Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Nov 21 - 29

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, November 21, 2016
Morning 45 Degrees, Wind S at 3 to 5 Mph, Humidity 90%,partly sunny.
Afternoon 82 Degrees, Wind SE at 5 to 9 Mph, Humidity 35%,mostly sunny.
 
Busy Monday, short holiday week. Busy day today after a slow weekend, there were some different companies coming into cleanup projects that were here before we arrived at this gate.  There are other completed oil wells on this ranch and all the oil operations use this gate. This gate is like a back entrance to the ranch, the ranch is is part of a deer hunting operation.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Morning 66 Degrees, Wind E at 5 to 7 Mph, Humidity 84%, overcast.
Afternoon 8 Degrees, Wind  at  to  Mph, Humidity %, .

My wife stayed up to go shopping today for our Thanksgiving trimmings. We had part of a crew change day. Different companies change crew different days or weeks.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Morning 59 Degrees, Wind W at 7 to 6 Mph, Humidity 92%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 82 Degrees, Wind variable at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 33%, sunny.

Slower day before the holiday.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, November 24, 2016
Morning 59 Degrees, Wind E at 5 to 6 Mph, Humidity 62%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind ESE at 5 to 7 Mph, Humidity 50%, overcast.

Operations keep going every day for the drilling operations and there are daily visits for the producing wells and pipeline companies checking there are normal conditions continuing without problems.  Turkey breast for two and all the trimmings a pleasant Thanksgiving.  


November 25, 2016 thru November 27, 2016, weekend nothing really happened and we were there. Just the routine ins and outs of the continuing operations.



Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, November 28, 2016
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind S at 4 to 6 Mph, Humidity 84%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 81 Degrees, Wind NNW at 5 to 9 Mph, Humidity 28%, mostly sunny.

New week after a long holiday weekend, busy with deliveries and sales people coming in trying for new business opportunities. The company man has not told us to stop any sale calls so that actually makes more work for us tracking the extra vehicles coming and going.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Morning 53 Degrees, Wind N calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 59%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 81 Degrees, Wind NE at 7 to 0 Mph, Humidity 23%, sunny.

The generator was shutdown for the monthly oil and filter change. We have not had water delivered for a while and it ran out this morning. We got a water delivery about noon and back on a two week schedule. The route delivery schedule got changed because of a problem at another gate and we were forgotten. I now will take a closer like ensuring we get delivered every two weeks.

Thought For The Day – I changed my car horn to gunshot sounds. People get out of the way much faster now.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Nov 15 - 20

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Morning 60 Degrees, Wind SW at 3 to 7 Mph, Humidity 90%, mist.
Afternoon 88 Degrees, Wind WSW at 3 to 9 Mph, Humidity 18%, sunny.

Traffic started increasing later in the day becoming busy mid day. No big projects just small operations. It is getting routine vehicles coming and going.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Morning 57 Degrees, Wind NNW at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 77%, sunny.
Afternoon 88 Degrees, Wind SSE at 8 to 12 Mph, Humidity 23%, .

A rental company was trying to deliver a track hoe but did not have the correct rig number, he was using another rig number. He was getting upset with me because I did not know where the rig he wanted was located. He wanted directions from me? So I signed him in and told him try and deliver it at the rig, he was back shortly no delivered. He did not take the time to talk to me.

I changed Buster’s water in filter cartridge today as it seems the water pressure is down. Next trip to town I need to purchase more cartridges as it is best to have spares on hand.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, November 17, 2016
Morning 59 Degrees, Wind N at 1 to 2 Mph, Humidity 90%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 89 Degrees, Wind S at 10 to 15 Mph, Humidity 48%, sunny.

Shopping day, my wife stayed up at the gate this morning and I went to town shopping. It took me two tries this week as when I was entering the hardware store I felt my pocket and the wallet was not there, no money can’t buy anything. Go back home, a wasted twenty miles and try again.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, November 18, 2016
Morning 64 Degrees, Wind S at 3 to 5 Mph, Humidity 92%, partly sunny.
Afternoon 84 Degrees, Wind NNE at 11 to 19 Mph, Humidity 43%, mostly cloudy.

Unusually slow Friday, there is always the regular gaugers and daily vehicles but they were even slow to start coming in today.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, November 19, 2016
Morning 49 Degrees, Wind NNW at 5 to 8 Mph, Humidity 52%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 68 Degrees, Wind NE at 13 to 18 Mph, Humidity 21%, sunny.

A nice slow Saturday, mid day was a little busy and early evening otherwise only a few ins and outs for me. Overnights there are a few comers and goers.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, November 20, 2016
Morning 40 Degrees, Wind N at 1 to 2 Mph, Humidity 68%, sunny.
Afternoon 70 Degrees, Wind ESE at 5 to 9 Mph, Humidity 17%, sunny.

Slow Sunday, it does not really stop, as there are “live ins” on site and some are always going out for food, drinks and tobacco products.  Last NASCAR race for the year.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Nov 8 - 14

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind N at 2 to 5 Mph, Humidity 89%, overcast.
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind N at 3 to 6 Mph, Humidity 87%, overcast.

Little dirt road river

Rig people change from crew to crew learning new face’s, different licence plates on different vehicles. These will be on site for two weeks for the drilling company. The rain has hampered our ability to do anything outside. The water has given me some trouble keeping the outside lights on as there is a ground fault receptacle keeps popping. We have a couple of cables ganged together and I think that was the problem area. After covering them with plastic bags it has been OK since. But just getting to the receptacle the mud on the shoes. Mud rain .65 inch what a day.

Little dirt road river

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Morning 64 Degrees, Wind NNW at 5 to 8 Mph, Humidity 90%, overcast .
Afternoon 68 Degrees, Wind NNE at 5 to 6 Mph, Humidity 75%, overcast.
.35 inch of rain. Morning misty rain  Afternoon steady rain. A crew for the water well came in today different than the digging crew.

Me with my Walmart Boots

Walmart boots, we finally remembered our “boots” (picture) these work well keeping our shoes from being full of the mud while walking around Buster or betting to the generator trailer.

Foot prints

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, November 10, 2016
Morning 64 Degrees, Wind NE at 5 to 7 Mph, Humidity 84%, overcast.
Afternoon 73 Degrees, Wind NE at 1 to 6 Mph, Humidity 51%, overcast.

It is still wet, no fun trying to get things in or out if Buster’s outside compartments walking around in the mud.  


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, November 11, 2016
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind N at 4 to 5 Mph, Humidity 84%, overcast.
Afternoon 73 Degrees, Wind WNW at 3 to 5 Mph, Humidity 60%, mostly cloudy.

 At least it is not misty or rainy today, things may dry out today.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, November 12, 2016
Morning 63 Degrees, Wind NNW at 3 to 4 Mph, Humidity 90%, overcast.
Afternoon 80 Degrees, Wind ENE at 3 to 5 Mph, Humidity 56%, overcast.

 We had some partly sunny sky and no rain that is the good.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, November 13, 2016
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind ESE at 4 to 8 Mph, Humidity 89%, overcast.
Afternoon 75 Degrees, Wind SE at 3 to 4 Mph, Humidity 50%, partly sunny.

 Finally some sunshine, for a nice Sunday with slow vehicle traffic. Some people left for a week and some new arrivals again for a week. I have come to the realization the working together of employees from the “big names” in the oil industry. These people from the “big three” Haliburton, Baker Hughes and Schlumberger. This drilling company has people from all three here doing their specialized tasks.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, November 14, 2016
Morning 56 Degrees, Wind variable at 1 to 2 Mph, Humidity 93%, overcast - fog.
Afternoon 80 Degrees, Wind SSW at 6 to 12 Mph, Humidity 53%, mostly sunny.

Vehicle traffic very busy today after a nice slow weekend all different companies coming in to check on their equipment and starting new jobs this week.

it has finally dried up enough to walk around outside Buster without mud sticking to my shoes. I have been feeling stranded not wanting to go around the sides of Buster without the “Walmart boots”, now I can. You do realize the “boots” are a limited supply, you have to purchase things to get the bags, ha ha.

Nov 11

Let's thank all our vets for their service

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Nov 3 - 6

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, November 3, 2016
Morning 76 Degrees, Wind E at 5 to 6 Mph, Humidity 85%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 91 Degrees, Wind ESE at 8 to 13 Mph, Humidity 50%, partly cloudy.

Another busy day of ins and outs nothing exciting just mundane pickup trucks and other parts being delivered.  

Lower left lock is removed

These are two big gates each about twenty feet that I only open one the right side coming in to the ranch road. The other I will open for five axle trailers, regular trailers if they can not make it they need to go back to truck driving schooll. It is all about setting your vehicle up for a turn or other driving maneuver. The gate is held closed with a “barrel lock”. This gate has a four lock barrel, four different companies have locks on the barrel. Removing any one of the four locks will allow the bolt to move out the hole where the lock was remove. While we are here one lock is always removed. The center bolt comes out of the other gate and another bolt comes out the hole where the lock was removed.  

The center bolt goes thru to the other gate
lower left additional rod comes out where the lock is removed

Center bolt thru to the other gate (T handle on the right)
at the bottom of the barrel a small rod sticking out where the lock would fill the hole
to prevent that rod from coming out thus locking the gate

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, November 4, 2016
Morning 69 Degrees, Wind NE at 8 to 18 Mph, Humidity 89%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 79 Degrees, Wind NNE at 5 to 7 Mph, Humidity 64%, overcast.

Slow drizzle rain, tapering off in the afternoon but that has slowed some of the gate traffic. Making the frak pond has completed so those workers are no longer coming. The water well drill crew should finish Sunday. These is another crew running water lines from the pond to the well pad to have that ready for the frak crew when that starts.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, November 5, 2016
Morning 66 Degrees, Wind E at 7 to 9 Mph, Humidity 92%, overcast hazy.
Afternoon 82 Degrees, Wind ESE at 5 to 7 Mph, Humidity 47%, partly sunny.

Things have slowed some for the weekend but there is almost some vehicle needing to enter or leave the gate.  


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, November 6, 2016
Morning 67 Degrees, Wind E at 5 to 6 Mph, Humidity 89%, overcast.
Afternoon 84 Degrees, Wind SE at 8 to 10 Mph, Humidity 47%, Scattered Clouds.
 
A slow Sunday just rig people out and in going to the convenience store at the truck stop. The oil well drill rig is a twenty-four-hour operation with two shifts. I can not tell who is who (day or night shift) as some come after shift and others come before shift. Some also continue on into Carrizo Springs for their fast food and shopping in H E B for groceries.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, November 7, 2016
Morning 65 Degrees, Wind E at 7 to 10 Mph, Humidity 89%, overcast.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind N at  to  Mph, Humidity 56%, Scattered Clouds.

  Rig broke, waiting on the “rig doctor” and the water well crew finished moving out today, so that is done. The drill rig crew is changing and a new crew will be arriving for a two-week tour here with the drill rig.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Oct 31 - Nov 2 vote

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, October 31, 2016
Morning 66 Degrees, Wind E at 3 to 4 Mph, Humidity 90%, mostly cloudy fog.
Afternoon 89 Degrees, Wind SSE at 8 to 11 Mph, Humidity 31%, Scattered Clouds.
 Scattered Clouds are nice that means there is plenty of sun but clouds are providing places of shade, it nice when there is shade. It seams the rig parts are here we are still getting a lot of “visits” coming thru the gate to visit the well site. Drilling should start in a day or two. Correction, what I thought was drill pipe is actually casing, because we got ten loads of that today.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Morning 69 Degrees, Wind SSE at 4 to 8 Mph, Humidity 92%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 92 Degrees, Wind S at 8 to 18 Mph, Humidity 38%, Scattered Clouds.

It has slowed down some but we are still over fifty vehicles a day coming and going. Five more loads of drill pipe today along with two tank trailer more loads of “Mud”.    

Our absentee ballet has arrived in Cotulla went there and picked it up. We each filled out our ballet and put them in the return envelope. We get to s;eep on it and see if we change our minds.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Morning 75 degrees, Wind ESE at 5 to 8 Mph, Humidity 87%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 90 Degrees, Wind SE at 13 to 17 Mph, Humidity 48%, overcast.

Things are starting to slow down here at the gate today or tomorrow the drilling will start. We got two trailers of special drilling compound for high pressure. Now we should see fewer vehicles for a while. There are vehicles that go out for “food” a lunch group and an after work group. From the gate one point six miles there is a convenience store at the fuel stop typical hot food and cold drinks. Some drivers fail to talk and need to be signed in again because they did not tell me they will be coming back.

Well of to the post office this morning mailing our absentee ballets back, there was no one outside interviewing how I voted no television cameras, I felt cheated but satisfied we voted. Because of the late date I spent the extra money for priority delivery service supposed to be at the election office Saturday. In our situation with mail my wife called for ballets, got the printed request form filled that out, sent that back and received our ballets. Mileage,

first we were lucky that someone was able to deliver the request to us here at the gate. Twenty-two miles round trip to mail it back. A phone call to check if the ballet was there yet, yes now seventy miles to retrieve the ballet. After the ballet is complete twenty-two miles to mail it into the election office.

“Fallback Saturday night”, set clocks back one hour before going to bed or you will be an hour early Sunday.