Ulysses City Council convened a special meeting January 14, to address an urgent public safety concern involving the former Dowell Schlumberger office building, which was actively collapsing after being driven through earlier in the day by an alleged drunk driver.
Council members Caleb Woods, Terry Maas, and Mark Diaz attended the meeting via video.
The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mayor Ken Warner, followed by a prayer offered by City Administrator Luke Grimes.
Three items were struck from the printed agenda, and were noted to be on the agenda in error.
City officials noted the building has likely been vacant for approximately 20 years and is now in a condition requiring immediate action to prevent potential injury to members of the public who may approach the site.
Grimes explained that existing city code grants the City of Ulysses authority to act in situations where structures pose a safety risk. He stated that multiple attempts had been made to contact the property owners, but those efforts had been unsuccessful. To provide direction for council action, two potential resolutions were presented: fencing off the property to restrict access or proceeding with demolition of the building and seeking reimbursement from the property owner afterward.
Councilman Mark Diaz raised immediate concerns regarding possible environmental contamination at the site, noting the city could potentially assume significant liability if it undertook demolition. Diaz also cautioned that erecting a fence could expose individuals to unseen hazards, citing prior issues related to the property. He encouraged involving Dowell Schlumberger representatives and the State to ensure appropriate handling of any risks.
Other council members noted that while contamination is believed to exist primarily in the surrounding yard, it is not thought to be within the office structure itself, despite the building having been constructed on what was once part of the company’s chemical yard.
Councilman Terry Dimmitt asked whether insurance coverage was being carried on the property, while Councilman Caleb Woods questioned why no Dowell Schlumberger representatives had been successfully contacted to date. Grimes added that notifying the Ulysses Fire Department was a priority so responders would be fully informed of any potential hazards at the site.
After discussion, the council reached consensus that fencing off the structure was the most appropriate immediate step to mitigate danger while further options were explored. A motion approving Resolution 2026-1 was made by Bravanne Phelps and seconded by Terry Dimitt. The motion passed, and the meeting was adjourned.
Historical Context: Dowell Schlumberger in Ulysses
The Dowell station in Ulysses opened in February 1947 as a division of Dow Chemical Company, arriving in Grant County following the invention of hydraulic fracturing as a method to stimulate natural gas well production. Dowell quickly became one of the region’s premier service companies, working extensively on oil and gas wells throughout the Hugoton Gas Field.
The company set multiple records in the Hugoton Field, including projects that involved injecting as much as 300,000 gallons of product into a well within a 15-minute time span. During its peak years in Ulysses, Dowell experienced significant success, leading to the construction of a dedicated office building and maintenance shop in 1963.
Over time, Dowell entered into a joint venture with Schlumberger, which ultimately resulted in Schlumberger assuming full ownership of the company. As oil and gas exploration in the region declined, operations were moved elsewhere. Despite this, ownership of the Ulysses property was retained presently by SLB, leaving the office building vacant in recent years.
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