This WEREN'T No Drone

Rick · #1 04/11/13, 06:41 PM

Well = quite a stir today at our place.

A burgundy, Helicopter flew 50 feet high, over our place, dwelled over the Gas well for 45 seconds, dwelled over our pasture for a bit and left.

No call, no text, no warning.

I went out with Binoculars, as the darned thing was too big to bury, and wouldn't have composted well.

I called the Landsman. He said he had no idea who it could have been. The owner wasn't in his office.... I was already sure of that.

unregistered168043 · #2 04/11/13, 07:38 PM

Whose 'the landsman'?

Rick · #3 04/11/13, 08:05 PM

He's the man who sets up and oversees the well being drilled.

tinknal · #4 04/12/13, 04:16 AM

Couldn't tell you, but I know around here they use a helicopter fitted with a sensor to inspect gas pipelines for leaks.

brosil · #5 04/12/13, 07:10 AM

Sometimes, It's just a guy out flying his helicopter.

puddlejumper007 · #6 04/12/13, 07:39 AM

too big to compost...

7thswan · #7 04/12/13, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinknal

Couldn't tell you, but I know around here they use a helicopter fitted with a sensor to inspect gas pipelines for leaks.

They do the exact same here. (at our other place) At this place, when a chopper flies low, they are looking for pot. Very strange when you look up, a chopper right over the tree tops and a person hanging out the side door with a weapon of some sort. Then you go to check on your freeking out cows and they(the chopper) follow you because, the corn patch is neer the cows,I didn't think now did I? The corn patch is probably where they think I'm hideing pot....It was pretty amusing tho,when they found the neighbors pot,2 helios(BIG ones) then all the black SUV's ,maybe 8 rolled up, riped out the plants....I wounder how much that operation cost? The ticket for growing pot was like 175 dollars. Buy hey ,the guys probably all had fun, and that's what counts!

SJSFarm · #8 04/12/13, 07:45 AM

Was this your private well?
If not, they are just routine. Many people here have gas wells on their property and get free gas because the gas company draws off it using their equipment, so they need to check it. I have a natural gas pipeline running through my property and the all black, unmarked, helicopters fly over every month. They are just inspecting the lines to make sure there is no problem and no ones stupidly planted trees on top of the lines.

Alice In TX/MO · #9 04/12/13, 07:47 AM

Land man makes the deals. Hubby is a registered consulting petroleum engineer, and he's the guy on the well doing supervision.

I suspect the helo was a pipeline inspector.

Rick · #10 04/12/13, 09:18 AM

If it had been a safety inspection it would be easy to accept. -

I searched the FAA -registration number, and on my call to the 2nd number, with a little polite discussion got connected to the man in the Copter.

Initially he was defensive and told me I didn't own any airspace. I told him this isn't about ownership, but about courtesy and communicating. When I told him the drilling company was not sharing any knowledge of the reason for the visit, he admitted they knew, and that he was in the Copter with the owner looking at our location with the rig in place, another well being fraced, and a completed well. They dwelled over my field to see the 2 miles of road that was widened and rocked.

I shared my opinion that if I were going to be over a man's residence like that, I would want to be certain that the resident had been alerted of it. NOT required, just good common sense.

Rick · #11 04/12/13, 09:31 AM

SJSFarm - we have been offered free gas, but own no sub-surface rights.

The Land Man got back to me. Even though he hasn't been told anything by the owner, he was pretty sure he knew what was going on. I can't elaborate as he asked I keep it between me and him, and as I said courtesy is not difficult.

simi-steading · #12 04/12/13, 10:50 AM

Sure wish they would fly over my land and want to give me a pile of money to drill a new well... I could buy something even bigger and nicer then...

Until that time, I'll just enjoy the free gas I get... I sure do wish I owned that well though.. The guy that owns it bought it for less than a good used car... man.. what a deal...

7thswan · #13 04/12/13, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simi-steading

Sure wish they would fly over my land and want to give me a pile of money to drill a new well... I could buy something even bigger and nicer then...

Until that time, I'll just enjoy the free gas I get... I sure do wish I owned that well though.. The guy that owns it bought it for less than a good used car... man.. what a deal...

My MIL lives a few houses from where we used to live. The pipeline co is putting in some new pipe. I can't even tell you how much $ they are paying them. HUGE ammounts of cash, huge ammounts because they have to cut down a tree ,huge ammounts becaus the lawn is being messed up. And MIL dosen't really want that tree cut down, the offer of more $$$$$$ is put up. It's amazing, they have paid them enough to buy their place.

simi-steading · #14 04/12/13, 11:12 AM

My brother has a friend that just got a little over three million because the oil company put a half acre drill pad on his place... Not sure if the guy owned the rights too or what, but MAN is that a lotta jack for a well... That was outside Dallas..

DeRock · #15 04/12/13, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puddlejumper007

too big to compost...

I got a kick out of that too!

But I'm sure Forerunner could have given him some pointers if he was serious.

Nimrod · #16 04/12/13, 05:23 PM

7thswan said,
Very strange when you look up, a chopper right over the tree tops and a person hanging out the side door with a weapon of some sort.

This requires more than just a courtesy call, especially if the copter is unmarked. Since I am a civilised individual, I would get very ----ed but probably wouldn't open fire.

simi-steading · #17 04/12/13, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nimrod

7thswan said,
Very strange when you look up, a chopper right over the tree tops and a person hanging out the side door with a weapon of some sort.

This requires more than just a courtesy call, especially if the copter is unmarked. Since I am a civilised individual, I would get very ----ed but probably wouldn't open fire.

Yeah... things didn't turn out too well for Mr. Weaver when he decided to shoot at a helicopter flying over his ridge... It went downhill pretty fast for him afterwards...

**clovis** · #18 04/12/13, 06:57 PM

My uncle had a pipeline put in on a tiny corner of his property.

He held out until he was one of the last people to sign, and it earned him a bundle o' money. He didn't get what a well would pay, but it was a nice chunk of change.

7thswan · #19 04/13/13, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nimrod

7thswan said,
Very strange when you look up, a chopper right over the tree tops and a person hanging out the side door with a weapon of some sort.

This requires more than just a courtesy call, especially if the copter is unmarked. Since I am a civilised individual, I would get very ----ed but probably wouldn't open fire.

I was too worried about our cows,to get mad . We had a terrible incident when(at our old farm) a Hot Air Balloon tryed to land in our cow pasture, but that is an entire diffrent story......

Rick · #20 04/13/13, 08:26 AM

Tell the story!!!