HOUSTON, Texas – A Sugar Land, TX man and his neighbour are in police custody after the duo drilled an unauthorized gas well in the backyard of one of the men in search of a fuel source for their extraordinarily large homemade backyard grill.
Delvin Finn, 57, and Tracey O’Shillelagh, 53, both of Sugar Walls Crescent have been charged with unlawful oil and gas exploration, damage to public property, and a number of charges laid by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Securities Exchange Commission also dropped the hammer on the men for concealing proven reserves.
At the time of their arrest, the 2 men were too intoxicated to understand the charges laid against them, and they are each currently being held on $250,000 bail. Sargent Milfson of the SPD explains:
Derrick Milfson, copper
According to eye witness accounts, Mr. Finn and Mr. O’Shillelagh were seen building a make-shift drilling rig in Mr. Finn’s backyard. They were somehow able to drill into the ground and before they knew it, they hit an oil pool, caused a mess and we descended on the scene shortly thereafter. – Officer Derrick Milfson, Sugarland PD
Sources close to the charged told police that the 2 men had always complained about having to replace the 10 lb propane tanks in their 250,000 BTU barbecues, yet they were reluctant to tie them into a natural gas line because they knew that they could tie in their own gas for less cost. Employed in the oil and gas industry, the men believed that there was an unconventional gas play underneath Sugarland and they were going to use their own specialized software to help them exploit it.
The aftermath from the failed backyard drill
Neighbours describe the rig as being constructed entirely out of materials that the pair acquired from The Home Depot. The 3/4″ plywood Kelly floor sat atop a 4″x4″ treated frame that also supported a rented portable concrete mixer rigged to act as a make shift top drive system. The shakers were cut from plastic totes while most of the piping was food grade hose and PVC piping. A series of clothes line pulleys and extension cords completed the rig.
Jamie McWendys, a neighbour who also happens to be a drill rig hand, describes what he saw:
Jamie McWendys, neighbour
I recall one of them saying to the other that they should use pressure treated wood for extra strength and durability, which makes absolutely no effin’ sense.
It looks like they got down a pretty good distance and after a loud pop, the BOP that they had fashioned out of 2″ PVC failed at what looked like 13 or so psi, and oil just kinda oozed out of their rig onto their yard and then onto the street, into the gutter and so on.
That’s when I called the cops. – Jamie McWendys, neighbour and eye witness
The EPA, who arrived on the scene within minutes, was able to measure the rate at which the oil was spilling into the gutter thanks to a flow meter that the pair had put together with a halved-out 10″ pipe and a Walmart digital weather vane. The leaking well flowed at 47 barrels per hour for the 3 hours it took an emergency well site service crew to shut in the well.
The 2 men have their first court appearance scheduled for July 1st, 2014, and although their wives could bail them out in the interim, they choose not to in an effort to teach them a lesson for their backyard hi-jinx.
That is so awesome. They ought to pay for damages, but the fat gov’t bureaucrats fining and jailing them is BS. Private property needs to be respected.
actually… one needs to check one’s deed. if they did not own the mineral rights under their land… this is a clear case of theft from the person/company that did. I am not saying this is the case… but the average person doesn’t realize that just because they bought a home or land that they may not own the oil and gas/mineral rights UNDER that land.
Howdy! I simply wish to offer you a big thumbs up for your great information you’ve got right here on this post. I will be returning to your site for more soon.
That pesky oil always gets in the way. Seriously, it was good fortune for them that they did not hit a gas pocket. With no well control equipment to depend on, it could have been a disaster. This story is almost unbelievable. These two gents actually worked in the industry, amazing.
You might want to check your facts before posting pictures. This is not from this because this picture is from an Exxon Mobil pegasus line that busted last year in OKLAHOMA. My husband worked on it. You can easily google the bust and see this picture. CHECK YOU FACTS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lauren – I’m a chronic reader on 2P, pretty sure there are no facts to check….not much, if anything these guys write is real….hahahaha, I think you missed the point.
(And actually, I am aware them pic was from another break, I assume the writers did too, but took some creative license)
Ha, just as I thought… I smelled parody when I was reading this… and the pictures were obvious clues… good job 2P, whoever you are. I love a good joke. Well, as long as it’s not at MY expense… 😉
Shouldn’t they now pull of some similar prank while in jail, just to ise the cake? You know, detect gold dust in the paint and start prospecting… something as believable…. 🙂
I think they should be no charges against them. But the big oil companies will never let this go. Think what it would happen to oil and gas prices if everyone started doing this and 5-10% hit oil. Then the price at the pump would go back down. Maybe even less than a dollar a gallon. Just think fill ur 25 gallon tank on ur F-150 for $25 dollars. Then we could tell BP to shove there oil u know were.
I’m with you, Antoine. Only in the Big T would we get this kind of love on 2P News. Keep on readin’, keep on sharin’, and let’s take this gravy train right on through flavour town, y’all. Whoo Hoooo!!! (I can get away with saying Whoo Hoooo because I am from Calgary, Alberta.)
Finally someone noticed. In chrome it takes 2 clicks to reverse google search and image and see a bunch of these pictures from the actual news articles, from real news sites.
Its funny I live in Houston area which Sugarland is a suburb and never heard any big news on this situation? I may have missed it, but if true engineer or not these guys are idiots and should have known that in a city like Sugarland they would not get away with it!
Read this article carefully. It will become obvious that this is utter bullshit. This is nothing but a hoax written by a fat bastard in a basement with nothing to do. If they really had oil underneath them REAL specialist s would have gave notice and set up an off-site drill to drill under their house all the while paying them.
If they truly discovered the well on their own then they’d juust receive a pat on the back, result being the same (and they’d be rich men. This would have been NATIONAL news).
What makes this obvious BS is that they wouldn’t be charged for ‘hiding’ a hidden reservoir which in its self would be very hard from TRUE oil and gas exploration. It would have also taken them a lot more than three hours to shut it off.
BS Buster – You got me. Bullshit? Yessir. Fat bastard? Yup. Nothing to do? Not really no, but thanks for pointing that out.
I will finally come out and tell the truth. 2P News is a satirical blog. Sorry we fooled you, but we thought there were enough clues in the article for most people…..obviously we forgot about you.
Thanks for reading! WE LOVE TEXAS!
(and for what it’s worth, the 2P News team is comprised of oil and gas geologists, engineers, geophysicists, drillers, and even a roughneck)
I’m calling BS on BS Buster. Were you up alll night trying to dig to the bottom of whether this news story is real or fake?
The fact that you took the time to really break it down suggests that you, even for a split second, thought it was real. Did you see the picture of the police officer? Come on, man.
As I live in Sugar Land I was surprised that this was not on the local news. Then of course I discovered that Sugar Walls Crescent doesn’t exist. But a good story anyway.
As I live in Sugar Land I was surprised that this was not on any local news. This until I realized it was a spoof, plus there is no street in Sugar Land called Sugar Walls Crescent,
I new this cuddent be reel, when thay said the bbq cooker used 250,000 btus of gas. Noboddy in Texas would have burners that small on a bbq, minimum 13.7MM Btus is rekwired.
Hello! I’ve been following your blog for a long
time now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out
from Huffman Texas! Just wanted to tell you keep
up the great job!
Seriously, My family has been in the oil industry for 3 generations. I did this on my 15 acres. All I got was ocean front property. Well at least I am making a fortune for having the only beachfront property in central Louisiana. Yes, it’s for sale if anyone is interested.
Well done! Had me fooled til I read the comments. I’d have put the line about leaving their husbands in jail at the very end. What a great totally wasted punch line!
Hell with 47 barrels per hour flow rate X 24= 1128 barrels of oil per day@ say $100.00 per barrel =$11,280.00 per day of revenue, I’d say they done good! $338K a month is not a bad income after fines and permits. Hell I would dig another well!
. . . do ANY of you morons understand that everything on this website is MADE UP??? Go to the top of this page and click on “About 2P News”, and among other things, you’ll read this:
“The articles, the people and companies named within [these stories], are all ficticious . . .”
My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find many of your post’s to be just what I’m
looking for. Would you offer guest writers to write content for you
personally? I wouldn’t mind publishing a post or elaborating
on some of the subjects you write regarding here. Again, awesome web log!
@Vikki: We encourage people to write for the site. We have published a number of articles from ideas that people have submitted – some people even submit entire articles.
Please visit the “Submit an Idea” link near the top.
BRILLIANT good fun! Knew it was utter bullshit, though, because I got here from a link in another story about a legit spill in Arkansas that used the same photo.
That is so awesome. They ought to pay for damages, but the fat gov’t bureaucrats fining and jailing them is BS. Private property needs to be respected.
actually… one needs to check one’s deed. if they did not own the mineral rights under their land… this is a clear case of theft from the person/company that did. I am not saying this is the case… but the average person doesn’t realize that just because they bought a home or land that they may not own the oil and gas/mineral rights UNDER that land.
It’s incredible what some guys will do to try and save money. I’m guessing they’ll only get fined and then sent home.
You should be a part of a contest for one of the highest quality blogs on the internet. I am going to highly recommend this website!
Howdy! I simply wish to offer you a big thumbs up for your great information you’ve got right here on this post. I will be returning to your site for more soon.
That pesky oil always gets in the way. Seriously, it was good fortune for them that they did not hit a gas pocket. With no well control equipment to depend on, it could have been a disaster. This story is almost unbelievable. These two gents actually worked in the industry, amazing.
In a perfect world, these guys will get job offers to go find more oil.
Hey all you Texans, what would these guys be up against down there if the Law caught ’em?
This was in Texas, just south of Houston.
They’d be promoted to engineers.
It worked for Jed Clampett… Texas tea, black gold… Ya’ll come back ya hear…
The pic is from Arkansas when a pipeline burst last year you dumbasses
The sad thing is that I think they are engineers, so they should have known better.
You might want to check your facts before posting pictures. This is not from this because this picture is from an Exxon Mobil pegasus line that busted last year in OKLAHOMA. My husband worked on it. You can easily google the bust and see this picture. CHECK YOU FACTS!!!!!!!!!!!!
You might want to read the ABOUT section of this website and realize it is called SATIRE!!
This is actually a photo taken from the Mayflower, AR spill.
Actually this pictures if from ARKANSAS not Oklahoma. Before you get all pissy about fact checking perhaps YOU should fact check….
id be calling an oil company and making money. thats alot of texas T
Lauren – I’m a chronic reader on 2P, pretty sure there are no facts to check….not much, if anything these guys write is real….hahahaha, I think you missed the point.
(And actually, I am aware them pic was from another break, I assume the writers did too, but took some creative license)
@ Lauren and John: I’d say that the people behind 2P take idiot license to crank out some of the stuff that they publish.
Entertaining? Arguable.
Idiots? No question.
As an oil field worker this is the greatest thing I have ever read. Well minus the fact they got caught, that part sucks
Ha, just as I thought… I smelled parody when I was reading this… and the pictures were obvious clues… good job 2P, whoever you are. I love a good joke. Well, as long as it’s not at MY expense… 😉
Shouldn’t they now pull of some similar prank while in jail, just to ise the cake? You know, detect gold dust in the paint and start prospecting… something as believable…. 🙂
Gyawd you people are gullible…
I think they should be no charges against them. But the big oil companies will never let this go. Think what it would happen to oil and gas prices if everyone started doing this and 5-10% hit oil. Then the price at the pump would go back down. Maybe even less than a dollar a gallon. Just think fill ur 25 gallon tank on ur F-150 for $25 dollars. Then we could tell BP to shove there oil u know were.
IT busted in Mayflower Ark. I am still working on this line from the rupture right now.
Under the pic it clearly states ” The aftermath from the failed backyard drill”…
I googled the spill in Oklahoma…( Exxon ) and that is the same picture on that report.
Never know if your getting facts or not anymore….
Kirk..your an idiot
@ Lauren
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/EPAoilspillsubdivision3.JPG
This is the picture of the oil spill located in Mayflower, Arkansas. Charles, I would do the same thing, if they have the mineral rights.
Mayflower Ar he might have told you he was in Oklahoma.
Just goes to show you, what I was taught growing up is true, all engineer’s are educated beyond their intelligence level. Smdh.
This is an classic example of where duct tape, always over-rated, has yet again proved an unsatisfactory product – next time – use gorilla tape.
Well above all things, you can bet, they didn’t have any mineral rights anyway. And also probable violated deed restrictions, also
Land of the free? Land of the permit, fines, fees, and penalties if you as me. Did I mention taxes? LOL
I agree with Andrew.
Andrew, you can’t spell.
@ Andrew and Jen: Let cooler heads prevail. Let’s just all get along.
By the way, there is nothing wrong with his speeling.
Looks like Mr. McWendys is downing himself a delicious Big Mac!
I love it when stupid people think satire articles are real.
Listen to a story bout a man named Jed…
Really? People actually believe this? Really?
$250,000 for that. Worse crimes are committed and the bail for those people is considerably less.
Cheers Texas! We really do love y’all! (and all the hard workin oil patch survivors just like us!)
I’m with you, Antoine. Only in the Big T would we get this kind of love on 2P News. Keep on readin’, keep on sharin’, and let’s take this gravy train right on through flavour town, y’all. Whoo Hoooo!!! (I can get away with saying Whoo Hoooo because I am from Calgary, Alberta.)
Amazed that sooo many think this story is real. This is a satire website, specifically for humor. You people are goofy.
Really.. The picture of the cop though. MILF son hahah
I can see how someone would believe this. Look at what all the ppl that voted in the pres election STILL believe.
Too bad your image is a lie…that’s a picture from the 2013 pipeline burst in Mayflower, AR.
Need to get story right the pic of the house is a oil spill that actually happened in Mayflower, Arkansas!
The first thing ya know is Jed a millionaire he should move to California when he makes bail
Lmao the comments on here are more entertaining….
Jamie McWendy’s is the best name
Jed Clampitt is alive and well, as well as prospering in Houston, Texas.
Finally someone noticed. In chrome it takes 2 clicks to reverse google search and image and see a bunch of these pictures from the actual news articles, from real news sites.
Its funny I live in Houston area which Sugarland is a suburb and never heard any big news on this situation? I may have missed it, but if true engineer or not these guys are idiots and should have known that in a city like Sugarland they would not get away with it!
Read this article carefully. It will become obvious that this is utter bullshit. This is nothing but a hoax written by a fat bastard in a basement with nothing to do. If they really had oil underneath them REAL specialist s would have gave notice and set up an off-site drill to drill under their house all the while paying them.
If they truly discovered the well on their own then they’d juust receive a pat on the back, result being the same (and they’d be rich men. This would have been NATIONAL news).
What makes this obvious BS is that they wouldn’t be charged for ‘hiding’ a hidden reservoir which in its self would be very hard from TRUE oil and gas exploration. It would have also taken them a lot more than three hours to shut it off.
These comments are almost as funny as the satirical article LOL
BS Buster – You got me. Bullshit? Yessir. Fat bastard? Yup. Nothing to do? Not really no, but thanks for pointing that out.
I will finally come out and tell the truth. 2P News is a satirical blog. Sorry we fooled you, but we thought there were enough clues in the article for most people…..obviously we forgot about you.
Thanks for reading! WE LOVE TEXAS!
(and for what it’s worth, the 2P News team is comprised of oil and gas geologists, engineers, geophysicists, drillers, and even a roughneck)
Only in America !!!! Make shift bop’s … how fucking stupid are all of you
You probably think everything in The Onion and the Saturday Live news is real too. This is satire. Not real. Just for laughs.
I’m calling BS on BS Buster. Were you up alll night trying to dig to the bottom of whether this news story is real or fake?
The fact that you took the time to really break it down suggests that you, even for a split second, thought it was real. Did you see the picture of the police officer? Come on, man.
As I live in Sugar Land I was surprised that this was not on the local news. Then of course I discovered that Sugar Walls Crescent doesn’t exist. But a good story anyway.
As I live in Sugar Land I was surprised that this was not on any local news. This until I realized it was a spoof, plus there is no street in Sugar Land called Sugar Walls Crescent,
I knew it was satire when it said the EPA showed up in minutes, Great Read !!!!!!
You guys are full of shit.
I new this cuddent be reel, when thay said the bbq cooker used 250,000 btus of gas. Noboddy in Texas would have burners that small on a bbq, minimum 13.7MM Btus is rekwired.
Hello! I’ve been following your blog for a long
time now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out
from Huffman Texas! Just wanted to tell you keep
up the great job!
i can consent with all the article.
(WTF man……I have no idea what you’re consenting too, but Darcy is pretty excited! 😉 ) – Guilly
Lol 47 bbl’s/hr. That’s over 9.5m3 an hour for 3 hours. Almost 30000/L in 3 hours…. With PVC hahahaha not to mention E3m3 hahahaha…. Ok
Lol over 9.5m3 an hour, no E3m3? 28k plus in 3 hours hahahaha
I LOVE YOU GUYS! (kidding, this comment had an “I”. That’s it.) We love you too Isaac!
Seriously, My family has been in the oil industry for 3 generations. I did this on my 15 acres. All I got was ocean front property. Well at least I am making a fortune for having the only beachfront property in central Louisiana. Yes, it’s for sale if anyone is interested.
This story is fake…..
http://www.businessinsider.com/major-exxon-oil-spill-in-arkansas-2013-4
I love your blog, but this was awesome. And people believed it!!! lol!! Good for you guys. I’m hooked!
Well done! Had me fooled til I read the comments. I’d have put the line about leaving their husbands in jail at the very end. What a great totally wasted punch line!
Hell with 47 barrels per hour flow rate X 24= 1128 barrels of oil per day@ say $100.00 per barrel =$11,280.00 per day of revenue, I’d say they done good! $338K a month is not a bad income after fines and permits. Hell I would dig another well!
. . . do ANY of you morons understand that everything on this website is MADE UP??? Go to the top of this page and click on “About 2P News”, and among other things, you’ll read this:
“The articles, the people and companies named within [these stories], are all ficticious . . .”
My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find many of your post’s to be just what I’m
looking for. Would you offer guest writers to write content for you
personally? I wouldn’t mind publishing a post or elaborating
on some of the subjects you write regarding here. Again, awesome web log!
@Vikki: We encourage people to write for the site. We have published a number of articles from ideas that people have submitted – some people even submit entire articles.
Please visit the “Submit an Idea” link near the top.
Cheers,
Darcy
BRILLIANT good fun! Knew it was utter bullshit, though, because I got here from a link in another story about a legit spill in Arkansas that used the same photo.
Good try, though.
I’m a little bummed they don’t have a picture of that cement mixer topdrive.