Allen Burditt II and Sarah Maunee S. Burditt - Page 4




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          electricity would ignite the oil and gas.  CRI ordered four truck           
          loads of “heavy mud”, which is used to contain uncontrolled wells           
          by pumping it into the well bore to offset the pressure of the              
          escaping oil and gas.  CRI also contacted a company that had the            
          necessary tools and equipment to pump the heavy mud to control              
          the well, but after surveying the scene, that company’s manager             
          decided it was too dangerous and departed with his crew.  CRI               
          then telephoned Halliburton Services, Inc. (“Halliburton”), and             
          Halliburton personnel agreed on the phone to control the well.              
          Halliburton personnel arrived at the well site at approximately             
          4:00 p.m.  However, Halliburton’s supervisory employee in charge            
          at the well site, Mr. Ken Weitzel, refused to allow Halliburton’s           
          employees or equipment to get any closer than approximately 200             
          yards from the wellhead.  As a result, Mr. Burditt and volunteers           
          from the other work crews had to assemble the pipeline from                 
          Halliburton’s equipment to the wellhead.  Mr. Burditt and the               
          volunteers had to do this while being simultaneously sprayed by             
          the erupting oil and gas, which was so cold that it caused gloves           
          to freeze, and by hoses of fresh water to reduce the risk of                
          ignition.  It took approximately 30 to 45 minutes to perform the            
          hookup task under these conditions.  When the hookup was                    
          completed, Mr. Weitzel then refused to start pumping the heavy              
          mud until Mr. Burditt could produce a check for $30,000, which              
          amount Halliburton believed CRI owed it for past services.  A CRI           





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