster ready to travel and we were on our way just before nine o’clock. The trip was all paved roads about eighteen miles on very “skinny” roads, just barely two lanes wide. Buster is set next to the last paved road but on the dirt inside a fence headed north. I like that because most of the direct sun will be on the sides as the glass is like a magnet pulling in the heat of the sun.

Buster is setup with a generator trailer that also has a five hundred gallon water tank with a diesel fuel tank under neath both and a four light tower.

Busters Gate - garden City Texas - Apr 9

Busters Gate - garden City Texas -  Saturday, April 9, 2016
Morning 56 Degrees, Wind SE 15 & gusting to 19 Mph, Humidity 73%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 75 Degrees, Wind SE 21 & gusting to 25 Mph, Humidity 49%, partly sunny.
 
We had a thunderstorm move thru during the night with almost five tenths of an inch of rain measured in the area. Also during the night the generator started surging and finally shutting down before three this morning (before the rain storm). When the power was going down enough the left side of Buster shuts off first and my c-pap machine is plugged into the left side so I was awakened by the loss of air pressure. Getting up I immediately started Buster’s generator for electric power. Getting dressed I went to check and see if there was anything I could due to get the generator running again before I called for help during the overnight hours. That did not work as I could start the engine it would barely reach idle RPM then sputter and slowdown and shutoff.  So now is the time for telephone calls. More call after sunrise and the replacement was here about two thirty in the afternoon.

Thinking it is a fuel problem either the fuel pickup in the tank clogged or the fuel filter. But later this morning the other gate guard come over to check on us and we were able to start the unit around eleven this morning. So we had it running when when the replacement unit arrived after two-thirty. That was switched out and the septic tank arrived during the morning. That came with no fittings. I made a trip into Big Spring going to Home Depot. Well this is the smallest Home Depot I have ever seen. I had a spare female hose end to with the rubber coupling I purchased at Home Depot we are ready for gray water now.

West Texas Friendly RV Park - Big Spring, Texas - Apr 7

West Texas Friendly RV Park - Big Spring, Texas - Thursday, April 7, 2016
Morning 57 Degrees, Wind SW 7 & gusting to 16 Mph, Humidity 32%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 84 Degrees, Wind WNW 5 & gusting to 13 Mph, Humidity 13%, partly sunny.

The gate guard company has another couple working here in the Big Spring area.  I got their number and gave them a call checking if I could visit their location for a few minutes. They gave me some directions and headed out there basically south of the RV park. Latter my wife and I went to town stocking up on groceries. Got a call from the gate coordinator and have plans to move Buster out to the gate we are to watch in the morning tomorrow.

North Llano River RV Park - Junction, TX - Apr 6

North Llano River RV Park - Junction, TX - Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Morning 59 Degrees, Wind WSW 7 & gusting to 8 Mph, Humidity 75%, partly sunny.
Afternoon 76 Degrees, Wind S 11 & gusting to 15 Mph, Humidity 14%, sunny.
 
We got started latter today with a stop for diesel fuel ($1.929) before hitting the road north. It also took extra time as it was tight there waiting for other vehicles to fuel and get food from inside. I connected Tan Jan to the tow bar at the fuel stop for the ease of navigating around the vehicles and fuel islands. From there it was north on US 83 and northwest on US 87 scenic west Texas hill country driving. At San Angelo I had the choice of taking a route around or thru the small city, Buster went thru, some traffic and traffic lights but easy driving.

West Texas Friendly RV Park - Big Spring, TX after one hundred seventy-eight miles south of town. There is construction, mostly complete, at the turn Buster had to make for the route to the RV Park which is only a short way from the highway.  From here it is less than five miles into town (north) and south to where the work area will be located. I did not take any "goo" pictures of Buster parked at the RV park, just this one.

Buster at West Texas Friendly RV Park - Big Spring, TX

North Llano River RV Park - Junction, TX. Apr 5

Pleasanton, Texas - Atascosa RV Park - Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Morning 45 Degrees, Wind N & gusting to 1 Mph, Humidity 91%, sunny.
Afternoon 82 Degrees, Wind S 18 & gusting to 23 Mph, Humidity 22%, sunny.

We took our time to get Buster ready to roll packing everything away and pulling out of our site about ten-thirty. An easy trip over to interstate thirty-seven and headed Buster north to then interstate ten west. We stopped for the day here in Junction, Texas as tomorrow we head north on US 83. Our trip today about one hundred forty-five miles thru the hills of the hill country of Texas.
North Llano River RV Park - Junction, TX.

Buster parked at North Llano River RV Park 

Pleasanton, Texas - Atascosa RV Park - Mar 29 - Apr 4

Pleasanton, Texas - Atascosa RV Park - Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind E calm & gusting to 4 Mph, Humidity 94%, overcast.
Afternoon 74 Degrees, Wind ESE 5 & gusting to 7 Mph, Humidity 47%, overcast.

We took our time getting ready today for our trip to Pleasanton as it is a short trip. Only seventy-five miles on state roads (skinny roads, two lane with small shoulders) taking our time. Stopped in Floresville for diesel fuel same price as gasoline $ 1.799 per gallon. There was a time when the price between gasoline and diesel was eighty cents higher for diesel. This price for diesel is the lowest I have paid for diesel going into  Buster.
Our trip went well and we got setup in the site we were assigned with no problems.

We were preparing to go into Pleasanton for some groceries when my telephone rang answering it was work coming to us. We have a gate on April eighth in west Texas southwest of Big Spring. We will start traveling there next Tuesday.

Pleasanton, Texas - Atascosa RV Park - Friday, April 1, 2016
Morning 55 Degrees, Wind NE 7 & gusting to 9 Mph, Humidity 18%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 70 Degrees, Wind NE 13 & gusting to 19 Mph, Humidity 18%, mostly cloudy.
 
A front moved thru here early this morning wind and rain while north into the San Antonio aria there was hail storm. With yesterday being a warm day today is much cooler. Crazy spring weather. Cooler and blowing all day. WE were going to go into San Antonio today but the wind canceled that plan.

Pleasanton, Texas - Atascosa RV Park - Monday, April 4, 2016
Morning 45 Degrees, Wind W variable & calm & gusting to 1 Mph, Humidity 81%, sunny.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind W 1 & gusting to 3 Mph, Humidity 10%, sunny.
 
We are finished here in Pleasanton for a while, moving to West Texas tomorrow. I had a visit with the doctor in the past week, blood work for A1C. We have been hanging out piddling around doing small projects while here in Pleasanton.