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.