Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Feb 19 - 23

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, February 19, 2017
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind ESE at 5 to 14 Mph, Humidity 90%, overcast.
Afternoon 84 Degrees, Wind E at 4 to 10 Mph, Humidity 90%, overcast, rain shower.

Coiled tubing left last night, picture from a web site, as I was not up when they went out. They were here six and a half days that’s the longest we have had the coiled tubing trucks on a site.

Coiled Tubing Truck

Lots of sand trucks in and out today, busy and fracking now that coiled tubing is done clearing the hole.

Last night and this morning and cows for the first time since we are on this ranch. They came this morning from Busters right side and went on down past the left side out of sight. These are longhorn and a couple of brama. They are interesting to watch meandering down and past Buster.

Cattle on Busters left side

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, February 20, 2017
Morning 58 Degrees, Wind WNW at 2 to 7 Mph, Humidity 92%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind W at 4 to 13 Mph, Humidity 32%, mostly sunny.

Our entertainment came thru this part of the ranch again today, longhorn cows. Fracking and sand trucks continue.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Morning 51 Degrees, Wind W at 5 to 12 Mph, Humidity 69%, sunny.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind WNW at 5 to 8 Mph, Humidity 26%, sunny.

Buster work continues cleaning the diamond shield of the front of Buster. This is no job for wimps like me, it is a big job and we are only trying to do one area. The two lighter colors across the front. Cutting the glue and wiping it off is the lingering process. The plastic is coming off pretty easy with the hair dryer and a putty knife. Blowing the hot air onto the putty knife and towards the diamond shield and light pressure on the knife the glue is releasing the plastic diamond shield. Now the glue remaining on the surface I am using Goof Off a plastic putty knife and rags

I was able to work without a lot of interruptions because there were no sand trucks coming and going from the work pad. They were changing out equipment most of the day.

one area cleaned one not

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Morning 57 Degrees, Wind NW at 5 to 8 Mph, Humidity 54%, sunny.
Afternoon 92 Degrees, Wind WSW at 5 to 14 Mph, Humidity 15%, sunny.

Work continues on Buster working the adhesive removal. The diamond shield is off in the area of the two lighter colors. The dark brown below and above we are not attempting right now.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, February 23, 2017
Morning 52 Degrees, Wind W at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 75%, sunny.
Afternoon 98 Degrees, Wind SSW at 3 to 14 Mph, Humidity %, .

Piping crew and welders returned to work the site today. Fracking continues with sand trucks all day and night. The temperature was unbearable for sleeping today. Our portable air conditioner broke a few weeks ago, it is winter time who needs air conditioning now, we do. Ninety eight degrees for the high today. I was out side under our canopy working the diamond shield removal and running the gate. The breeze and the shade from the canopy it was not too bad. Busters dark color is like a magnet to the sun pulling the heet in and the air conditioner does not keep up. The rear air conditioner must be low on refrigerant as it runs but the air coming out is not very cold. That is on our list to be repaired in San Antonio As we cannot do that here at the gate.

Chemical container

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Feb 14 - 18

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Morning 52 Degrees, Wind NW at 9 to 14 Mph, Humidity 92%, Rain.
Afternoon 65 Degrees, Wind NW at 9 to 19 Mph, Humidity 53%, partly cloudy.

The welder was here again today to add small end caps. Without them the bolt could pass thru the opening or blow open as it did Sunday afternoon. He also placed a latch and chain on the fence post to hold the gate open.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Morning 45 Degrees, Wind NNW at 3 to 8 Mph, Humidity 72%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 63 Degrees, Wind WNW at 12 to 16 Mph, Humidity %, mostly sunny.

Work continues fracking and coiled tubing.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, February 16, 2017
Morning 45 Degrees, Wind NNE at 5 to 6 Mph, Humidity 65%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 70 Degrees, Wind SSE at 2 to 3 Mph, Humidity 35%, partly cloudy.

Sand trucks just keep coming day and night, we never know when one or more are to be going in or out the gate. Shift change for the crews on site are between four and six thirty morning and afternoon. During the day there are other vehicles coming for services or “information” gathering, what’s happening or how are things going.

Empty Chemical container leaving the gate

A sand truck on site time varies as to how things are going. Good times about an hour or two to actually unload. Then there is wait time if the fracking slows. Loaded trucks wait for a unloading “spot” there are seven spots to unload into to sand towers that dispense the sand to the frack. The sand is blown off the truck using a truck mounted air pump that supplies air to the bottom and top of the sand “tank”. Single trucks can unload faster than multiple trucks unloading at the same time.

Sand Truck coming in

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, February 17, 2017
Morning 47 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 84%, sunny.
Afternoon 81 Degrees, Wind variable at 2 to 5 Mph, Humidity 30%, sunny.

Busy Friday nothing special just more vehicles coming and going. Extra people checking things on the frack site and more coming to check on the existing wells and equipment. We also are having water trucks coming and going. Removing water from the “flow back that takes place. Most of the water that is used for fracking does come back up and has to be “disposed” off site.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, February 18, 2017
Morning 51 Degrees, Wind SE at 2 to 7 Mph, Humidity 74%, sunny.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind variable at 4 to 13 Mph, Humidity 25%, sunny.

Kind of a slow day without the extra vehicles coming thru the gate.

We started a day or two ago removing the diamond shield from the front of Buster we started on the movable cover for the generator access. The diamond shield has cracked or checked and the lighter color it shows thru more. The cracked area is an opening exposing the adhesive still there and is collecting dirt. We are able to remove the plastic with a heet gun and putty knife. Actually applying the heet to the knife. The adhesive softens and the knife gets under the plastic and it is removed. Now we deal with removing the adhesive.

Left side and right side with diamond shield checked

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Feb 9 - 13

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, February 9, 2017
Morning 49 degrees, Wind ENE at 5 to 9 Mph, Humidity 52%, sunny.
Afternoon 75 Degrees, Wind SE at 4 to 6 Mph, Humidity 40%, sunny.

 The oil company safety person came to the gate today wanting me to open both gates for every big truck, each gate is twenty feet wide, a truck is only eight and a half feet wide. Granted the road is curved enough it is difficult but very doable. The driver needs to “setup” the rig in the right position or keep right before getting to the gate. I motion big trucks to the right so they will clear the fixed gate and my wood walkways on the right side. The safety man went into the Frak pad and on his return we talked again with me telling him the problem with the gates. Looking out to the incoming road the right gate I have “blocked up” in order to have the “bolt” go thru into the other gate receptacle. The corner post is not strong enough and the gate sags. Additional weight was added when the barrel lock assembly was added after the original gate installation. I told him that a welder was needed to fix the problem. The safety man said that he would have someone come to get the gate lock resolved, great.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, February 10, 2017
Morning 55 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 88%, overcast.
Afternoon 80 Degrees, Wind SSE at 6 to 16 Mph, Humidity 53%, mostly sunny.

By late this afternoon no one came to inquire about the gate and the company man was going out I talked with him about what has happened. He told me he would have someone here on Monday fine that would work for me. He also said that as of Sunday there will be another gate guard set at the entrance to the Frak pad to keep a close eye on the number of persons there.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, February 11, 2017
Morning 59 Degrees, Wind S at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 92%, overcast.
Afternoon 89 Degrees, Wind variable at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 48%, mostly sunny.

During the day today the welder showed up to research the gate problems. I explained the problems and possible remedies. He agreed with my ideas and said he would be here Monday morning ready to work.

On my wife’s shift tonight the sand trucks stopped coming in and out, that means problems down the hole.  


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, February 12, 2017
Morning 61 Degrees, Wind SSE at 5 to 8 Mph, Humidity 92%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind E at 8 to 21 Mph, Humidity 58%, mostly cloudy.

Gate Bollt next to welded ens plates of th north gate

Well the welder showed up today, a day early. Hr also had a helper and they got to work right away. A short time latter they were done and it might have helped that there were no sand trucks running.

This afternoon another gate guard was brought to the ranch and setup at the entrance to the well pad where the fracking is being done. I will be handling the gate for those vehicles only. The other guate guard will log them in and out. Less work load for us this afternoon.

Gate bolted

Coiled tubing crews came in today, they come in when there is a problem “down the hole”. I will get pictures on their way out, when they leave the gate.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, February 13, 2017
Morning 61 Degrees, Wind ENE at 4 to 6 Mph, Humidity 90%, overcast.
Afternoon 83 Degrees, Wind ENE at 8 to 13 Mph, Humidity 60%, mostly cloudy.

For us we are now retraining the crews and the sand truck drivers when they come and leave the gate. After the welder did his work I can now bolt the gate without lifting the south side so the bolt can go into the north gate. For that reason I was only using the north gate open and closed to allow vehicles to enter the ranch. Most trucks could get close to the fence outside and then pass thru without any problems. Most five axle trailer trucks I open the south gate some to allow them thru the gate without any problems. Using the south gate will make a straighter run thru for the trucks and easier for them. But it is now a re-training the drivers effort for me. The frequent ones pick it up sooner. Some that have not been in a while still show up to the right and as I am walking out to the gate I am pointing to the left and open that gate.

Sand trucks are running again as the frack crew is working on other wells while the coiled tubing is working on another.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Feb 5 - 8

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, February 5, 2017
Morning 52 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 93%, overcast.
Afternoon 8 Degrees, Wind  at  to  Mph, Humidity %, .

Fracking started this morning with the crew starting extra early for a safety meeting before work.  My wife caught the morning shift coming in before her shift was done. I therefore had an easy day until the night shift came in the late afternoon then it seems like there is a few minutes of free time until the morning shift is trying to exit and leave the gate.

During the day there was a run of sand trucks and other vehicles but less then a week day. Diesel fuel tanker trucks, two of them, the equipment is very thirsty as those diesel fuel tank trucks can hold eight thousand gallons each.

Sand Truck

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, February 6, 2017
Morning 66 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 93%, overcast.
Afternoon 79 Degrees, Wind S at 4 to 7 Mph, Humidity 62%, partly sunny.

The day fracking crew is coming in the gate even before I get up in the morning and then there is the night crew going out as I am having breakfast. The piping crew starts coming just before six o’clock. So the shift change time is the busiest time morning and afternoon. With the two different work projects it extends the shift change time period for us.    

Sunrise at the gate

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Morning 64 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 93%, partly sunny.
Afternoon 88 Degrees, Wind NE at 3 to 5 Mph, Humidity 45%, mostly sunny.

Work continues as it is surprising to me that the piping/welders are working the same site and there is no problems with vapors from the fracking operation, safety. Vehicles coming and going all day with normal day shift operations on other parts of the ranch. Never knowing when the next sand truck is coming or going. The normal daily operations get routine with there arrival or the amount of time they are on site make them fairly predictable coming and going thru the gate.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Morning 63 Degrees, Wind variable to 7 Mph, Humidity 38%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 91 Degrees, Wind NNW at 7 to 18 Mph, Humidity 19%, mostly sunny.

A new normal, this afternoon the piping crew done for now. Now the fracking crew and daily gaugers are our main vehicles coming and going. I am noticing that the sand trucks coming out are more likely to be before, during or just after shift change in the morning and night.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Jan 29 - Feb 4

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, January 29, 2017
Morning 37 Degrees, Wind WNW at 8 to 11 Mph, Humidity 71%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 72 Degrees, Wind NW at 5 to 14 Mph, Humidity 17%, mostly sunny.

Frack water line on the way to the well pad

Someone was in to start the filling of the frack tanks. I have been failing to say that there is a crew that has been working is water transfer. Bringing in hose and pumps. Laying a water line from the pong to the well pad where the frack will be done.

Frack tank coming in to the well pad

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Morning 40 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 48%, sunny.
Afternoon 83 Degrees, Wind SW at 5 to 13 Mph, Humidity 18%, sunny.

More Frack water tanks coming in today along with equipment to finish the water line for filling the tanks. Piping and welders continue their work.

The tanks are manifolded together using a flex tube from tank to tank
that's way they are parked close together

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Morning 49 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 83%, sunny.
Afternoon 86 Degrees, Wind SW at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 20%, sunny.

Big spike up in vehicles today with wellhead equipment, water transport, sand handling trucks. Along with the other continuing pipe work and welders. Another well pad is also getting busy with work by another contractor. They are there to monitor the well during the fraking of another well pad.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, February 3, 2017
Morning 47 Degrees, Wind ENE at 4 to 8 Mph, Humidity 58%, overcast.
Afternoon 56 Degrees, Wind ENE at 10 to 15 Mph, Humidity 72%, overcast, rain sprinkles.

More fracking pump trucks arriving and people to support the operation. Busy day with the ins and outs but it is slow after dark.

Frack pump truck

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, February 4, 2017
Morning 48 Degrees, Wind N at 2 to 3 Mph, Humidity 73%, overcast.
Afternoon 56 Degrees, Wind E at 2 to 8 Mph, Humidity 82%, overcast.

Get ready day and pressure checks on the fracking equipment setup, tomorrow is the big day. Sand trucks pre-loading the holding containers. I was not expecting the pipe crew but some of them arrived to accept and place the separator modules that arrived today by truck. After that they were done for the day.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Jan 23 - 28

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, January 23, 2017
Morning 41 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 65%, sunny.
Afternoon 67 Degrees, Wind WNW at 1 to 8 Mph, Humidity 28%, sunny.

Busy day after the weekend work with the regulars coming an going and deliveries.  


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Morning 49 Degrees, Wind SSE at 5 to 7 Mph, Humidity 60%, sunny.
Afternoon 88 Degrees, Wind S at 3 to 5 Mph, Humidity 31%, sunny.

Equipment came in this afternoon (Road Grader) to cleanup the work area after the well drilling equipment left the pad and trenching for the manifold work.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Morning 56 Degrees, Wind NNW at 2 to 8 Mph, Humidity 48%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 72 Degrees, Wind NNW at 8 to 14 Mph, Humidity 17%, mostly sunny.

Usual characters were in again working on the manifold piping and gaugers checking their equipment on other well pads.  


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, January 26, 2017
Morning 46 Degrees, Wind ENE at 3 to 7 Mph, Humidity 56%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 63 Degrees, Wind E at 7 to 14 Mph, Humidity 18%, sunny.

Bulldozer and roller equipment came and with drivers. Really not much to write about with a morning group of vehicles then gaugers straggling in thru the morning. Then the morning group leaving after four o’clock.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, January 27, 2017
Morning 41 Degrees, Wind ENE at 7 to 12 Mph, Humidity 68%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 58 Degrees, Wind E at 11 to 24 Mph, Humidity 31%, overcast.

Gaugers and pipe crew as usual today and one truck hauling water tanks, four trips,  bringing in tanks that will contain water used during the fracking operations next month. The pipe crew on their way out today said they are not working tomorrow.

Deer in the grass beside the cat last night
(Picture the next morning)

Today after her sleep my wife went to Carrizo Springs shopping and was back near sundown. I opened the gate for her return and after closing it going to Tan Jan to help bring in the bags. She had her door open and I was looking in the direction of the car when I realized there were four deer in the area forty feet from the left side of the car.   I opened the right rear door and said “do not move just turn your head to the left and see the deer” she did. The deer continued their eating and did look up checking that we were not coming in their direction as we went about bringing in our groceries. That is the first time they were seen in that area. There are plenty of deer on the ranch.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, January 28, 2017
Morning 45 Degrees, Wind N at 6 to 8 Mph, Humidity 66%, overcast.
Afternoon 58 Degrees, Wind NW at 5 to 15 Mph, Humidity 35%, mostly sunny.

Frack water tanks came in again today for the third or forth day. No pipe crew but there were enough others single vehicles coming and going to keep me jumping up for the gate. There are a bunch in now and will be filled with water for the Fracking of the wells (six). I am being told the frack will last sixty days. We will not see the end  of the job, we will be leaving the gate in March. We only have forty-eight more days here and the frack does not start until latter this week or next week.