Dept. of Environmental Protection
Northcentral Regional Office
208 W. Third Street, Suite 101
Williamsport, Pa 17701
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
12/7/2009*
CONTACT:
Daniel T. Spadoni
Phone: 570-327-3659
Williamsport – The Department of Environmental Protection has fined Chesapeake Appalachia LLC and Schlumberger Technology Corp. $15,557 each for a 295-gallon hydrochloric acid spill at Chesapeake’s Chancellor well site in Asylum Township, Bradford County.
"Fortunately, this hazardous waste spill was promptly reported, which proved critical in limiting the environmental damage,” said DEP Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell.
Chesapeake staff notified DEP on Feb. 9 that a 21,000-gallon tank containing 36 percent hydrochloric acid was leaking. The acid was used for hydraulic fracturing.
When a DEP inspector arrived at the site, it was determined that the tank had two leaks and was losing about 7.5 gallons per hour of hydrochloric acid.
Chesapeake’s emergency contractor arrived that evening and removed free-standing acid from the ground with absorbent pads; excavated trenches to contain the acid; neutralized acid-contaminated soil with soda ash and hydrated lime; and transferred about 11,000 gallons of acid from the leaking tank to two temporary tanks.
About 126 tons of contaminated soil had to be excavated, and more than 13,800 gallons of a hydrochloric acid and water mixture were removed from the well site.
The fines were paid to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Chesapeake Appalachia LLC is a natural gas exploration company located in Charleston, W. Va., and Schlumberger Technology Corp. is a natural gas service company based in Sugar Land, Texas.
For more information, call 570-327-3659 or visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: Hazardous waste.
*Why has it taken TEN MONTHS for DEP to report this contamination??? People have a right to timely information that could impact their lives! I have found no trace of any reports of this "spill" before today's press release!
Editorializing in red by Splashdown.
DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!
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What a paltry fine! That works out to $52 and some change per gallon of chemicals. The public is only told of this leak when a fine has been paid (ten months after the fact), not when the leak occurs, because the real point of the press release is to show the public what a great job the PA DEP is doing in monitoring the gas industry- keeping us safe.
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