Aubrey McClendon

[stile99]

U.S. District Judge Robin Cauthron had a case come back for not giving prison time to Mike Morgan.

Hey, come on. Interrupting prime time television just to say there's a storm system in the panhandle and it is not heading towards nor is it having any effect on the metro area is really bad, but shouldn't result in prison time...

[Boomer3791]

I'm not familiar with the "black boxes" in modern cars that track speed, braking, etc. Would the one in his vehicle have been sufficiently shielded to survive the fire after the crash?

[Jersey Boss]

You know you don't have make skid marks when you brake right?

If he was lightly breaking on and off up to the crash, that can suggest he was just driving like a mad man and crashed.
If he hadn't braked in a mile and his speed was ramped up shortly before the crash it points toward intentional.

I think you're just mad Aubrey won't see a prison cell.

More speculation that is not true in this case. My speculation is you have checked your common sense somewhere along the line.

[baralheia]

I'm not familiar with the "black boxes" in modern cars that track speed, braking, etc. Would the one in his vehicle have been sufficiently shielded to survive the fire after the crash?

The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) controller in most modern vehicles will record select vehicle data about a crash if the controller commands activation of any of it's systems, such as airbags or seatbelt tensioners. They're built pretty tough, and usually placed in locations that would shield them from all but the worst collision damage. Here's some more information on this: Automobile Crash Event Data Recorder Downloading

[rezman]

Agreed -- it is strange for a man of his circumstances to ever find himself East of Broadway Extension.

But a buddy of mine (with decent knowledge about AKM) claims that he had some sort of orchard on that side of town, which he often frequented.

Aubrey McClendon was once the 3rd largest private land owner in the US. He had land all around the Arcadia area, Including Arcadia Tree Farm, and Arcadia Farms. He had plenty of business going on "east of Broadway Extension".

When I lived out in the Arcadia area, I saw him a few times, but never had direct dealings with him. I did deal with a few of his minions though.
He had a lot of stroke in that town for a while. Just in the town of Arcadia, except for a very small sliver of land across from the Round Barn, and Kolar farms, he owned everything along the south side of hwy 66, including Pop's, from about 1/2 mile west of Westminster Rd to Hiwassee Rd, and south to 178th. On the north side of hwy 66 from about 1/2 mile west of Westminster Rd to roughly Division St. and then from just east of Anderson Rd to Hiwassee Rd. Also south on Westminster to 164th and east to Anderson. And that's just a general estimate. He also had a lot of land surrounding where we lived to the south east of Arcadia, much of which he sold off around 2011-2012 or so.

[Tundra]

All charges are being dismissed.

[baralheia]

Haven't listened to them yet, but the 911 call tapes for this incident have been released: 911 calls: Aubrey McClendon 'swerved and hit the wall'

[Dustin]

Ditto. Almost never, I put the passenger seat belt into the drivers seat buckle to defeat the ding. I have been ticketed twice in Bethany. Drive too fast and I'm frequently distracted. If I run into a bridge, it wasn't suicide. I blame thousands and thousands of short trips over the years as part of my job starting well before it was the law.

Jesus, people... Wear your seatbelts!

[RadicalModerate]

Not to get off topic, yet, doesn't this entire current event call into question the validity and veracity of the concept behind Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs? The one that sort of looks like a pyramid? Topped with Self-Actualization. Of course it don't. Yet, doesn't it kinda suggest the question: "If you are so rich, how come you ain't smart." Rhetorical Question: Answer: I dunno.

[RadicalModerate]

Jesus, people... Wear your seatbelts!

What made a believer out of me was getting a ticket from a State Trooper while I was northbound on Penn in the direction of The Intersection From Hell without a wallet in my pocket. He charged me with two offenses: Littering (dropping a cigarette butt out the window) and Not Wearing A SeatBelt. He let me off with a warning on account of he was Kind and Understanding.

[dankrutka]

Not to get off topic, yet, doesn't this entire current event call into question the validity and veracity of the concept behind Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs? The one that sort of looks like a pyramid? Topped with Self-Actualization. Of course it don't. Yet, doesn't it kinda suggest the question: "If you are so rich, how come you ain't smart." Rhetorical Question: Answer: I dunno.

Maslow's Hierarchy is a theoretical construct that's meant to help understand human needs, not scientifically define them in hierarchy. People violate the hierarchy all the time. I wouldn't use it to try to explain a situation like this.

[RadicalModerate]

Anyone care to bet that there will be less "Fracking Wastewater" caused earthquakes locally? Not me. Aubrey McClendon was a Pillar of The Community . . . a Good, Decent, Generous Man. In my humble opinion. Even my wife agrees that, on balance, the Good that he did outweighs the other.

[RadicalModerate]

Maslow's Hierarchy is a theoretical construct that's meant to help understand human needs, not scientifically define them in hierarchy. People violate the hierarchy all the time. I wouldn't use it to try to explain a situation like this.

Yup. Can't Argue Rationally with that ^. Thanks for the suggestion not to do so. Or to so do. (con su permiso . . . =~) I still say he was probably dodging a deer or an errant squirrel while talking on a cellphone.

[PhiAlpha]

A few have brought up questions of whether he owned the vehicle or whether the fact that it was CNG powered would have factored into this, so I would like to clarify a few things:

For one, that was definitely one of the vehicles he drove, I've seen him driving it. The plate number on it was Thunder1 or Thunder2 or something to that effect. It was a Black Tahoe that was converted to a CNG bifuel vehicle that still had the ability to run on gasoline.

Secondly, If the CNG tanks ruptured catastrophically, they would definitely cause a large explosion, but that wouldn't cause the massive prolonged fire that occurred. Methane is lighter than air, so unlike gasoline or propane that puddle or pool under the vehicle, if the tanks were to catastrophically rupture, methane would dissipate quickly. No doubt that would damage the vehicle, but it should not cause a fire. The ignition point of CNG is too high too high at that concentration and the speed at which the gas would leave the tanks pressured at 3600 psi in a catastrophic rupture, wouldn't lend itself to ignition. When natural gas explosions occur, generally natural gas has mixed with air in confined space (say in a basement for example) in concentrations that fall within the flammability range (5%-15% concentration). Theoretically a catastrophic rupture could rupture the gasoline tank and cause a prolonged fire, but that was unlikely in this instance for the reasons below.

Third, CNG cylinders are extremely tough and it would've taken a massive direct impact to rupture them catastrophically enough to cause an explosion. Someone posted an article above about a train running over the tanks...it would take that type of direct impact to rupture them. This is important because the cylinders installed on his Tahoe (and the vast majority of them) are located at the rear of the vehicle in place of the spare tire. If you look at the pictures of the vehicle, you'll notice that the back of the vehicle near the bottom, where the CNG tanks are located, is almost completely undamaged. The back of the vehicle was the least impacted part of it, so it is very unlikely that even the massive frontal impact would've cause a catastrophic rupture that would've ruptured the gasoline tank and caused a fire. I'm sure the CNG fuel lines were affected but again, the CNG would be rushing out at such high pressure that it would be unlikely to ignite and definitely not cause the CNG tanks to rupture.

All that to say that the Tahoe being a CNG vehicle likely had nothing to do with the massive fire. Everyone defaults to the assumption that fuel under high pressure is less safe than gasoline and that is just not the case. Gasoline is one of the least safe and most volatile transportation fuels in use.

Also as others have mentioned, he did own a massive tree farm and ranch behind Pops that had a house, horses, etc.

[PhiAlpha]

Anyone care to bet that there will be less "Fracking Wastewater" caused earthquakes locally? Not me. Aubrey McClendon was a Pillar of The Community . . . a Good, Decent, Generous Man. In my humble opinion. Even my wife agrees that, on balance, the Good that he did outweighs the other.

Honestly why would this have anything to do with how the rest of the industry operates? Assets are still assets regardless of who operates them and they still have value. AEP Woodford is the only entity AKM controlled in Oklahoma and it will not go away because of his death. If it doesn't continue the spinoff plan to operate independently, it will be purchased by someone else who will develop those assets.

[PhiAlpha]

Just curious as to how you would know how shaky the grounds were, Did you have access to all the discovery in this case? Yeah I know how precedent works and I also know Kenneth Lay had a dream team at his disposal in Texas. How did that work out?

The charges brought against AKM were much less black and white than anything with Enron. I've been aware of this case for awhile and while I'm sure they had a solid case against him, the agreement between CHK & SD (as I understood it as an outsider without all the facts or inside knowledge) was a fairly common type of agreement in the oil and gas industry that has never drawn DOJ attention, hence AKM's comment that no one one in the industry has been charged for it under the Sherman Antitrust Act. Convicting him under it would set a very interesting precedent for how oil and gas companies operate going forward. In my opinion, he was being targeted because of his high profile and previous dealings with the law where others have flown under the radar for the last 100 years.

[icecold]

I live not to far from Aubrey's house in NH, and would often see him drive that black Tahoe that had been converted to CNG.

[ou48A]

RIP Aubrey McClendon
You did great things for your community that needed vision.

I feel very bad for the family and friends… some of which I have known very well for over 50 years.

[Plutonic Panda]

nm

[BBatesokc]

All charges are being dismissed.

Oklahoma county requires a death certificate to dismiss. Curious the Feds are not waiting for an ME's report before dismissing.

[Jersey Boss]

The charges brought against AKM were much less black and white than anything with Enron. I've been aware of this case for awhile and while I'm sure they had a solid case against him, the agreement between CHK & SD (as I understood it as an outsider without all the facts or inside knowledge) was a fairly common type of agreement in the oil and gas industry that has never drawn DOJ attention, hence AKM's comment that no one one in the industry has been charged for it under the Sherman Antitrust Act. Convicting him under it would set a very interesting precedent for how oil and gas companies operate going forward. In my opinion, he was being targeted because of his high profile and previous dealings with the law where others have flown under the radar for the last 100 years.

Just for clarification. My comment about Ken Lay was not about the validity of the charges, but at the ability of a defendant to field a dream team of representation.

[RadicalModerate]

I, personally, didn't especially appreciate his land grab in the vicinity of NE 63 and Western. The well-crafted architectural colonial-styled Monopoly Hotel blocks, in brick, were un-winsome. That being said . . . I admired the dude. For his vision. Not for his driving skills. Mea Culpa. (Maxima).

[hoya]

A high profile generally well liked businessman who would likely assemble one of the best legal teams for his defense and the charges on relatively shaky ground? Id put it at 50/50.

you don't know how precedent works do you? They took a risk charging him using the Sherman act how that case turns out establishes precedent for all future cases. He gets off and you can't use it anymore, he'd plea out to avoid a trial, and they would off one to get a guarenteed win.

That's not how that works.

[Filthy]

In a "typical" car accident the odds of a vehicle fire are very low. (Somewhere in the 2-3% range of all automobile accidents.) However, in a high speed frontal/head on collision those odds increase significantly. A high speed frontal collision often times shoves hot pieces of metal into places they're not meant to go. Fuel lines get sheared, engine blocks can crack, exposing already heated up oils, flammable fluids in reservoirs not meant for high impact split, holes get poked in gas tanks, and sparks fly. I can imagine a scenario where a cut fuel line sprays fuel around enough to start the fire, or the seam between the fuel tank and the rest of the fuel system breaks, or metal jams through the fuel tank. Typically cars/trucks don't explode like in the movies...but engine fire from a high speed frontal collision is not that unheard of.


Here's a number of things that can cause a fire in the event of a collision:

•Electrical short - if the battery is shorted (chassis comes in contact with the terminals or the alternator core is compromised), you can easily generate enough current to ignite the insulation or other plastics in the engine bay.
•Non-metals in contact with the exhaust system - If a rubber hose or plastic shroud is pressed against the exhaust manifold, it can easily reach the auto-ignition temperature and start a fire.
•Fuel leak - If the fuel line is ruptured, it can spill highly flammable gasoline. As liquid gasoline doesn't easily burn (gas must be atomized or vaporized in order to effectively burn), this one actually is not usually the source of the fire, but will definitely make any fire worse.

[Pete]

New Civil Antitrust Claims Filed Against Chesapeake, SandRidge Energy -- DALLAS, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

DALLAS, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A class of oil and gas royalty owners has filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Chesapeake Energy Corporation, SandRidge Energy Corp. and former SandRidge CEO Tom Ward.

The 14-page lawsuit, filed by attorneys with the Dallas-based law firm Burns Charest LLP, alleges that the defendants violated federal antitrust laws by rigging bids and limiting competition for oil and gas leases in northwest Oklahoma. The lawsuit states that the class could ultimately include thousands of affected royalty owners in the geological formation known as the Anadarko Basin Region.

"This case is about cleaning up the oil patch," says Burns Charest founder and co-managing partner Warren Burns, who represents the proposed class. "In a rush to reap illegal profits, the defendants violated the trust and confidence of these royalty owners. Their actions demonstrate that they were willing to betray my clients and violate the law. We are suing to recover damages and to promote legal competition in the oil and gas industry."

The case is Thieme v. Chesapeake Energy Corp., et al. filed in federal court in the Western District of Oklahoma.

The attorneys at Burns Charest have years of experience in complex antitrust class actions and oil and gas royalty disputes. In late 2015, the firm secured a favorable, confidential settlement for members of the Bass family in Fort Worth as part of a separate lawsuit against Chesapeake over unpaid royalties for oil and gas-producing properties in north Texas.

Burns Charest is a Dallas and New Orleans-based trial law firm with a national practice representing consumers and businesses. The firm represents clients in large, complex class actions; antitrust claims; oil and gas royalty disputes; environmental pollution cases; and asbestos exposure claims. To learn more, visit Home - Burns Charest.