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DEP Rejects MarkWest Act 2 Cleanup Notification For 10,000 Gallon Natural Gas Condensate Spill At Compressor Station In Robinson Twp., Washington County, Notice Is Re-sent

The Department of Environmental Protection notified MarkWest Liberty Midstream its Act 2 Land Recycling notice on the proposed cleanup of a 10,000 gallon natural gas condensate spill in Robinson Township, Washington County at the Imperial Natural Gas Compressor Station was deficient.

In a June 27, 2023 letter, DEP said MarkWest sent the notice to the wrong township-- Robinson Township in Allegheny County not Washington County where the spill happened-- therefore the submission lacked municipal notification..

DEP also pointed out major discrepancies in the address of the Imperial Compressor Station that confused that station with the Cibus Ranch Compressor Station right next door, but on the same road.

DEP asked MarkWest to correct and resubmit the notice.

Click Here for a copy of DEP’s letter.

At a June 12 meeting of the Robinson Township Supervisors, it was disclosed MarkWest sent a notice of the cleanup to the wrong township. Read more here.

On June 14, Cathy Lodge emailed a letter to DEP’s Southwest Regional Office Environmental Cleanup and Brownfield Program, the related Bureau in Harrisburg and DEP’s Office of Environmental Justice advising them of the confusion and inaccuracies related to the 10,000 gallon spill she said were in the notices published by MarkWest’s consultant and DEP in the PA Bulletin.

Among other requests, Lodge asked DEP to require the re-sending and re-publication of the Act 2 Land Recycling notices with the correct information to allow for public comment.

New Notice

In a letter dated June 30, 2023, a consultant for MarkWest Liberty Midstream re-sent a notification starting a 30 day comment period to the right Robinson Township on the proposed cleanup of the 10,000 gallon natural gas condensate spill in Washington County.

Natural gas condensate is a hydrocarbon liquid stream separated from natural gas and consists of higher-molecular-weight hydrocarbons that exist in the reservoir as constituents of natural gas but which are recovered as liquids in separators, field facilities, or gas-processing plants.

The NOI said the spill occurred on December 26, 2022 when piping at the compressor station froze during Winter Storm Elliot causing a line to rupture releasing approximately 10,000 gallons of condensate and water onto the northern section of the pad, some of which flowed off-site through the pad stormwater system under and along Quicksilver Road.

There are two large natural gas compressor stations located side-by-side in Robinson Township-- the Imperial Compressor Station located close to Quicksilver Road and the Cibus Ranch Compressor Station.

MarkWest owns both stations and at one point swapped the names of the facilities causing confusion locally.

Click Here for a copy of the new notice. [Note: DEP has to determine whether this new notice meets the requirements of the law under the Act 2 Land Recycling Program.]

David Ettore, MarWest Environmental Compliance Officer, told the Robinson Township Supervisors at the June 12 meeting he would return at their next meeting in July, after he was unable to answer questions the Supervisors had and questions from the public, according to Cathy Lodge, township resident.

Robinson Township supervisors are also looking at the issue of whether local permits are required for the earth disturbance that will occur during spill cleanup.

The next meeting of the Robinson Township Supervisors is July 10.

Spill Spread thru Compressor Station Stormwater System

The new Act 2 notice said, “The contaminated condensate and water infiltrated into the stormwater conveyance system on the compressor station pad and was found seeping from the hillside located on the west of the compressor pad.

“MarkWest is currently conducting emergency remedial efforts to remove impacted soils near the pad, along the stormwater conveyance, and hillside near the point of the release.

“In addition, a sample from the closest existing monitoring well to the release, MW-03, and surface water have been collected. Four monitoring wells were previously installed on the compressor pad and will continue to be sampled on an annual basis.

“MarkWest will continue to use the site as a compressor station.

“The proposed remedial actions include removal of remaining potentially impacted soil on the pad and as much soil as possible from the hillside and stormwater conveyance system for proper disposal off-site.

“Additionally, soil borings and monitoring wells were installed to fully delineate impacted media; and soil and groundwater will be sampled as part of this process.

“Once the impacted soil is removed, the Site pad and stormwater conveyance system will be brought back up to original grade using clean fill material and/or gravel.

“It is anticipated that by removing most of the impacted soil and inhibiting additional infiltration will naturally improve groundwater concentrations at the Site.

“Post-excavation/backfill sampling of soil and groundwater will be completed.

“If necessary, additional remedial actions may be required. The Notice of Intent to Remediate was published in the Observer- Reporter newspaper on May 14, 2023.”

For more information, contact DEP’s Southwest Regional Office Environmental Cleanup And Brownfields Development Program at 412-442-4153 or send email to: dimcdaniel@pa.gov.

One Of 3 Incidents In December

There were two other major incidents at natural gas facilities in Washington County in December-- that we are aware of--

-- December 25 Christmas Day Explosion: Energy Transfer reported a nine and a half hour uncontrolled release of ethane and other vapors from its Revolution Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant in Smith Township, Washington County during a Christmas Day explosion and fire at the plant. Read more here.

-- December 27 Release Of 1.1 Million Cubic Feet Of Gas From Pigging Facility: On December 27, a malfunction at the CNX Oak Springs Natural Gas Pipeline Pigging Station in South Franklin Township, Washington County resulted in the release of an estimated 1.1 million cubic feet of natural gas and hazardous air pollutants. Read more here.

Related Articles - Washington County:

-- 3 Days That Shook Washington County: Natural Gas Plant Explosion; Pipeline Leak Of 1.1 Million Cubic Feet Of Gas; 10,000 Gallon Spill At Compressor Station [PaEN]

-- DEP Rejects MarkWest Act 2 Cleanup Notification For 10,000 Gallon Natural Gas Condensate Spill At Compressor Station In Robinson Twp., Washington County; Notice Is Re-sent [PaEN]

-- Robinson Twp., Washington County Seeks Answers To Cleanup Of MarkWest Liberty Midstream 10,000 Gallon Spill Of Natural Gas Condensates After Company Sends Notice To Wrong Municipality [PaEN]

-- MarkWest Liberty Midstream Files To Clean Up 10,000 Gallon Natural Gas Condensate Spill Caused By December’s Winter Storm Elliot Freeze In Washington County [PaEN]

-- Natural Gas Pipeline Pigging Facility Malfunction Dec. 27 Released 1.1 Million Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas; Same Facility Plagued Community With Blowdowns 3 Times A Day, 7 Days A Week For Nearly 10 Years Until Criminal Charges Brought Against CNX [PaEN]

-- DEP Ongoing Explosion/Fire Investigation: Energy Transfer Reported An Uncontrolled Release Of Ethane For 9.5 Hours From Its Revolution Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County [PaEN]

-- Observer-Reporter: Explosion, Fire At Energy Transfer’s Revolution Natural Gas Cryogenic Plant Burned For Nearly 11 Hours On Christmas Day In Smith Twp., Washington County [PaEN]

-- KDKA Investigations: Washington County Family Says Energy Transfer/MarkWest Natural Gas Processing Plants Turned Peaceful Farm Into Nightmare - Part I & II [PaEN]

-- KDKA Investigations: Environmental Group Says DEP Is Stonewalling It Amid Search For Answers About Energy Transfer Natural Gas Plant Explosion Christmas Day In Washington County - Part II

-- Washington County Family Lawsuit Alleges Shale Gas Company Violated The Terms Of Their Lease By Endangering Their Health, Contaminating Their Water Supply And Not Protecting Their Land [PaEN]

-- Guest Essay: Counties, PEMA Need To Include A Complete Vulnerability Assessment Of All Natural Gas Facilities In State, County Hazard Mitigation Emergency Plans - By Cat (Cathy) Lodge, Washington County Resident [PaEN]