Crime in the Barnett Shale

Officers receive crash course in oilfield thefts

Devon Energy manages oil and gas wells from China to Azerbaijan to the Rocky Mountains.

But nowhere in the world does oil and gas field theft occur more frequently than in the Barnett Shale area.

“Oil field crime is one of the biggest things we have to deal with,” said Kent Chrisman, manager of global security for Devon.


According to reports Chrisman put together, 74 percent of all oil field theft for the international energy company occurs in North Texas. And most of that takes place in a concentrated center of gas wells covering east Wise and western Denton counties. More than 2,500 gas wells are located in this area.

Since 2005, Devon has reported $390,000 in stolen items and products from fields in the Barnett Shale. Almost $150,000 of that total has occurred since January 2007.

Some of the more common items stolen from the fields include flow meters, copper wire, solar panels, gates and fence panels, tubing, pipe, tools, chemical and oil pumps, trailers, large drill bits, meter runs and even oil condensate.

Wise County Messenger