Oil firm asks for bulk water
Oil firm asks for bulk water
New reservoir to accommodate sale
By STU MERRY
The new underground water storage facility is now operational – and it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time.
Garrison officials learned this past week that a company charged with providing water for an operational oil well being drilled in western McLean County would like to purchase water from the city – a lot of water.
The company, Trustland Oilfield Services of New Town, asked city officials for approximately 250,000 gallons of treated water per day for about a week with the total gallonage estimated at 1 million.
With the new 290,000-gal. storage facility now on-line, that is possible.
Trustland crews began hauling water from the city’s automated water salesman near the City Shop this past Saturday at 10 a.m. and have been loading around the clock ever since.
It takes about 20-25 minutes to load a tanker. Each tanker holds 130 barrels, or 5,460 gallons.
Three trucks have been loading out of Garrison, with another coming out of Parshall to service the site. The water is being used to (what is called in the business) “frac” a well, which is pumping water into the well to draw oil out.
City Maintenance Supervisor Alan Beyreis said the city has sold smaller amounts of water for oil-related activity before, but this is the first major sale. Beyreis said he doubts it will be the last, noting activity west of Garrison is on the rise.
“If this goes well, there’s interest in a lot more sites,” he said. “I’ve heard there are a number of other areas picked for activity in the near future.”
Jack Gaughan, one of the drivers for Trustland, agreed. He said what would entice more water sales from Garrison would be a larger line, which would cut loading time in half.
