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Council OKs church drilling site
By Tasha Hayton, Staff Writer
Drilling will likely begin in May on the Fellowship Church site off of Bethel Road after
the Coppell City Council unanimously approved the request from Chesapeake Energy on
Tuesday night.
There will be 122 cedar elm trees removed from the drilling site, and the planning
department requested full tree retribution — of $153,900 — in addition to the 33
evergreen trees added around the perimeter of the site after drilling is completed, said
Marcie Diamond, assistant planning director for the city of Coppell.
“One of our main concerns is the view from Bethel Road,” Diamond said.
But, Chesapeake was credited for the 33 evergreens to be planted after drilling is
completed. Chesapeake will be charged $149,900 instead for tree retribution.
Representatives from Chesapeake requested the company be exempt from the tree retribution
fee because the site is zoned light industrial, which means builders do not have to pay
tree retribution on the building site.
Although the representatives contested the entire drilling site is their “building,”
council members agreed with the planning department.
In addition to the tree retribution fee, Chesapeake has to provide detailed site plans to
the planning department before drilling begins and revise the gas pipeline so it does not
interfere with street right-of-way.
Once the well is completed and producing natural gas, the gas will be pumped through a
pipeline running from Coppell to southern Denton County, said Craig Overcash, public
affairs coordinator for Chesapeake Energy.
But, before the well is producing, the company will prepare the about 2 acre site by
clearing the trees and bringing equipment in. Then, the drill will bore a hole to 2,000
feet below ground before putting in a steel casing, which will be held in place by
concrete, he said.
At the church site, the well will go down 8,400 feet and will drill horizontally 3,700
feet to the northwest of the well site, Overcash said.
To release the gas from the 330 million-year-old Barnett Shale, water and sand will be
blasted through the hole to crack the rock. Overcash equated the Shale to a marble
surface, and the water acts like a rock thrown against glass sending tiny cracks
throughout the rock.
For the Coppell site, Chesapeake will transport water from a pond at DFW Airport. Once
the water is used, it will be disposed in a saltwater well.
But, several council members were concerned about the reuse of the water.
“Of course, water is a natural resource we want to keep,” said council member Bill York,
after asking if the water could be cleaned and reused.
To monitor the site, the sound and other issues during the drilling process, the city
hired a gas inspector.
“We’re your eyes and ears on the weekends,” said Larry Hulsey, the gas inspector for
Coppell.
His role is to ensure all requirements are being met and that Chesapeake is drilling
safely, Hulsey said.
But, he assured the council Chesapeake is one of the better natural gas companies.
Council also approved:
• A change order to close Bethel Road from Freeport Parkway past Hard Eight. The road
will be closed from March 17 to April 18. But, there are monetary incentives for the
construction company if the road is finished earlier.
• A zoning change granting Gordon Pratt at Kegs ‘N Cellars a special use permit for an
additional 23 square-foot attached sign.
• A zoning change for DeVine Cellars in the Town Center Addition along the east side of
Denton Tap Road allowing the operation of a 2,272 square-foot wine store and restaurant.
The restaurant will be 1,100 square-feet. It will be open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday
through Thursday, 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.
• A revised site plan to allow for the development of a nearly 4,000 square-foot Chase
bank with three drive-thru windows at the southeast corner of MacArthur Boulevard and
Village Parkway. Despite a heated discussion regarding a request to add blue awnings to
soften the appearance of the building, the plan was approved sans the awnings. Jayne
Peters was in opposition.
Contact Staff Writer Tasha Hayton at thayton@acnpapers.com or at 972-628-4078.
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