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DEP Begins Study Of Abandoned & Orphan Wells To Determine Climate Impact
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Staff from the Department of Environmental Protection’s  Oil and Gas and Air Quality programs this week kicked off a study to evaluate the integrity of plugged, abandoned, and orphan oil and gas wells across Pennsylvania, as well as provide insight into potential greenhouse gas implications associated with methane emissions from these wells.

The field team investigated three diverse well sites in Indiana County on April 25 -- one orphan well that was discharging water; one abandoned well that was venting gas; and one plugged well where no leaks were detected.

Staff employed digital manometers to measure gas flow rates, portable methane detection meters, and FLIR cameras for visual detection of methane leaks. 

A total of 208 wells were randomly selected for the study.  DEP anticipates the field data collection phase will wrap up in the fall.

(Photo: DEP Oil and Gas Program staffers Lindsay Byron, Rick Swank and Doug Catalano and Timothy Kuntz of DEP's Southwest Regional Air Quality program use a FLIR camera to detect a leak at a well site.)

NewsClips:

Hilcorp Halts Fracking At PA Drilling Site Near Earthquake

DEP Investigating Quakes Near Fracking Operations

State Studying Link Between Fracking, Lawrence County Earthquakes

Pennsylvania Probes Possible Link Between Drilling, Quakes

AP: PA Probes Possible Link Between Quakes, Fracking

Small Quakes Shuts Down Fracking In Lawrence County

Health Officials Seek More Protections From Fracking

Mystery Of Sick Foals, Was Fracking to Blame In Bradford?

Op-Ed: Can Liberals Be Fine With Fracking-- Yes, Here’s Why

Tiny Town’s Resistance To Shale Gas Is Put To Test

DEP Plans To Expand Monitoring Of Fine Particles

DEP To Expand Air Quality Monitoring For Natural Gas Sites

Health Concerns Prompt Plans To Expand DEP Air Monitoring

More Airborne Particulate Monitoring To Marcellus Areas

Sensors To Aid Air Monitoring Near Natural Gas Compressors

State Installing Air Monitors In Drilling Areas

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Constitution Pipeline Committed To Building Pipeline In Spite Of NY Disapproval

House Environmental Committee Meets May 3 On IRRC Approval Of DEP Drilling Regs

GOP Amendment Would Use DEP Personnel Money To Help Industry Review DEP Regs

DEP Expands Particulate Matter Air Monitoring Network

Penn State Webinar May 19 On Monitoring Seismic Activity In PA

(Reprinted from the April 28 DEP NewsClick Here to sign up for your own copy.)


5/2/2016

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