DEP speeds Marcellus gas drilling permit applications - Agency says change will protect water resources, expedite review

HARRISBURG — The Department of Environmental Protection last Friday unveiled a streamlined process that will make it easier for the agency to review permit applications by companies seeking to develop the 50 trillion cubic feet of natural gas believed to be stored in the Marcellus Shale geologic formation. Deputy Secretary for Water Management Cathleen Curran Myers said the revised permit application guidelines could allow natural gas developers to begin operations sooner if the department can ensure Pennsylvania’s water resources are not threatened by drilling. “There has been considerable interest in developing the natural gas resources contained in the Marcellus Shale — interests that could yield a substantial economic boom for the commonwealth,” said Myers. “DEP has been working in cooperation with the Susquehanna and Delaware river basin commissions to create a consistent, streamlined process for evaluating water usage and disposal in all areas of the state because this type of drilling requires significant amounts of water. In the course of reviewing any gas well permit, we need to have a thorough understanding of proposed water withdrawals, as well as disposal and treatment plans.“ Under the new application process, gas well operators seeking to extract resources from the Marcellus Shale formation must provide the following information to DEP when applying for a permit to drill a gas well: Type of well with proposed location plotted on a U.S. Geological Survey topographical map showing property lines and horizontal bores; • Acreage to be disturbed by drilling and operations; Sources and locations of water to be used in the drilling process, the impacts of drilling on water resources, and proof that the water withdrawals have been approved by the appropriate river basin commission; Location(s) of treatment facilities where drilling and fracing fluids will be taken for treatment and disposal; and Size and locations of proposed dams and water impoundments Pennsylvania and other northeast states have seen a substantial increase in drilling associated with Marcellus Shale. The geologic formation underlies much of the commonwealth at a depth of 5,000 to 6,000 feet. Until recently those natural gas deposits were inaccessible and cost-prohibitive to extract, but higher energy costs and new drilling techniques have sparked exploration and drilling in previously untapped formations. For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: Oil and Gas.