DEP revising gas migration regulations

By SANDY LONG

PENNSYLVANIA — In response to gas migration issues that have occurred across the state in active and abandoned or plugged wells, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is proposing amendments to Chapter 78 of its oil and gas regulations. The amendments are being developed at the direction of DEP Secretary John Hanger.

According to DEP spokesman William Rathbun, “The focus of this effort is to solve gas migration problems by amending regulations governing: 1) the casing and cementing of new wells and the plugging of closed wells; 2) the level of diligence required for pre-drill surveys in areas with abandoned and orphaned wells; and 3) how a company should respond when a migration problem occurs.”

A proposal was presented by DEP to its Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board (OGTAB) and is under review. The latest draft of the proposed amendments can be found at www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/subject/advcoun/oil_gas/oil_gas.htm (click on 2009 Agendas and Minutes).

The OGTAB is a five-member technical committee.

Its members are Dr. Robert W. Watson, associate professor, petroleum and natural gas engineering and geoenvironmental engineering at Penn State University; Gary Slagel of Consol, Inc., a multi-energy producer of high-Btu coal and gas; Burt A. Waite of Moody and Associates, a provider of hydrogeologic services; Samuel E. Fragle of Phillips Production Company/Phillips Drilling of Warrendale, PA; and Arthur E. Yingling of Ark Resources, Inc., a natural gas exploration and extraction company.

The OGTAB will form a workgroup and respond to the department’s proposals. According to Carol Daniels, acting administrative assistant for DEP’s Bureau of Oil and Gas Management, the OGTAB will determine membership of the workgroup by its meeting on January 21. For more information on the board, contact Daniels at cardaniels@state.pa.us.

“Once we have crafted amendments that we believe to be protective of health, safety and the environment, the amendments will be submitted to the Environmental Quality Board and will go through the standard regulatory review process,” explained Rathbun. “It would be impossible to predict a timeline, although the secretary has made it clear that he would like this to take place as soon as possible.”