Comment

Comment by John Reed on March 20, 2010 at 3:59pm

For those that are yet again misinformed... A rotten egg smell is very common in PA wells, especially those drilled beyond 400 feet in depth. Although methane gas may also smell like rotten eggs, more often than not it is a direct result of sulfur. I have it and I have had my water tested. I have a water filtration system that eliminates the sulfur smell and also treats the very hard water that I have. Without the filtration system my water would be usable but disgusting.

Also, someone mentioned baseline water testing is expensive. This is simply untrue. Sure, you can go all out and pay $1500.00 to cover everything. However, to cover everything that could be a result of a natural gas well it's more in the range of $100.00. This is directly from a company (third party) that has made a living for over 30 years doing a wide variety of water testing but specializes in testing resiental water wells in areas where oil and gas drilling has taken place. They gave a very informative presentation to about 500 landowners in Columbia and Luzerne Counties back in January. Again, and I hate to sound like a broken record, take some time to get educated before making blanket statements that are at best half truths.

Comment by CJK on March 18, 2010 at 10:06am

I heard a blurb about this on the radio while I was in the barn this morning.I was going to search for it, thanks for saving me some time.

Comment by daniel cohen on March 18, 2010 at 9:37am

Dear Shalers,
With special thanks to Marie, you may wish to check this out:
Subject: Good news for a change:EPA to study water pollution from Marcellus shale drilling

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10077/1043867-113.stm

Dan

Comment by Robin Fehrenbach Scala on March 18, 2010 at 9:29am

My reference to not being employed by gas companies was not directed at you, but at others who keep insisting we must be getting something because we believe in drilling. Sorry if it seemed otherwise.

If a well is being drilled within 1000 feet of us I would think we will be in the unit anyway and therefore be leased and covered for the water testing. But if not, yes I will have the water tested.
We are on a mountain with a well over 600 ft deep and do not have "rotten egg" water (which sometimes indicates methane gas) so it would be very clear if something were different. In addition, we are in contact with the adjoining land owners and have been for years. We are all hoping to lease with the same company and be drilled together, so keeping the lines of communication open also helps things.

Comment by CJK on March 18, 2010 at 8:59am

Sorry, I was not aware of your situation, thought it would be easier to ask then go through all the posts, I did not think answering it would upset you but apparently I did.
You are wise but there are many landowners that are not, especially the elderly ones that tend to be more trusting. I never suggeted that you got money from the gas company, so what brought up that response?

Will you have your water tested if you do not lease and there is a well in close proximity to you? Obviously this would not be paid for by the gas company unless your well was within 1000 feet of the drilling.

Comment by Robin Fehrenbach Scala on March 18, 2010 at 8:41am

As I have repeatedly said (though it seems everyone talks at each other but no one listens) I AM NOT LEASED YET. I have been involved in learning about this every day for two years or more, have helped many others get leased but have not signed either my PA or my NY acreage yet myself.
NO, I am not in the gas business and do not get anything from the gas business. I am a disabled landowner trying to make sure I do what is best.
As for the water testing, when we drilled our water well 20 years ago we had it tested (as anyone should do) and will have it tested again when we lease before it is drilled. That language will be incorporated into the lease by the way, as it should be, that the gas company is responsible to PAY for the water testing. (NOT have it done, just pay for it)

Comment by CJK on March 18, 2010 at 8:28am

When you speak of DEP files,are you talking about all wells? DId they test for the chemicals that you need to test for now? Or was there test minimal like they do for dairy testing yearly? From what I have seen this original testing is minimal and does not hold up in court against the gas companies.
Are you aware that the type of testing required prior to drilling is very expensive?
Are you currently leased? If so what testing did you have done? By whom, a third party with chain of custody? What chemicals did you get your water tested for?

Comment by Robin Fehrenbach Scala on March 18, 2010 at 8:25am

daniel cohen,
After hearing so much about the problems at Carter Road, I bothered to take the time to investigate for myself. I went there and had a look around.
If they are now claiming to have lowered property values due to gas drilling they are kidding themselves.
What you people do not seem to understand is that this whole problem in Dimock is affecting the rest of us too -- those of us who want to lease eventually and who want to see drilling happen in this state. So if there are people using the situation to "make up" for the deficiencies in their properties, then I have a problem with that.
It is quite sad that there are so many who are looking for free money in any shape or form. These claims in Dimock may be making a mountain out of a molehill, and do nothing to advance the REAL issues.

Comment by Robin Fehrenbach Scala on March 18, 2010 at 8:15am

Anyone who used their brain before leasing also did one other thing - they had their water tested before drilling began.
By the way, are you aware that all water well results are kept on file at the DEP? When water wells are drilled, the drilling company keeps the information and also files it with the state.

Comment by Country Bumkin on March 18, 2010 at 8:14am

I used to work for a small drilling company--mostly shot holes in the coal strippings. However, we did water wells too in central pa. I personally witnessed NOT one well was drinkable. Most of the water comes off of the coal and generally is VERY hard water. It would turn our drill steels almost black b/c of the water hardness. So those of you that think you drill a well and it's potable water are dreaming. It's just not true.

After drilling a well, it was up to the landowner to have the water tested for safe drinking. Most people didn't have their water tested and didn't drink it anyway. I'm just saying....

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