PA Environment Digest Blog: DEP: Blackhill Energy Pipeline Horizontal Drilling Accident Results In 18,000 Gallon Spill In Granville Twp., Bradford County

On September 8, the Department of Environmental Protection was notified by Blackhill Energy of an “inadvertent return” from horizontal drilling during construction of the Brad-Tenn Loop Pipeline in Granville Township, Bradford County.

Blackhill reported they were drilling under Route 6 and Sugar Creek when they had a pressure issue on September 6 and over the weekend when they were 240 feet into the bore and 75 to 80 feet deep.

DEP’s inspection report says then “they started losing circulation in the morning hours of September 8 and attempted to use heavier mud to get it to stop, which did not work.”

“They then soon realized that they lost 18,000 gallons of bentonite mud and stopped the process."

Spill material reached the surface downslope of the drilling rig. A sump was constructed to try to recover the material that spilled.

There is an existing natural gas pipeline adjacent to the current boring activities and Blackhill staff believes the spill is following along that pipeline’s trench and impacting a wetland just downslope of where the spill came to the surface..

DEP inspected other nearby wetlands and streams, including Sugar Creek and found no surface impacts.

DEP recommended Blackhill “make contact with nearby water supply owners with water wells, springs, etc. to determine if any observable changes have been noted to the water supplies.”

Multiple violations were issued. DEP requested a formal response by September 24. DEP inspection report.

This is one of a series of spills from horizontal drilling operations reported by DEP recently, including four “inadvertent returns” from an EQM Gathering OPCO LLC [EQT] pipeline project in Nottingham Township, Washington County. Read more here.

DEP Trenchless Drilling Guidance

In February 2024, DEP adopted new technical guidance on the planning and operation of pipeline construction projects using trenchless technology. Read more here.

The guidance was supposed to reduce the significant problems experienced with natural gas pipeline construction all across the state, but in particular with the Energy Transfer/Sunoco Mariner East Pipelines.

The guidance includes sections on site suitability and alternatives analysis, emergency response planning, risk evaluation to water supplies and other features and more.

It is not known whether Blackhill Energy was following this guidance for this project.

Visit DEP’s Trenchless Technologies Resource Page for more documents related to the technical guidance.

Report Violations

To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.

Text photos and the location of abandoned wells to 717-788-8990.

Check These Resources

Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database and Inspection Reports Viewer webpages to search their compliance records by date and owner.

Sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE service which sends you information on oil and gas and other permits submitted to DEP for review in your community.

Use DEP’s Oil and Gas Mapping Tool to find if there are oil and gas wells near or on your property and to find wells using latitude and longitude on well inspection reports.

(Photos: Where drill bore enters the ground and the pipeline right-of-way; Sump constructed to recover spilled material.)

[Note: If you believe your company was listed in error, contact DEP’s Oil and Gas Program.]

[Note: These may not be all the NOVs issued to oil and gas companies during this time period. Additional inspection reports may be added to DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database.]

Resource Links - Horizontal Drilling Spills:

-- DEP: 3rd & 4th Spills From Horizontal Drilling At EQM Gathering Pipeline Project In Washington County; Overflowing Tanks; Water Supply Complaint Investigated [PaEN]

-- DEP: Second Spill From Horizontal Drilling At EQM Gathering Pipeline Construction Project In Washington County Contaminates Spring [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 6 to 12 - Disposing Of 4.6 Million Gallons Of Oil & Gas Wastewater; 18,000 Gallon Drilling Spill; Failure To Restore Pipeline Right-Of-Way - Again [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 13 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 82 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 13 PA Bulletin [PaEN]