DEP Orders Cabot Oil and Gas to Cease All Gas Well Fracking in
Susquehanna County
PA-DEP Press Release
25 September 2009
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Dept. of Environmental Protection
Northcentral Regional Office
208 West Third Street, Suite 101
Williamsport, PA 17701
News Release
25 September 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Daniel T. Spadoni
Phone: (570) 327-3659
DEP Orders Cabot Oil and Gas to Cease All Gas Well Fracking in
Susquehanna County
WILLIAMSPORT – The Department of Environmental Protection has ordered
Cabot Oil and Gas Corporation to cease all natural gas well hydro
fracking operations in Susquehanna County until the company completes a
number of important engineering and safety tasks.
“The department took this action because of our concern about Cabot’s
current fracking process and to ensure that the environment in
Susquehanna County is properly protected,” DEP Northcentral Regional
Director Robert Yowell said.
Cabot voluntarily shut down fracking operations at the Heitsman well in
Dimock Township on Tuesday afternoon following three separate spills
there in less than one week. The company is currently drilling seven
new wells in the county that will require fracking.
The order requires Cabot to develop within 14 days an updated and
accurate Pollution Prevention and Contingency Plan and Control and
Disposal Plan for all permitted well pad sites in Susquehanna County.
The company must conduct an engineering study of all equipment and work
practices associated with hydraulic fracturing at all well sites in the
county within 21 days.
The engineering study must include a detailed evaluation and
explanation of the causes of the three spills that occurred in the past
week and establish corrective measures Cabot will use to prevent
similar releases.
Within 21 days of DEP’s approval of the Pollution Prevention and
Contingency Plan, the Control and Disposal Plan, and the engineering
study, Cabot must fully implement all of the recommendations and
requirements in those documents.
The company also must place the approved Pollution Prevention and
Contingency Plan and Control and Disposal Plan in a conspicuous
location at each permitted well site and provide a copy to each
contractor and subcontractor working at any well site. Contractors and
subcontractors cannot begin work at any well site until they receive
the two plans.
In a separate enforcement action, DEP issued a notice of violation to
Cabot for the third spill at the Heitsman well that occurred Tuesday
morning. The violations noted are nearly the same as in DEP’s Sept. 22
notice of violation issued to Cabot for the two spills last week.