PA Environment Digest Blog: DEP Investigating Other Possible Sources Of Methane As Part Of Response To Plum Borough Home Explosion, Including Nearby Conventional, Shale Gas Wells

On August 16, the Department of Environmental Protection said it launched an investigation ,at the direction of Gov. Shapiro, to determine if sources of methane other than the natural gas distribution system could have contributed to the Plum Borough home explosion in Allegheny County that took the lives of five people.

Will Simons, a spokesperson for Gov. Shapiro said, "Gov. Shapiro is extremely concerned by the house explosion in Plum that took the lives of five Pennsylvanians, put another in critical condition, and resulted in catastrophic damage to multiple homes. Governor Shapiro has directed the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to launch an investigation into the explosion, and Gov. Shapiro is also in contact with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and encouraging a full, independent investigation from the PUC into the causes of this incident."

Lauren Camarda, Communications Manager for DEP's Southwest Regional Office, said DEP's stray gas investigation will look for any sources of methane near the structures involved in the explosion, including active and abandoned oil or natural gas wells, associated pipelines and coal mining activities.

She added, DEP staff are also inspecting unconventional shale gas well sites near the Rustic Ridge neighborhood, searching for unregistered wells, and investigating natural gas gathering pipelines in the vicinity.

On August 18, DEP issued an update on its investigation saying it was unlikely abandoned mine-related methane gas was the cause of the explosion. Read more here.

"From the moment DEP was called in to investigate, our experts have worked tirelessly alongside county officials and partner agencies to aid in identifying the cause," said DEP Secretary Rich Negrin. "Our emergency response team, geologists, and members of the Oil and Gas District Operations will continue to have boots on the ground in the days ahead, as we exhaust every relevant resource in our scope of jurisdiction."

"I am in constant communication with Governor Shapiro, who has expressed his unwavering support for the Plum community and for the use of all available investigative measures. At the Governor's request, an extensive amount of testing has been completed. I have ordered that the results be expedited. Over the next few days additional testing will be conducted and shared with the public appropriately," added Negrin. "It is not lost on our agency the tremendous impact this event has had on the Plum community. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and the precious lives lost through this tragic incident."

DEP’s DEP Interactive Oil/Gas Well Map shows more than a dozen active and abandoned conventional gas and oil wells within a mile or so of the home that exploded.

The map also shows at least two shale gas well pads-- one about 1.5 miles northwest of the home and another 4.3 miles to the southeast.

Camarda said DEP staff will use handheld gas detectors to identify the presence and concentration of methane in the soil or in a structure and if enough volume of gas is available may sample the gas to try and analyze it at a laboratory to identify its source.

NewsClips - Plum Boro Explosion:

-- DEP Working With PUC, Local And Allegheny County Agencies On Plum Boro House Explosion Investigation

-- AP: Underground Coal Mines Unlikely To Blame For Deadly House Explosion In Plum Boro, DEP Says

-- TribLive: DEP Inspectors Capture Gas Samples At Plum Boro Explosion Site, Await Test Results

-- TribLive: Gov. Shapiro Orders DEP Probe Of Plum House Explosion

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Gov. Shapiro Directs DEP To Investigation Plum Boro House Explosion

-- TribLive: Gas Company: No Common Links Between Plum Home Explosions

-- TribLive: 6th Victim Dies From Plum Borough House Explosion

-- AP: 6th Person Dies From Injuries Suffered In PA House Explosion

-- TribLive: Plum School District Partners With Therapists To Serve Those Impacted By Home Explosion Tragedy

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: PUC Investigators Interviewing Witnesses, Monitoring Evidence Collection In Plum House Explosion

-- TribLive: Peoples Gas Mum About Possible Natural Gas Odor In Plum Boro Neighborhood Prior To House Explosion

-- TribLive: Allegheny County Fire Marshal Finds No Signs To Link 5 Separate House Explosions In Plum Boro Since 1990s

-- Post-Gazette - Mary Ann Thomas/Megan Tomasic: What To Know About The Plum House Explosion That Killed 5

-- AP: Homeowner Were Having Issues With Hot Water Tank Before Home Explosion In Plum, Allegheny County, Officials Say

-- TribLive: Natural Gas System Leaks Found In Plum’s Regency Park Neighborhood Following Fatal Rustic Ridge Blast

-- TribLive: 2 Plum Borough Officials Among House Explosion Deaths; All 5 Now Identified

-- KDKA: Cause Of Deadly Home Explosion That Killed 5, Including Child, Unknown

-- WTAE: Allegheny County Says House That Exploded In Plum Was Having Hot Water Tank Issues

-- TribLive: 5 Dead, Including 1 Child, In Plum House Explosion In Allegheny County

-- TribLive: Plum Residents Come To Terms With 5 Deaths In House Explosion

-- TribLive: Cause Of Plum House Explosion Could Take Months Or Years To Find, Authorities Say

-- AP: 5 People, Including A Child, Are Dead After An Explosion Destroys 3 homes, Damages 12 Others In Plum, Allegheny County

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Is There Something Rotten [With Gas] In Plum? PUC, DEP Must Investigate

-- TribLive Editorial: Plum House Explosion Response Shows Value Of Good Neighbors

NewsClips This Week:

-- The Center Square: Natural Gas Well Setbacks May Not Be Protective Enough After Health Impact Study Results

-- Post-Gazette: Processing Research On Southwestern PA Natural Gas Development And Health, Residents Seek Answers Together: ‘We Deserve Better’

-- WTAE: To The Frustration Of The Village Of Reno Residents, ‘Do Not Consume’ Water Advisory Approaches One Month Mark In Venango County, After Contamination By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill

-- Bloomberg Column: Cancer In Kids Is Too High A Price For Cheap Natural Gas - By Mark Gongloff

-- TribLive: 6th Victim Dies From Plum Borough House Explosion

-- TribLive: Gov. Shapiro Orders DEP Probe Of Plum House Explosion

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Gov. Shapiro Directs DEP To Investigation Plum Boro House Explosion

-- DEP Working With PUC, Local And Allegheny County Agencies On Plum Boro House Explosion Investigation

-- AP: Underground Coal Mines Unlikely To Blame For Deadly House Explosion In Plum Boro, DEP Says

-- TribLive: DEP Inspectors Capture Gas Samples At Plum Boro Explosion Site, Await Test Results

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Is There Something Rotten [With Gas] In Plum? PUC, DEP Must Investigate

-- Observer-Reporter: Fayette County Commissioners Take Step To Prevent Oil/Gas Wastewater Injection Wells

-- Halt The Harm Network, FracTracker Alliance: Aug. 30 Webinar: Wasted Water - The Impacts Of Fracking's Water Use From PA To Colorado, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

-- NBC News: Millions In US Live Near Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Linked To Explosions And Toxins [Pennsylvania Profiled]

-- NBC News: EQT Natural Gas, Abandoned Well Frack-Out, In New Freedom, Greene County Stirs Suspicion And A Year Of Frustration In Tiny PA Town

-- The Allegheny Front: New Investigation Shows State Regulators Have Struggled To Keep Up With Pollution Events At Shell’s Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County

-- Environmental Health News: Beaver County Community Will Get $5 Million Due To Shell Petrochemical Plant Pollution - Just Don’t Call It Charity

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Better Oversight Of US Natural Gas Pipelines Needed - By Pittsburgh City Council Member & former Colorado County Commissioner

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Control Leaks From Natural Gas Pipelines

-- AG Henry Approves Settlement Of Anti-Competitive Energy Deal Between EQT Natural Gas, Quantum Energy Partners