Gas at a Glance

Latest gas well explosion kills two

A natural gas well exploded on July 23 in western Pennsylvania’s Indiana Township, killing two people, as reported by the Associated Press. The well then caught fire, spewing black smoke for hours. The blast occurred in mid-morning at the Murray Heirs No. 6 site. Last month, a gas well lacking proper pressure-control systems in Clearfield County, PA exploded as a crew was preparing to hook it up to a pipeline.

DEP gives Cabot 60 days to repair Dimock wells

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has given Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation 60 days to permanently fix the water supplies affected by the company’s natural gas drilling operations in Dimock, PA. Cabot must continue providing temporary water services until the permanent solution is implemented. The 60-day timetable represents an extension made necessary when residents in the affected area objected to the company’s previous proposal to fix the water contamination issue. “Our goal is to find a permanent solution that will be agreeable to all parties,” said DEP Secretary John Hanger. In April, DEP also suspended its review of Cabot’s pending permit applications for new drilling activities statewide until the company fulfilled its obligations to plug and repair the wells that caused the gas migration, which caused the water contamination. DEP will resume reviewing Cabot applications only for permits to drill gas wells outside of the affected area in Dimock Township.

‘De-debunking’ document tackles industry response to ‘Gasland’

In response to the gas and oil industry’s assessment of the film, “Gasland,” ( see “Gasland Debunked” at www.energyindepth.org ), filmmaker Josh Fox and others have issued a point-by-point rebuttal to “show the depth of the industry’s assault on the truth.” Energy-In-Depth (E-I-D) is an oil and gas lobbying group (see www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-grandia/who-are-the-spindoctors-b_b_621190.html ). The “De-debunking” document can be viewed at www.damascuscitizens.org/Affirming-GASLAND.pdf .

PEC releases report on Marcellus Shale development

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) has released a report detailing policy recommendations intended to serve as the basis for new legislation to allow development of the Marcellus Shale formation while safeguarding communities and the environment. While Pennsylvania is believed to contain vast natural gas deposits, extraction poses a number of environmental challenges for private landowners, local communities, the gas industry and government regulators, according to PEC. PEC identified key issues, challenges and opportunities in the development of the state’s gas industry at its Marcellus Shale Policy Conference in May, which attracted more than 300 attendees. Visit www.pecpa.org/Marcellus to view the report.