The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the July 8 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a draft technical guidance document-- Guidelines for the Development and Implementation of Oil and Gas Well Site Integrated Contingency Plans for Unconventional Shale Gas Well Sites [DEP ID: 800-2200-001].

The guidance does not cover conventional oil and gas well operations.

The draft guidance provides guidance to unconventional operators on expected and useful information to be included in unconventional well site Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness, Prevention and Contingency Plans.

The main goal of the document is to provide Commonwealth unconventional gas operators a practical, consolidated option for meeting multiple emergency or contingency planning requirements under multiple State regulations.

This guidance document covers multiple factors as related to regulated substances, accident prevention, mitigation and emergency response at well sites.

Click Here for a copy of the draft guidance.

The deadline for comments is August 7.  Comments may be submitted through DEP’s eComment webpage and by other methods.

Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for more information.

Questions should be directed to Joseph Kelly at josephkel@pa.gov or call 717-772-5991.

Spills, Leaks, New Brownfields

Shale gas well drilling sites are responsible for nearly 55% of the brownfield sites being cleaned up under DEP’s Act 2 Land Recycling Program.  Read more here.

Unconventional shale gas drillers have notified DEP under this program they are cleaning up soil and water contaminated with carcinogenic, mutagenic, neurotoxic and other chemicals harmful to human health and aquatic life found in drilling wastewater and other waste at approximately 272 locations across Pennsylvania.

Every week more shale gas drilling sites are added to the cleanup program by operators as more spills and leaks happen on and near these locations.

There were Act 2 Land Recycling Program notices for 9 spill site cleanups in the July 8 PA Bulletin, for example.  Read more here.

One of the largest recent spills was discovered as a result of a citizen complaint in May at the Seneca Resources Co. LLC shale gas well site on State Game Lands in Elk County that leaked an estimated 63,000 gallons of wastewater.  Read more here.

(Photo: Seneca Resources Co. LLC shale gas well site on State Game Lands in Elk County that leaked an estimated 63,000 gallons of wastewater.  Read more here.)

Resources Links:

-- Creating New Brownfields: Oil & Gas Well Drillers Notified DEP They Are Cleaning Up Soil & Water Contaminated With Chemicals Harmful To Human Health, Aquatic Life At 272 Locations In PA  [PaEN]

-- How Chesapeake Appalachia Created Another New Shale Gas Brownfield In Bradford County; Timberline Energy Plugs Its Abandoned Conventional Gas Wells In Venango County  [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - July 1 to 7; New Brownfield Cleanups; Shale Gas Well Plugging Picks Up; New Conventional Well Abandonments  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - July 8; New Brownfield Cleanups Increase  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 69 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In July 8 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

Related Articles This Week:

--  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]

-- Community Demands Accountability From EQT Natural Gas On 1-Year Anniversary Of Greene County Frack-Out Incident; Families Still Without Clean Water; No DEP Investigation Results  [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

-- DEP Invites Comments On Draft Shale Gas Well Emergency Response, Pollution Prevention Contingency Plan Guidance  [PaEN]

-- DEP Sets Aug. 23 Hearing On Title V Air Quality Permit Revisions For Artemas Natural Gas Compressor Station In Bedford County  [PaEN]

[Posted: July 7, 2023]

7/10/2023