In collaboration with the Department of Environmental Protection, the US Department of Energy, McGill University, and Moms Clean Air Force, the EDF project will use drone-mounted magnetometers and advanced methane detection technologies to locate and address abandoned and orphan wells.
The project is scheduled to kick off in the three counties beginning in mid-October and run through the end of November-- after the leaves are down and before rifle hunting season.
EDF anticipates the drone surveys will take less than one week in each county.
There will also be on the ground field work the following spring/summer to verify the location of wells detected and to measure methane leak rates from a subset of these wells.
Focus Areas
The project focus areas include--
-- Clarion County: 8.5 square miles near St. Petersburg (view map)
-- McKean County: 4.3 square miles south of Mount Jewett (view map)
-- Venango County: 7 square miles south of President (view map)
What If Wells Need Plugging?
If it is determined that the well is an emergency, DEP will address it as soon as possible. DEP will evaluate the risk of each well found and add it to the plugging schedule.
By finding and documenting additional wells, more federal funding (potentially billions in support) could be leveraged in the future.
Public Meetings
The public meetings will be held--
-- September 17: Drake Well Museum & Park, 202 Museum Lane, Titusville, Venango County, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Click Here for flyer.
-- September 18: Allegheny Grille, 40 Main Street, Foxburg, Clarion County, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Click Here for flyer.
-- September 19: Smethport Fire Hall, 109 S. Nelson Street, Smethport, McKean County, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Click Here for flyer.
At the meetings, participants can get more information, ask questions, and socialize with food and drink. There will be drone demonstrations and other fun activities.
There will also be a special drone giveaway for children and adults.
Click Here to watch a video about the project.
Click Here to download a brochure about the project.
Visit the EDF Unearthing PA's Legacy Of Orphan And Abandoned Wells webpage to learn more. Questions from the public should be directed to: paw@edf.org.
Media may contact Kelsey Robinson, 512-691-3404 or click here to send email.
PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 7 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 48 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 7 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- DEP Permitting Efficiency: 20,595 Permits Since 11/2023; Decisions On 16,745; Zero Currently Eligible For PAyback Did Not Meet Decision Deadlines; No Application Fees Refunded [9.6.24]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Abandoned Well Citizen Expert Laurie Barr, University Of Pennsylvania Prof. Jennifer Wilcox Recognized On The Grist 50 List [PaEN]
-- Sen. Comitta: New PUC Pipeline Safety Regulations To Be Published As Final This Month For Public Utility Hazardous Liquid Pipelines [PaEN]
-- Environmental Health Project: CNX Resources Claims Shale Gas Drilling Poses No Public Health Risks Are ‘Misleading, Irresponsible, Dangerous’ [PaEN]
-- Cecil Township Proposes 2,500 Foot Setback Ordinance From Oil & Gas Infrastructure For Sept. 4 Hearing In Washington County [PaEN]
-- Center For Coalfield Justice Hosts Sept. 24 Program In Washington County On Increasing Setbacks From Oil & Gas Infrastructure [PaEN]
-- US Dept. Of Interior Approves $76.4 Million To Plug Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Pennsylvania; 1,234 Violations For Abandoning Conventional Wells In Last 20 Months [PaEN]
-- Environmental Defense Fund, Moms Clean Air Force To Hold Public Meetings In 3 Northwest PA Counties On A Project To Test New Methods Of Locating Abandoned Conventional Oil, Gas Wells [PaEN]
-- Source Of 19-Day-Old Oil Discharge Into Allegheny River In Venango County Still A Mystery; Recreators Asked To Avoid The Area [PaEN]
-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Dropped 2 More Last Week To 16; Nearly 25% Drop In 2 Weeks
-- DEP’s Oil & Gas Workload Report shows during the week ending August 30, DEP received Zero new permit applications for conventional wells and Three new permit applications for shale gas wells.
-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports 2nd Quarter PA Natural Gas Production Dropped To Lowest Level Since 2020; Number Of PA Drilling Rigs Drop By Nearly 25% In 2 Weeks As A Result Of Drillers Trying To Raise The Price Of Gas [PaEN]
-- Center for Coalfield Justice Blog: Update On Underground Longwall Coal Mining In Greene, Washington Counties; Next DEP Report On Longwall Impacts Due… Soon [PaEN]
-- PUC Invites Comments On Accelerated Removal, Replacement Of Older Plastic Pipe In Natural Gas Distribution Systems [PaEN]
NewsClips This Week:
-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: PA To Receive $76 Million To Plug Hundreds Of Abandoned Conventional Oil, Gas Wells; DEP Holds Workshops On New Plugging Grants
-- Earthworks: Radically Misleading - Gov. Shapiro’s Dangerous Partnership With CNX Resources Nurts Communities, Ignores The Facts
-- Inquirer - Will Bunch: Everything You Know From TV About Pennsylvania And Fracking Is Wrong
-- Reuters: Anadarko, Other Natural Gas Companies Defeat Federal Lawsuit In PA Over Royalty Payments
-- Marcellus Drilling News: UGI Seeks To Temporarily Store LNG Gas In Trailers In Scranton Suburb During Winter [PDF of Article]
-- Scranton Times: UGI Claims Dickson City Boro Has No Jurisdiction Over Plan To Store LNG Gas In Trailers
-- Erie Times Guest Essay: Erie Manufacturer & Business Assn. Questions Biden’s Pause On Permits For New LNG Gas Export Facilities [Court Ended Pause July 1; PA Shale Gas Desperate To Sell Gas To Our Competitor China To Support Their Economy, Will That Help PA Manufacturing? ]
-- PennLive Guest Essay: Energy And Labor Are Both Needed To Power PA’s Future - By Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition & PA State Building Trades Union PA Shale Gas Desperate To Sell Gas To Our Competitor China To Support Their Economy, Will That Help PA Manufacturing?]
-- US EIA: North America’s LNG Gas Export Capacity On Track To More Than Double By 2028
-- Utility Dive: Reregulation? How Utilities And States Are Responding To PJM’s Record Electricity Capacity Prices [Part 1 of 3]
-- Utility Dive: PJM Considers Fast-Track Review For Shovel-Ready Electric Generation Projects [Part 2 of 3]
-- Utility Dive: Increasing Capacity Of Existing Generation, Batteries, Demand Response May Offer Near-Term Responses To Record PJM Electricity Auction Prices [Part 3 of 3]
-- Bloomberg: High Natural Gas, Other Fossil Fuel Use Highlights US Challenge To Clean Energy Transition
-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Approach Oversold Zone After 3-Day Sell-Off
-- Reuters: US LNG Gas Export Dominance Tested As Europe’s Demand Wilts
-- Reuters: US Regulators OK First Step To Start New Louisiana LNG Gas Export Facility
-- Bloomberg: DOE Approves New Fortress Energy LNG Gas Export Facility In Mexico
-- US EIA: North America’s LNG Gas Export Capacity On Track To More Than Double By 2028
-- The Guardian: How An LNG As Export Facility Project Along The Gulf Coast Is Upending Residents’ Lives
[Posted: September 5, 2024] PA Environment Digest
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