Published: January 08, 2009 11:13 pm      

O’Ryan to return Feb. 5

A request by O’Ryan Oil and Gas to drill a “sour gas” well in Navarro County will return to the Navarro County Lake Planning and Zoning agenda on Feb. 5.

The controversial “sour gas” issue — sour gas is Hydrogen Sulfide — first surfaced in early 2008 when the company asked for permission to drill at a site on SECR 0070. The site is within 5,000 feet of Richland-Chambers Lake, and falls under the scope of authority of Navarro County officials. Lake planning rules then in effect prohibited the drilling of “sour gas” wells within 5,000 feet of the lake.

In March 2008, the county approved a “special exception” procedure to that rule, but Navarro County Commissioners then asked O’Ryan for detailed safety procedures and other information before it would take final action on the company’s request to grant it a special exception for the site on SECR 0070.

The issue resurfaced in December 2008 when a joint meeting of the Lake Planning and Zoning Commission was called to consider the O’Ryan request again, only to be canceled due to scheduling conflicts with attorneys involved in the case, said Terry Jacobson, chairman of the commission. Another conflict in schedules prevented the matter from being considered this month, Jacobson added.

Commissioners handled a routine agenda Thursday at its January meeting, including approving three requests for gas wells from XTO Energy, none of them involving “sour gas.” Also approved were two requests for storage buildings, a travel trailer request, and one replat.

A second request for a replat in the Arrowhead development made by Carl Wells was turned down. Jacobson advised the commission the request would abandon an easement to the City of Corsicana as written, and also would leave one lot too small to meet county requirements. Jacobson and commission member Barbara Moe abstained from voting on the request, citing conflicts of interest.

Commission members also heard a presentation by Frank Martinez on the work of the Strategic Planning Group, a committee of city and county residents working on improving the appearance and marketability of Corsicana and Navarro County.

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Bob Belcher may be reached via e-mail at belcher@corsicanadailysun.com