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The Grapevine City Council approved a permit this week for Chesapeake Energy to drill two natural gas wells next to Grapevine Mills mall.
Chesapeake plans to start drilling in December on the 33-acre site at 2720 Grapevine Mills Blvd., according to city documents.The council voted 6-0 Tuesday to approve the permit request under a few conditions, including that trucks enter the site from the south to avoid apartments on Grapevine Mills Parkway, according to Development Services Director Scott Williams.Mayor William Tate abstained from the vote, citing a conflict of interest, according to the city secretary’s office. No further information was available Wednesday about the conflict.This was Chesapeake’s third attempt to get a permit to drill at this property, according to city records. The first request, to drill five wells in January, was withdrawn after city officials requested changes to the plan. The second request in June was denied by the council.Chesapeake and Grapevine Mills management worked together on the plan presented to the council, said Jerri Robbins, a spokeswoman for Chesapeake. The lease involves the mall as well as others, she said."We’ve been working collaboratively with them and actively working on finding solutions so it won’t impact businesses and/or shoppers," Robbins said.Chesapeake plans to build an 8-foot stone wall around the well site.Unlike at most other gas wells in the Barnett Shale, Chesapeake promised city officials that it would build a public facility on the site called "The CHK Learning & Visitor Center," where mall shoppers and others can learn about the drilling process and "experience real-time production activities," according to city documents.The center should be open sometime next year, Robbins said.AMAN BATHEJA, 817-390-7695
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