oilandlandowner.ca T0C 2J0
November 3 / 04
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Murphy Oil Ltd.
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In the following recap of some of the dealings between Murphy Oil and myself, the word " Murphy " unless otherwise stated, refers to Murphy Oil Ltd. and/or any of its employees, contractors, agents, etc.
Do you remember when I asked Murphy to give me a list of what equipment, structure, etc. would be on the lease I was informally provided with this information? When I asked that the list be signed I was told "anyone would be crazy to sign that".
Do you remember when Murphy phoned me to arrange a meeting between me and 4 of you and Murphy was insistent on renting meeting space in town? The intent was to put us on a more even ground. I did not accept such a proposal. When it came time for the meeting, Murphy showed up with 6 people. How in God’s little green earth did you figure that with a 6 to 1 ratio at a meeting you must still take me away from my place to make for more even ground?
Do you remember when Murphy pulled the underhanded good news bad news situation?
Do you remember when I contacted Murphy by phone about closing and locking gates? Murphy agreed to look after it right away, but nothing happened, problems continued. I then contacted your landman who had previously assured me that he would see to it that the contractors were doing as they were supposed to and still nothing happened. My words again fell upon tin ears.
Do you remember when Murphy chose to cut my locks and undo gate wires without any attempt to contact me first? Note that I had phoned the Calgary office, I had phoned your local landman and I had put up a sign on the perimeter gate prior to your cutting and undoing, no one in any way even acknowledging my concerns?
Do you remember the many times when Murphy choose to just lay the gates down and drive over them breaking uprights in the gates?
Do you remember the thistles and hemp nettle going to seed and nothing done about it until I complained? Now they are back with a vengeance.
Do you remember your tractor fire on the lease site?
Do you remember Murphy telling me that only 4 trees had been damaged by fire when I was claiming 17? I insisted that 17 had been damaged and was told by Murphy that an environmentalist had looked at them and only 4 were damaged. When asked who the environmentalist was you refused to tell me and only said to trust you. These trees are still damaged.
Do you remember the pictures I sent you in Aug./02 showing the shoddy workmanship of the pipeline reclamation that apparently your inspector was pleased with?
Do you remember that I asked to have the pictures returned after viewing and only after a reminder letter in April/03 did you return the pictures?
Do you remember how Murphy tightened a fence they damaged by just pushing the wire around the posts and re-stapling?
Do you remember how Murphy repairs broken fence and gate barbed wires with utility tie wire [a soft utility wire about the diameter of a pencil lead]?
Do you remember how Murphy changed part of a contract and asked me to sign it without any mention of the changes made?
Do you remember how Muphy chose to leave their lease and use my personal property as a crapper?
Do you remember when you cut my fences in total disregard for the agreement that stated that the fences be rolled back.
Do you remember when Murphy was questioned as to why the perimeter gate was not being locked and I got the ridiculous answer of we didn’t want to give the lock combination to the tank truck driver?
Do you remember when I questioned Murphy about trees I was told no one wants trees? I responded that I wanted trees. The reply I got was that if we give you trees then everyone will want trees. When questioned Murphy acknowledged talking out of both sides of their mouth at the same time.
Do you remember when Murphy and I agreed to a partial crop loss settlement and was asked to sign a paper stating that I acknowledge receipt of said monies? After I signed the paper I was told I would have to wait a few weeks for my money. I was asked to sign for receipt of monies that Murphy had no intentions of giving me at the time.
Do you remember when Murphy agreed to re-seed a pipeline lease in a year and then asked me sign a paper stating that I release them from all claims and demands etc.? To sign such a paper then would only serve to negate you from the agreement you made only a few minutes earlier to re-seed.
Do you remember when I had concerns during pipeline construction and no one was listening, that Murphy had a pre-construction meeting at which time it was decided not to have contact with the landowners?
Do you remember how Murphy damaged a driveway marker in my yard and just drove off without any acknowledgement of what they would have known they had done?
Do you remember how Murphy chose to drive on my hayland to turn their truck around when they had a gravel road and proper area to turn around?
Do you remember the letter of non- objection of August 18/04 that stated that Murphy had applied to the EUB for approval to establish a holding on 20-42-3-5? As a landowner I was given a deadline to reply. I did reply within the given time although I could have used more time for a thorough reply. I have found out since that that letter was a total deception. Murphy had not applied for this holding and the landowners were totally deceived. If I had known that your letter was not true I would have had more time for a more researched reply which was denied me by your deception. The application was not made until approx. Oct.25/04, more than 2 months later.
Do you remember that when the erroneous letter was sent out you missed 2 parties that required notification? One of these was a landowner whose property is less than 200 metres from the well site and the other, a residence approx. 550 metres from the well site.
Do you remember that on Oct 23/04 a revised letter was delivered to the 2 parties that had been missed? This letter had a totally different context and referred to a proposed application and did not refer to an application already made as the first letter did. Numerous requests for a copy of the new revised letter resulted only in Murphy’s total reluctance to provide me with a copy. As a landowner the only letter I have been given in reference to a holding application on 20-42-3-5 was a letter of deception. I can’t help but smell a rat.
Do you remember when I wrote a letter to Murphy in Jan./04 asking for copies of estimates related to land reclamation and a landman report? At an earlier meeting you had agreed to check and get back to me on this report. I did not receive a reply and therefore sent a reminder in Feb./04. I did not receive a reply to this letter either and sent another reminder May/04. Upon checking with Murphy approx. 7 months later I was told again they were instructed not to communicate with me.
Do you remember when I was denied copies of the information I requested on estimates for reclamation? I was also denied the landman report I had requested. With great reluctance I was provided with inaccurate, in-house information on the estimates and no landman report.
Do you remember when Murphy gave me prices over the phone to plant 8-10 ft. spruce trees? I got to see the paper from which these prices were taken. The prices given me for the above described trees were in reality, for 6 ft. bare root poplar with a low survival rate.
Do you remember Murphy saying that conflict between landowners and oil and gas operations are all too common? The foregoing may be able to provide you with some insight as to why this may be happening.
Do you remember when Murphy said that they were open for dialogue and then they turned around and refused to answer any of my letters or in any other way communicate with me for approx. 7 months?
I remember.
CC: AEUB Calgary, Alberta
AEUB
Farmers’ Advocate
Surface Rights Board
Rimbey Review
Note: No response from Murphy Oil