Was informed today of Apache wanting to obtain easements for power lines at both of our sites. Guessing this is part of their efforts to boost the electrical grid to support drilling and pumping/processing operations. Not sure. There was one reference to connecting the apache network to the faulkner network.
Yeah…I meant to tell you they already had some metal power poles on the east side of CR328 on your property. They are following 328 from the north service road of IH-10 to the hilltop tie in on the south side of CR328 about a mile west of 2903 on CR328 about a mile and a half south of Toyah. Those big metal power poles are to support the 777 KVA power lines they are putting up as a grid supply to all their well sites west of 2903 and north and west of Toyah. Out there at the 4 Cryo plants they are building north of Balmorhea and the 4 they are building up on 222 north of Toyah they will have their own gas fired 5 and 10 Megawatt power plants to electrify the whole area independent of the ERCOT grid in Texas.
They will be crossing your land with 30 inch gas and oil gathering pipelines as well and building a 42 inch gas and oil pipeline ‘highway’ along CR336/112 across FM2903, Tx Hwy 17, and Tx Hwy 285… spitting there to send gas to the WAHA complex at Coyanosa and the Energen gas plant on the east side of Hwy 285 where Reeves and Pecos counties meet. Then they’ll send the oil to that new crude oil plant in Pecos county north of Fort Stockton. They have a two way 42 inch gas/oil pipeline from Chihuahua Mexico to WAHA at Coyanosa (passes east of Alpine) and that new crude oil plant north of Fort Stockton in Pecos county.
Apache is vertically integrating all their holdings as they go…so they are independently electrified and will operate even when the ERCOT grid is down.
, Reeves county, TX 
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I had read, probably here, that apache was working on an electrification project that was independent of ERCOT. They have cut across our property for one pipeline project. Guessing that is the one you reference.
Will their grid be only to support oil/gas infrastructure or can they provide “rural” electrification to others (
Only to service their properties, but that includes their Man Camps. I understand they are going to furnish electricity to their employees in those Man Camps as one of their employment perks.
ol’Lawrence in Verhalen
I recieved an email from targa recourses. About putting a 16 " gas pipe line, 100 rods across my property. NE4 OF NE4 of Section 14,block 7. I am trying too get a hold of Mr Caldwell, too ser if he can help me… I only messaged him on this site as, I am on east coast and thought it too early too call him
I am sorry, I don’t know where my property is in relation too the one you’re talking about …I thought it might be related, because of gas pipe line. Sorry. I wish I had a better map of the whole area, so I can better understand everything. Sorry again Billy Sweeney
Hi- I am also interested in the electric line location. Our property is located in the 10 clover leaf area, on the south side of the road, just below the proposed man camp area , on the other side of the Hwy. block 13 , section 39. Thanks
Melissa…
As far as I know, Apache has no plans to run electric power lines on the east side of FM2903 south of IH-10. You might consider contacting Stuckeys, or Main Street Market corporations about
putting a fuel station and restaurant/convenience store at that intersection on a 10 or 15 year lease to give you monthly income for say 5 or 10 acres surface. That would be more lucrative than power line ROW fees.
Always use a lawyer in your negotiations…my advice to you…
, Reeves county, Tx
Mr. Sweeney, Here is a GIS map of Reeves County Section 14/Block 7. The area of Section 14 circled in red is your NE 40 acres.
GIS Map of Reeves County Section 14/Block 7/A-3874:
CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE
Clint Liles
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Thank you very much, Clint
Thanks lawrence, good advice.
I have been contacted by ORC representing Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC and have received an offer for an easement. In May of 2018 The Public Utility Commission of Texas approved the construction of the Riverton - Sand Lake 138 kV electric transmission line in the West Texas area. The paperwork has not been signed yet and the offer is not impressive but it requires a couple of acres on the corner of my land Section 9 Block C-20.
My question for the informed folks on the forum is whether there is any negotiating room in what is an eminent domain issue. I think the attorney fees to fight this or negotiate it up would end up being the same or more than the offer approved by the state which ain’t much!
Appreciate any insight on this.
Jesse B Clark…
Lo siento mucho, amigo! Bad location to have land desirable for electrification rights of way because of the Eminent Domain angle. That land is at Riverton…along the Pecos River south of the Red Bluff reservoir and both New Mexico and Texas state governments are playing off each other complicating the joining up of the electrical grid infrastructure in that area to serve the gas and oil pipelines and production facilities in that area that are also building nexus shipping facilities to pump products to the Gulf coast and Atlantic coast. Eminent Domain complicates the negotiations and the surface land and mineral owners all get the shaft in those negotiations. All I can recommend is get a good lawyer to negotiate for you, but expect to lose money on the deal.
,Reeves county, Tx 
Oncor is taking a strip 220 feet wide for multiple giant lines and single payment. Several years ago it only took 70 feet for a single line. The Oncor form is not owner friendly and Oncor is pretty much unwilling to negotiate on pricing and form. Contact Barron Adler law firm in Austin which is prominent eminent domain lawyers representing landowners. Fees are 1/3 of any increase in the total compensation.
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f100owner, it sounds like we’re close…west Reeves/County Rd 328 area. I came down from NM to check on things. Will give an update on what I see
Thanks Kathy. I have never been out there.
Is $40 per rod the market price for electric lines?
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Stephen5…
No…in Reeves county it is more like $500 to $800/rod. They’ll charge YOU about that to bring electricity to your
home or farm barn. Turn about is fair play…
, Reeves county, Tx
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Melissa…Saturday I met James Ward, Paul Ward’s son and a Phd Geologist coming out the gate
onto FM2903 on the SE side of the intersection of FM2903 and IH-10 and across from the TxDOT
yard. He said all that land had belonged to the Myers family and his father bought it from them…that they didn’t know any Avery land owners there. They are running cattle in that area.
Paul Ward is in the local phone directory for Balmorhea. (432) 375 2634. You might want to talk to them.
Ol’ Lawrence in Verhalen, Reeves county, Tx 
Hi we are on the TXDOT side. North West corner. The extreme NW corner has the IH- 10 cloverleaf.