Over 1,200 Marcellus Shale gas well violations in 2010
Clean Water Action has found that gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale resulted in over 1,200 violations of environmental rules last year – that’s over 20 a week! Over 1 well in 6 had violations, included illegal dumping of toxic wastewater and failure to properly seal wells in order to protect drinking water supplies. Even worse, gas companies that are members of Gov. Corbett’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission are responsible for almost half of the violations!
Download the summary of Marcellus violations. (pdf 142kb)
Environmental Violations at Marcellus Shale Drilling Sites
Jan. 1, 2010 – Dec. 31, 2010
Marcellus Shale Wells Drilled (2010): 1,454
Marcellus Shale Violations (2010): 1,227
Marcellus Shale Violations (2009): 656
Marcellus Shale Violations (2008): 206
% of Wells with Violations in 2010: 18%
Total # of Marcellus Shale Wells Drilled (2005-10): 2,498
Total # of Violations at Marcellus Shale sites (2008-10): 2,089
Violations by Type:
| Violation Type | Number |
|---|---|
| Administrative | 176 |
| General Violations (Clean Streams Law, Oil and Gas Act, permit conditions) | 262 |
| Frac Pit and storage violations (leaks, improper construction, etc.) | 303 |
| Spill & illegal disposal & discharge of industrial waste (frac fluid, wastewater, etc.) | 209 |
| Stormwater runoff violations (includes erosion and sedimentation) | 119 |
| Improper cementing/casing of wells | 84 |
| Hazardous well venting | 4 |
| Other | 70 |
source: PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Total violations in 2010 by Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission Members: 514
Total Corbett donations by Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission Members: $790,950
| Company | 2010 Violations | Commission Member | Corbett Donation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anadarko E&P | 75 | ||
| Antero Resources | 7 | ||
| Atlas/Chevron | 16 | Yes | $54,500 |
| Baker Gas | 3 | ||
| BLX Inc | 2 | ||
| Burnett Oil Co | 3 | ||
| Cabot | 114 | ||
| Carrizo Oil & Gas | 2 | ||
| Chesapeake | 132 | Yes | $11,000 |
| Chief Oil & Gas | 174 | Yes | $100,000 |
| Citrus Energy | 27 | ||
| CNX Gas/Consol Energy | 5 | Yes | $56,750 |
| East Resources | 74 | Yes | $411,000 |
| Energy Corp of America | 10 | ||
| Enerplus Resources | 5 | ||
| EOG resources | 22 | ||
| EQT | 15 | Yes | $56,900 |
| EXCO Resources | 17 | ||
| Guardian Exploration | 7 | ||
| Hess | 6 | ||
| JW Operating | 22 | ||
| Longfellow Energy | 1 | ||
| MDS Energy | 1 | ||
| NOVUS Operating | 17 | ||
| PA General Energy | 41 | ||
| Penn Virginia Oil | 8 | ||
| Phillips Exploration | 2 | ||
| Range Resources | 32 | Yes | $80,800 |
| Rex Energy | 5 | ||
| Rice Drilling | 7 | ||
| Samson Resources | 2 | ||
| Seneca Resources | 45 | ||
| Southwestern Energy | 13 | ||
| Stone Energy | 5 | ||
| Talisman Energy | 153 | ||
| Tanglewood Exploration | 4 | ||
| Ultra Resources | 47 | ||
| William McIntire Coal | 1 | ||
| Williams Production | 37 | ||
| XTO Energy/Exxon Mobil | 66 | Yes | $20,000 |