Published: July 11, 2009 10:31 pm         

Chesapeake Energy missing 13 pumping unit motors from northwest Oklahoma sites

OKLAHOMA CITY — Local authorities are looking into the disappearance of 13 pumping unit mo-tors from Chesa-peake Energy Corp. equipment in northwest Oklahoma.

The thefts, which date back to January, have come from equipment in Alfalfa, Blaine, Kingfish-er, Major, Texas, Woodward and Woods counties.

Chesapeake announced Thursday it is offering a sizable reward for any information leading to recovery of the stolen equipment.

“We do not know if these crimes are related,” said Tony Blasier, director of corporate security and ethics for Chesapeake Energy, in a news release. Blasier said he hopes Oklahoma residents come forward with information regarding the thefts.

The motivation behind the thefts are currently unknown.

“We assume there is an illicit market for these motors or they would not be stolen,” said Jim Gipson, spokesman for Chesapeake Energy.

Each of the pumping motors has an estimated value between $15,000 and $20,000. Gipson said he is unsure what price the motors are commanding but believes they would be a “significant amount of money at half the cost of a new one.”

Cpt. Paul Cornett of the Woodward County Sheriff’s Department says the department has taken reports of those kinds of thefts in the past, but is unsure if any of those refer specifically to Chesapeake.

“I know it’s an ongoing problem,” he said.

Cornett said most of the wells where the pumping motors are located are usually out in the middle of the country, so it’s hard to keep track of any thefts that may take place.

“We do our best to catch those as well as any other crime,” he said. “It’s just a lot of country to cover.”

A news release from Chesapeake Energy says the “criminals” may be using “one-ton, dual rear-wheeled trucks equipped with A-frame type poles and winches” to take the motors. The thefts, they said, are reported to have occurred at night.

Chesapeake Energy directs anyone with information pertaining to the thefts call (877) 245-4169 or (405) 935-4141, or send an e-mail to chksecurity@chk.com. The identity of anyone providing information will remain confidential.