WITF’s StateImpact reported Wednesday the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources released the drilling plan proposed by Anadarko Petroleum for the Loyalsock State Forest in Lycoming and Sullivan counties. 

The redacted document was released in response to a Right To Know Act request by PennFuture.

DCNR said in a June presentation the plan calls for the construction of 26 well pads, 15.6 miles of new roads, 15.5 miles of rebuilt existing roads, 34 miles of new pipeline right-of-ways, four compressor stations and five earthen impoundments to hold freshwater, for a total of about 500 acres converted from its current state.

Natural gas drilling already takes place in Loyalsock State Forest. But the proposal to develop a 25,000-acre area known as the Clarence Moore lands is controversial because the parcel’s complicated ownership history gives DCNR a degree of control over what happens on about 18,000 acres, even though the state does not own the oil and gas rights beneath it.

Drilling companies have the right to access the surface on 7,000 acres, which are interspersed with the portions the state controls. Anadarko holds the oil and gas rights beneath half of the 25,000 acres and Southwestern Energy has a lease agreement to explore the other half.

A copy of the proposed plan was posted with the article.

10/21/2013