On January 31 PennFuture published an article alleging the Department of Environmental Protection was “very likely” allowing Marcellus Shale drilling operators to dispose of any residual waste at oil and gas well sites across Pennsylvania.

In a February 8 letter to PennFuture, DEP Secretary Michael Krancer said the article was wrong in saying “any residual waste” could be disposed of at a drilling site.  He noted DEP prohibits disposing of residual waste at the site.  Only drilling waste generated at the site meeting listed environmental standards may be dispose there according to regulations in Chapter 78 of the PA Code.

In addition, regulations adopted by DEP in 1998 prohibit on-site disposal of drilling cuttings that exceed certain limits for parameters like volatile organic compounds and metals.  There are also setback limits from water supplies or buildings and other requirements for on-site disposal.

Secretary Krancer also noted proposed revisions to Chapter 78 going before the Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board at its February 20 meeting will include additional restrictions on on-site disposal.

“Further, disposing of unconventional drill cuttings on-site is not common industry practice at this time and is likely to become even more rare in the future.  The data shows that.  As our most recent January through June 2012 production data shows, only 10 wells of a total 2,879 that reported production reported they disposed of unconventional drill cuttings were disposed of on-site,” Secretary Krancer said.  “This translates to just 0.17 percent of more than 640,000 tons disposed of during this reporting period.

“The reasons for this are evident.  For one, the sheer volume of drill cuttings creates logistical impediments to on-site disposal.  Second, operators are recycling more and more, and this includes the drilling mud and fluid.”

A copy of the Secretary’s letter is available online.

2/11/2013