Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by jeff k on February 22, 2012 at 8:50pm

Found an RFA application from DEP...fluid containment, pretreatment, recycling ?

http://www.elibrary.dep.state.pa.us/dsweb/Get/Document-82269/5500-P...

Permalink Reply by Ann Ticopa on February 22, 2012 at 10:10pm

Thank you!  Looks like the application form is not as much for an alternative method as it is for a variation to one of the standard methods.  The only thing I'd found (Google) was permits in Potter Co. to use the brine on roads. 

Permalink Reply by Brian Day on February 23, 2012 at 10:15am

Many years ago, the gascos were working on creating gas storage near Elkland in large salt deposites.  I am surprised that venture is not yet back on track.  I also wonder if such structures could be used for fluid storage - wet gas, oil, or waste water.  The latter might not be so pleasant.

Permalink Reply by Ann Ticopa on February 23, 2012 at 11:23am

The Storage Factory Project (Lawrencevillle/Tioga) was declared "toast" by the most recent owner, Dominion, ~six months ago.  The plan had been to extract the salt layer to form gas storage caverns, but there is no market for the salt.  (Dominion has applied for a permit to expand their existing storage area(s).)

Permalink Reply by N Bohl on February 23, 2012 at 2:48pm

I have wondered about this also. It seems like a permit to do something other than what they normally do with the frac liquid. I only look at one twp. in Tioga County when it comes to permits but with one site there is 1 vertical permit, 6 horizontals and then 6 Alternate Waste Management Practice permits - one for each horizontal. My only theory is that either the frac liquid going in or coming out or both will be piped to another site instead of using trucks - to use again. Would that make sense? They will have to lay down pipelines to bring the product to market and a lot of these pads are very close to one another and I thought a lot would be connected anyway. Plus they may be planning on re-fracs or more wells in the future so it might make sense to set up the lines with more than one pipe - one for gas going out and one for water etc.. Maybe that is far fetched.  It must cost a great deal to truck in and out the frac liquid like they do and the pipelines are being set up anyway. 

Permalink Reply by Ann Ticopa on February 23, 2012 at 7:28pm

Maybe they're now getting the permit for all wells they intend to frac; I hadn't looked at eFacts in a while.  According to previous ERM/SWEPI waste reports, they had recycled/reused all waste.  That just wasn't believable.  Perhaps the DEP finally called them on it.