DEP Says Safety Issues were Ignored in Clearfield Gas Well Explosion:

[femmocrat]

Subject: DEP says safety issues ignored in Clearfield County gas well blowout

HARRISBURG — The state's top environmental regulator on Tuesday put the natural gas industry on notice that drilling companies must adhere to safety procedures, which the state says a company ignored before a June 3 natural gas blowout at a Clearfield County well.

EOG Resources cut corners by failing to put proper pressure barriers in place and caused the incident on the Marcellus shale gas reserve, said Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger.

The company used one barrier to prevent blowouts between th e shale formation and surface, even though standard industry practice calls for two barriers, Hanger said. DEP notified gas well operators by letter that they must have "at a minimum two barriers."

The Clearfield blowout shot natural gas and wastewater into the open for 16 hours. There was no fire and no one was injured.

More at link: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/sta... (Stateline.org+RSS+-+Environment)