Page 16 - John Hartley Design

Protecting the Environment

FAST FACTS
Developing natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations runoff,, Finally, a high-density plastic liner is placed under the entire drill
is a process regulated by both state pad, and then covered with f gravel
and federal agencies responsible for the protection of the environment and to fully contain any potential spills during drilling and completion.
• Horizontal drilling from a multi- well pad allows for the most
our water resources. In fact, about 35 individual permits, depending on a eficient extraction of natural
well’s speciic location, are required to Drilling
gas from an area, reducing estimated total surface impacts
drill a natural gas well in Pennsylvania. The industry is committed to planning, The drilling process involves driving several increasingly smaller diameter by more than 95 percent over
drilling and operating its wells in steel pipes, called casing strings, into vertical drilling techniques.
compliance with the regulations that govern natural gas development,
the wellbore, with the injection of cement into the pipe and up the sides • Pennsylvania’s oil and natural gas regulations consistently
and operators typically go beyond of the wellbore at the completion of achieve the highest ranking
what is required by these agencies.
each casing string. This isolates the wellbore from the earth with two among the states by the State Review of Oil and Natural Gas
Site Preparation
durable materials – steel and cement –and protects groundwater aquifers. Regulations (STRONGER),
Protecting the environment begins Each successive steel casing string
an independent monitor of environmental programs.
with constructing roads and grading the drill pad location, through
is cemented into place as the well is drilled, extending to the end of the • Well casing requirements
the use of controls to prevent soil horizontal portion of the wellbore in Pennsylvania are among
erosion and sedimentation. Roads
are often improved prior to starting
that will produce natural gas. The casing and cementing process is the strongest in the nation, providing multiple layers of
the drilling process to accommodate tested as the well is drilledand devices called centralizers keep the pipe and steel and cement between
additional truck trafic, with culverts placed along road berms to reduce cement centered in the middle of the the wellbore and surrounding geology to protect groundwater.
sedimentation. Filter socks and erosion control blankets are installed and wellbore. These steel and cement liners ensure the integrity of the
maintained at the pad throughout the well, and remain in place throughout
drilling process to prevent stormwater
the well’s years of production.
www.pioga.org

Marcellus Shale wells can be drilled both vertically and
horizontally, as shown on left. The full length of the well is
built with thick steel pipe and cement “casing” to isolate the well from the earth and rock. The Marcellus Shale
formation is found between 5,000-9,000 feet below ground surface in Pennsylvania. This diagram assumes the
formation is 6,000 feet in depth, or 16 Statues of Liberty below the ground. Drinking water aquifers in Pennsylvania,
at their deepest, are no more than 500 feet below ground
surface, with the well casing and the distance of a mile or more of rock present to protect groundwater supplies.

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