The Department of Environmental Protection Friday announced hearing officer Michael Bangs has rescheduled the public hearing sessions on an Application for Gas Well Spacing Units, or spacing order, (commonly called pooling) received from Hilcorp Energy Co., for September 16 and 17.

Hilcorp Energy Co. is applying for a well spacing order that establishes four gas well drilling units on 3,267 acres to drill into the Utica Shale Formation in Pulaski Township, Lawrence County and Shenango Township, Mercer County.

Under the Oil and Gas Conservation Law of 1961, when a spacing order application is submitted, an administrative hearing must be held prior to entering an order establishing well spacing and drilling units. The hearing sessions were postponed twice previously.

The first hearing session has been rescheduled for September 16 and 17. The hearing session will begin at 10 a.m. and 9 a.m. respectively and be held at the Albert P. Gettings Government Center Annex of the Lawrence County Government Center, Assembly Room, 349 Countyline St., New Castle.

The first, two-day hearing session will accept testimony on the spacing order application. DEP, Hilcorp and property owners and operators in the area subject to the order will be eligible to provide testimony. The first session will be open for the general public to attend and observe.

The second hearing session will begin at 6 p.m. on September 17, at the same location. As requested previously by DEP, anyone from the general public will have the opportunity to provide input about the application at the second session.

Interested persons and operators wishing to present testimony at either hearing should contact Glenda Davidson at 717-787-4449 at least seven days prior to the first session. Those giving testimony at the second session will be requested to submit three written copies of their oral testimony to the assigned hearing officer.

The department will submit a public notice of the rescheduled hearings for publication in local papers at least two weeks prior to the hearing sessions. Although not required by law, DEP also will directly notify all royalty owners and operators within the area subject to the requested order. Information on the hearing will also be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

DEP Secretary E. Christopher Abruzzo Friday also signed an order granting intervention to additional property owners and directing the assigned hearing officer to respond to pending motions to stay and any future motions to stay.

For more information about Hilcorp’s application, visit DEP’s Conservation Law webpage or call 717-772-2199.

7/21/2014