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Oil Seeping from Ground in Parent's Back Yard
Self | 03/21/05 | Laurel Barney

Posted on 03/19/2005 4:50:11 PM PST by The Grim Freeper

Today, my mother asked me to come see something in their Los Gatos back yard. She took me out to the corner of their large lot (large for Los Gatos, anyway), and she pointed out to me some black, shiny substance seeping out of the ground in patches, and along a line about 10 feet in length. The last heavy rain had made this substance come to the surface.

I said "It looks like oil," and she said she thought so, too. I stuck my finger in it, and it was black, slick, and after I'd rubbed it around to almost a drying point, a little bit gunky. Like crude oil.

We know my parent's property sits on a water table, because the last big earthquake, they weren't anxious to sit in the house, so they sat on the ground, and the ground was all wet (even though it hadn't rained in months).

Also, the heavy rains have caused a number of cracks to appear and/or widen in the brick work and driveway and porches and patios of my parents older home. We definitely are expecting a "big one." We just don't know when, of course. We weathered the Loma Prieta earthquake with a minimum of property damage and some major "rattled" nerves.

But all that is to say, has anyone here ever heard of such a thing? Could crude oil be seeping to the ground surface due to the heavy rains? Could it be something else? If it's oil, what do we do? Do we report it?


TOPICS: Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: blackgold; environment; faultline; ground; heavyrain; leonardcrawley; oil; seeping; texastea
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To: The Grim Freeper

Did you check for the nearest pipeline? Seriously though, be very careful, we (Bellingham, WA)had a pipeline explode because some kids set off illegal fireworks near a leak. They died and the whole park burned.


121 posted on 03/19/2005 6:22:25 PM PST by Eva
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To: lawdude
Seeping oil is no recent phenominun. Back in the late 1800's oil threatened water holes in Oklahoma and Texas where cattlemen watered their herds.

And in North Africa during WWII both the Germans and the Brits would dig wells for their use after which when that location was captured by the other side, oil would have seeped into it. Both sides accused the other of "poisoning" the wells with petroleum so they could not use it. Little did they know that Libya sat on one of the largest oil fields in the world.

But seeps go back to antiquity. It's where the Greeks got pitch to waterproof their ships. And Herodotus reported a small cave where a continuous fire came out of. It was a natural gas seep that was lit.

122 posted on 03/19/2005 6:25:19 PM PST by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: The Grim Freeper
I didn't post that post, The Front Porch.
Well ? if it was a orchard , then I guess the situation looks promising.
I would still get as much information about the property as you can by getting a lawyer, and go to the county library and county register.
All those other posters have good advice.
Still, have that tested, to see what ever it is.
I hope you do strike it rich.
Take care.
123 posted on 03/19/2005 6:26:06 PM PST by Prophet in the wilderness (PSALM 53 : 1 The ( FOOL ) hath said in his heart , There is no GOD .)
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To: The Grim Freeper
THis isn't that uncommon.
124 posted on 03/19/2005 6:26:26 PM PST by fso301
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To: mercy
Besides that if you are in a residential neighborhood they will never let you drill. Ever.

They are placing drilling rigs in neighborhoods here in North Texas to drill for natural gas in the Barnett Shale.

125 posted on 03/19/2005 6:27:56 PM PST by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: The Grim Freeper

dont worry about it if you try to get that oil it will soon be considered a national wildlife refuge and john kerry will fillibuster any attempts to drill for it. He has to protect the caribou you know


126 posted on 03/19/2005 6:31:12 PM PST by TheRedSoxWinThePennant (Illegal aliens crossing our border are entitled to drinking water, unfortunately Teri Schiavo is not)
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To: The Grim Freeper

This unhealthy seepage of oily goop would not be happening but for the fact that the enviro-wackos have banned oil drilling, and the oil has no where to go but your mom's backyard.


127 posted on 03/19/2005 6:32:13 PM PST by Brilliant
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To: federal

I wouldn't buy property without mineral rights. but ofcourse with the slant drilling it really doesn't matter. they could get to it anyway.


128 posted on 03/19/2005 6:36:49 PM PST by marty60
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To: Rebelbase

Close up showing triangles near Los Gatos south of San Jose indicating known oil seeps there.

129 posted on 03/19/2005 6:39:31 PM PST by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: The Grim Freeper
Two possibilities come to mind.
Where there any service stations anywhere in the neighborhood that have since been "abandoned"?
Are there any pipeline easements shown on the deed to the property?
130 posted on 03/19/2005 6:43:27 PM PST by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are ignorance, stupidity and hydrogen)
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To: The Grim Freeper
I'm guessing it's somewhere off of Blossom Hill Road?


131 posted on 03/19/2005 6:45:41 PM PST by Rebelbase (Member, National Rightwing Alternative Media Blog Mafia.)
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To: The Grim Freeper

Push on the house and see if it slides around.


132 posted on 03/19/2005 6:46:54 PM PST by Nick Danger (You can stick a fork in the Mullahs... they're done)
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To: tapatio

Well, I just drove over there and found the pump. It is in the parking lot behind the SJNB Office Bldg. at 15405 Los Gatos Blvd (about 3 bldgs south of the Rotten Robbie Station.) It looks like it hasn't operated in quite a long time.


133 posted on 03/19/2005 6:47:54 PM PST by Dimples
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To: Nick Danger

Not too far from the truth!


134 posted on 03/19/2005 6:52:43 PM PST by The Grim Freeper
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To: Rebelbase

Expunged!

More like sucked dry.


135 posted on 03/19/2005 6:53:50 PM PST by mercy
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To: FreedomCalls

Well? We ARE talking Texas for gawd's sake. Freedom is still a concept here.


136 posted on 03/19/2005 6:55:35 PM PST by mercy
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To: The Grim Freeper

Hy, I think we may have been neighbors. I was on Marchmont. I think I know the lot you're talking about there. Was there a red 1940s/50s house on it? I went to a garage sale there and bought a few good things just as it was sold.


137 posted on 03/19/2005 6:57:23 PM PST by tinamina
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To: marty60

Well in many parts of Texas and the USA you wouldn't buy any property them, because in some areas they have be separated for generations. In east Texas they started selling off mineral rights in the 1930's so there is maybe 1% of the mineral rights left and then it's on property of no value.


138 posted on 03/19/2005 6:57:28 PM PST by federal
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To: The Grim Freeper

Yes, you should have seen it coming--from a mile away.


139 posted on 03/19/2005 7:15:15 PM PST by rbg81
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To: Rebelbase

Hey, I can see my old house!


140 posted on 03/19/2005 7:20:44 PM PST by null and void (Even if Terri didn't want to live like that, it doesn't follow that she wants to die like THIS!)
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