A proposed wastewater treatment facility in the Eagle Ford is in jeopardy as DeWitt county residents push back.
Related: Oilfield Waste is Still Big Business
Petro Waste Environmental is still awaiting permits from the Texas Railroad Commission that would allow them to build a solid waste disposal site in Nordheim,TX. But residents of the community have been fighting for three years to block the permitting process because the facility would be built directly over a natural gas pipeline.
In addition to concerns over issues of drainage, residents are also afraid of the potential dangers caused by increased truck traffic, including the shifting earth and fire.
Petro Waste Environmental CEO, George Wommack said that this type of construction over a pipeline is a normal occurrence and with the proper planning, there is no reason for concern.
“It’s a matter of planning and engineering and making sure there is sufficient soil between the pipeline and where there is truck traffic,” Wommack said. “We’ll conduct all kinds of engineering studies as the construction takes place with compaction requirements and other testing that’ll ensure the integrity around the pipeline.”
In December, the Railroad Commission of Texas issued Petro Waste their first permit to operate a non-hazardous oil and gas waste landfill in Howard County in the Permian Basin. The company is awaiting permits for DeWitt, Frio, McMullen, and Pecos counties.
Other waste companies are also looking to expand into the Eagle Ford. In January Milestone Environmental Services, LLC announced it had acquired an oilfield waste facility currently under construction near Smiley, in Gonzalez County, Texas through a newly-formed subsidiary with Intervale Capital.