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Staff from the Department of Environmental Protection’s Oil and Gas and Air Quality programs this week kicked off a study to evaluate the integrity of plugged, abandoned, and orphan oil and gas wells across Pennsylvania, as well as provide insight into potential greenhouse gas implications associated with methane emissions from these wells.
The field team investigated three diverse well sites in Indiana County on April 25 -- one orphan well that was discharging water; one abandoned well that was venting gas; and one plugged well where no leaks were detected.
Staff employed digital manometers to measure gas flow rates, portable methane detection meters, and FLIR cameras for visual detection of methane leaks.
A total of 208 wells were randomly selected for the study. DEP anticipates the field data collection phase will wrap up in the fall.
(Photo: DEP Oil and Gas Program staffers Lindsay Byron, Rick Swank and Doug Catalano and Timothy Kuntz of DEP's Southwest Regional Air Quality program use a FLIR camera to detect a leak at a well site.)
NewsClips:
Hilcorp Halts Fracking At PA Drilling Site Near Earthquake
DEP Investigating Quakes Near Fracking Operations
State Studying Link Between Fracking, Lawrence County Earthquakes
Pennsylvania Probes Possible Link Between Drilling, Quakes
AP: PA Probes Possible Link Between Quakes, Fracking
Small Quakes Shuts Down Fracking In Lawrence County
Health Officials Seek More Protections From Fracking
Mystery Of Sick Foals, Was Fracking to Blame In Bradford?
Op-Ed: Can Liberals Be Fine With Fracking-- Yes, Here’s Why
Tiny Town’s Resistance To Shale Gas Is Put To Test
DEP Plans To Expand Monitoring Of Fine Particles
DEP To Expand Air Quality Monitoring For Natural Gas Sites
Health Concerns Prompt Plans To Expand DEP Air Monitoring
More Airborne Particulate Monitoring To Marcellus Areas
Sensors To Aid Air Monitoring Near Natural Gas Compressors
State Installing Air Monitors In Drilling Areas
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Delaware River Basin Commission To Hold Own Hearings On PennEast Pipeline
Constitution Pipeline Committed To Building Pipeline In Spite Of NY Disapproval
House Environmental Committee Meets May 3 On IRRC Approval Of DEP Drilling Regs
GOP Amendment Would Use DEP Personnel Money To Help Industry Review DEP Regs
DEP Expands Particulate Matter Air Monitoring Network
Penn State Webinar May 19 On Monitoring Seismic Activity In PA
(Reprinted from the April 28 DEP News. Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)
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