Families Blame Methane Gas in Wells on Drilling
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
10 December 2010
By Jennifer Reeger
For more than a year, Sharon Ament and her family noticed problems with
the water drawn from the well at their Derry Township home.
The water came out of the tap fizzing like a carbonated drink, and it
would take at least a minute for the bubbles to dissipate. A plumber
couldn't find any problems, but the family of five turned to bottled
water for drinking.
In September, when a company planning to drill a deep gas well nearby
tested the well water in the area, the Aments, who live on Uschak Road,
north of Latrobe, and two of their neighbors were shocked by the
results -- their wells had been infiltrated by methane gas.
Now the state Department of Environmental Protection is investigating
the source of the methane.
While residents believe it might be linked to shallow gas wells drilled
within the last two years by State College-based Rex Energy, DEP
officials aren't sure of that yet. Rex officials have provided water
and other equipment to the families as the investigation continues.
While methane is considered nontoxic, it is highly flammable and
explosive.
"I'm worried about safety, No. 1," said Nancy Findish of Fairview Lane,
whose well contains methane. "I'm raising children. I'm also worried
about home values. How long will it take for this situation to be
resolved? There's a lot of things you need to think about in all of
this."
Ament said her well water was tested In February 2008 and contained no
methane.
"The water's been perfect," she said. "We've been here 21 years. My
grandparents had been here 60 or 70 years, and the water's been perfect
until now."
Even when they started having problems with their water, the Aments
never suspected methane. It was serendipitous that another energy
company was drilling a Marcellus shale well nearby and tested all wells
within 1,000 feet.
Two separate tests showed high methane levels in four wells -- three
residences and the former Action for Animals humane shelter.
Ament said the level in her family's well was so high they could light
their tap water on fire.
She and Findish said the DEP's initial speculation was that shallow gas
wells were to blame for the methane infiltration.
"If we had zero methane in our area two years go, and we have it now.
It's hard to argue that it just happened on its own," Findish said.
But Katy Gresh, spokeswoman for the DEP in Pittsburgh, said, "There's
no definitive evidence at this point that the effects on the water can
be traced back to drilling."
Tests of the methane indicate the gas could be a subsurface drift gas
or could come from a coal seam. Still, the DEP is investigating Rex's
shallow wells as a source and are reviewing gas well records and
inspecting the wells' casing and cementing to make sure there are no
leaks.
Early on, though Rex Energy was not found at fault, the company offered
water buffaloes to the three families as well as methane detectors and
aerators to remove the gas from the water as it entered the home. While
Ament and her sister, whose well also was infiltrated, accepted the
1,500-gallon water buffaloes, Findish declined and is receiving bottled
water instead.
Rex officials did not respond to requests for comment.
Ament and Findish said Rex has bent over backward to help them.
"I can honestly say (they are) very, very good to work with," Findish
said. "It doesn't make it go away, but a little easier to deal with."
Still, they're anxious to get answers and find permanent solutions.
"You see these crazy stories where people's houses explode," Ament
said. "Everybody out here is freaking out."
The ultimate goal would be to bring municipal water to the area.
"Even if they fix the problem now, what guarantees do we have that it
may not happen again?" Findish said.
Derry Township Supervisor Vincent DeCario said he's aware of the
situation and has been working to get estimates on the cost to bring
municipal water to the homes. Two water authorities have lines within 1
mile of the area and could bring water lines to about 10 to 20 homes,
including those affected by the methane.
But that project would be costly. DeCario said he received one estimate
of $300,000.
"Hopefully it will get worked out, and hopefully it's feasible to put
the city water in," DeCario said. "It's unfortunate they got the
methane in there. They lived there for a good many years and never had
a problem."
DeCario believes if a party is found responsible for the methane, it
should have to pay for the water line. If no blame is placed, he said
the township would work to secure grants or low-interest loans to make
such a project possible.
"We have to take it one step at a time," he said.
Jennifer Reeger can be reached at jreeger@tribweb.com or 724-836-6155.