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Trouble in
Truth Land
DEPUE #8H
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July 22, 2012 - The 34-minute movie "Truthland"
(starring Shelly Depue) has been making the rounds lately, often
being sponsored by industry and business groups at various screening
locations around Pennsylvania. The seated panels for the Question &
Answer sessions tend to be stacked with all pro-fracking
individuals, but remember, the movie was funded by the gas
industry and their professional associations. "Truthland" is considered the shale gas industry's
counter-punch
to the popular "Gasland" movie starring Josh Fox. In the meantime,
Fox has released the video, "The Sky is Pink" as a prequel to "Gasland II."
Fracking Industry’s Answer to Gasland: Devised by
Astroturf Lobbying Group & Political Ad Agency
June 13, 2012 - The film
and its “full-scale website and social media campaign”
was planned from start to finish by the natural gas
industry. Even its web domain, truthlandmovie.com, was
registered by industry giant Chesapeake Energy. The
origin of Truthland as an industry PR campaign is
confirmed by EID spokesman Chris Tucker’s presentation
to a meeting of West Virginia oil and natural gas
industry representatives in May. EID operates as an
“astroturf” organization that keeps its substantial gas
industry backing and orchestration hidden behind the
names and faces of “locals” and “natives,” but in this
case, they failed to sufficiently hide the degree to
which its “authentic” Gasland response was planned at
the highest level.
Source:
LittleSis blog |
Research has revealed that there is trouble in truth land.
One of the Depue wells (8H) is severely flawed with a bubbling
annulus. An annulus is the cemented layer between layers of
steel, you know, the one that 'never leaks' and can survive
cannon-type explosions as seen toward the end of the "Truthland" movie. Two
more of the Depue wells (2H and 6H) have Pennsylvania DEP violations,
which are shown below. Needless to say, it's not going nearly as well as
all the "experts" interviewed in the Truthland movie led Shelly to
believe it would!
As one seasoned Marcellus shale observer half-jokingly
mused: "It must
be tough being a parrot for industry
when you have a
bubbling annulus." |
At one of the Pennsylvania movie screenings this past week, Ms.
Depue stated she had not seen the Pennsylvania DEP File Review
documents for Depue 8H. At least now she can find them here, since
they are shown below, for everyone's reference. Isn't it odd that Pennsylvania
landowners can be 'kept in the dark' when important things like this are
happening on their property, that could affect their health and
well-being. Violations like "Failure to properly control or
dispose of industrial or residual waste to prevent pollution of the
waters of the Commonwealth" doesn't sound good for anyone living
in Pennsylvania.
An in-depth look at Depue 8H
Depue 8H is located at
41.924375 -75.8729 in Franklin Township, Susquehanna County,
Pennsylvania. The well (DEP permit number 115-20461) was SPUD on
November 18, 2010 by Williams Production Appalachia. Williams
subsequently spun off Williams Production Appalachia to become WPX
Energy, which the Pennsylvania DEP
currently lists as the operator of Depue 8H. The DEP
cited WPX on July 28, 2010 for failing to file production
reports.
Depue 8H has been the subject of multiple DEP violation notices. On
February 15, 2011, violation ID 604972 (Inspection
ID 1950415) is described in the DEP eFACTS database as "Failure
to report defective, insufficient, or improperly cemented casing
w/in 24 hrs or submit plan to correct w/in 30 days".
The actual inspection report notes "Failure to properly cement
intermediate casing." (Inspection reports are not currently
on-line but are available to the public through the DEP 'File
Review' and 'Right To Know' processes.)
Pennsylvania
DEP Inspection ID 1950415
More than a
year later on March 20, 2012, it appears the problem was not
fixed. In Inspection Report 2053535, DEP inspector Stephen Watson
reports: "Well is online. Observed bubbling on 9" x 13" annulus.
Can see bubbling at surface. Bubbling is consistent and visible on
all sides of casing."
Pennsylvania
DEP Inspection Report 2053535
(As of July 22, 2012 this inspection report is
still marked
in the eFACTS site record for Depue 8H as "pending")
"Well is
online. Observed bubbling on 9" x 13" annulus. Can see bubbling at
surface. Bubbling is consistent and visible on all sides of casing."
More trouble in truth land
Faulty well casings have frequently been suspected as a cause of
methane migration but these are not the only issues with Depue 8H.
DEP Inspection 1954842 on March 4, 2011 notes two violations:
Violation ID 605918, "Failure to notify DEP of pollution
incident. No phone call made forthwith" and Violation ID 605919,
"Failure to properly control or dispose of industrial or residual
waste to prevent pollution of the waters of the Commonwealth."
It should not be surprising that a well with such problems has
attracted controversy. Neighbors of the Depues, the Manning family,
have sued WPX over contamination of their water:
SCRANTON
TIMES-TRIBUNE
April 11, 2012
Franklin
Forks family sues driller
"Tammy and Matthew
Manning of Franklin Twp. said WPX Energy and two
associated companies contaminated the aquifer through
spills and poorly constructed gas wells in a complaint
filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District
of Pennsylvania.
Citing state Department of Environmental Protection
violations documented at six natural gas wells on two
WPX well pads, known as the Hollenbeck and Depue, the
family argued that the companies were negligent in
drilling and operating the wells."
Complete story
Video of Depue's neighbors |
This case is known as
Manning
et al v. WPX Energy Appalachia, LLC et al, docket number
3:12-cv-00646. Defenders of the gas industry are quick to point out that
ostensibly DEP tests of the Mannings' water show the methane
contamination as biogenic, meaning that it has to have come
from near the surface and can't be thermogenic gas from the
deep Marcellus Shale layer. The biogenic / thermogenic distinction
for methane migration is certainly diagnostic in the thermogenic
case; thermogenic methane cannot have come from close to the surface
via some form of "endemic" pre-Marcellus methane migration problem.
Less clear is whether the immense pressure of hydraulic fracturing
can trigger biogenic methane migration in the case of faulty well
construction.
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An in-depth look at more
trouble in truth land:
DEPUE 2H & 6H
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Source: NEPA Gas Action
Direct link to webpage violations list
DEPUE
2H
View in Google Maps
2011-03-11 - Franklin Township,
DEPUE 2H:
Failure to minimize accelerated erosion, implement E&S plan,
maintain E&S controls. Failure to stabilize site until total site
restoration under OGA Sec 206(c)(d). Violation ID 607151, ALTA
OPR CO LLC.
Violation ID |
Date |
Violation Description |
607151 |
03/11/2011 |
Failure to minimize accelerated erosion,
implement E&S plan, maintain E&S controls. Failure to
stabilize site until total site restoration under OGA Sec
206(c)(d) |
Resolution: |
PA Code Legal Citation: 25 Pa. Code 102.4 :
PA Code Website |
Violation Type: Environmental Health & Safety |
Related Enforcements |
Please note: the following related
enforcement data is accumulated from possibly many
different sites/facilities that may be unrelated to
the facility for this inspection.
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Enforcement ID: 271123 |
Penalty Final Date:
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Enforcement Type: Notice of Violation |
Penalty Amount Assessed:
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Date Executed: 04/07/2011 |
Total Amount Due: |
Taken Against: WPX ENERGY APPALACHIA
LLC |
Total Amount Collected:
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On Appeal? N |
Penalty Status: |
Enforcement Status:
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# of Violations Addressed by this
Enforcement and Penalty Action (possibly from many
facilities): 2
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2011-03-11 - Franklin Township,
DEPUE 2H:
Clean Streams Law-General. Used only when a specific CLS code
cannot be used. Violation ID 607152, ALTA OPR CO LLC.
Violation ID |
Date |
Violation Description |
607152 |
03/11/2011 |
Clean Streams Law-General. Used only when a
specific CLS code cannot be used |
Resolution: |
PA Code Legal Citation: 35 P.S. 691.1 et seq
: PA Code Website |
Violation Type: Administrative |
Related Enforcements |
Please note: the following related
enforcement data is accumulated from possibly many
different sites/facilities that may be unrelated to
the facility for this inspection.
|
Enforcement ID: 271123 |
Penalty Final Date:
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Enforcement Type: Notice of Violation |
Penalty Amount Assessed:
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Date Executed: 04/07/2011 |
Total Amount Due: |
Taken Against: WPX ENERGY APPALACHIA
LLC |
Total Amount Collected:
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On Appeal? N |
Penalty Status: |
Enforcement Status:
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# of Violations Addressed by this
Enforcement and Penalty Action (possibly from many
facilities): 2 |
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DEPUE
6H
View in Google Maps
2011-03-11 - Franklin Township,
DEPUE 6H:
Pit and tanks not constructed with sufficient capacity to contain
pollutional substances. Violation ID 606658, WILLIAMS PRODUCTION
APPALACHIA LLC.
DEPUE 8H
View in Google Maps
2011-03-04 - Franklin Township,
DEPUE 8H:
Failure to properly control or dispose of industrial or residual
waste to prevent pollution of the waters of the Commonwealth.
Violation ID 605919, WILLIAMS PRODUCTION APPALACHIA LLC.
2011-03-04 - Franklin Township,
DEPUE 8H:
Failure to notify DEP of pollution incident. No phone call made
forthwith. Violation ID 605918, WILLIAMS PRODUCTION APPALACHIA
LLC.
2011-02-15 - Franklin Township,
DEPUE 8H:
Failure to report defective, insufficient, or improperly cemented
casing within 24 hrs or submit plan to correct within 30 days.
Violation ID 604972, WILLIAMS PRODUCTION APPALACHIA LLC.
Violation ID |
Date |
Violation Description |
605918 |
03/04/2011 |
Failure to notify DEP of pollution incident.
No phone call made forthwith |
Resolution: |
PA Code Legal Citation: 25 Pa. Code 91.33(a)
: PA Code Website |
Violation Type: Administrative |
Enforcement Type: No Enforcement Data |
605919 |
03/04/2011 |
Failure to properly control or dispose of
industrial or residual waste to prevent pollution of the
waters of the Commonwealth. |
Resolution: |
PA Code Legal Citation: 25 Pa. Code 78.54 :
PA Code Website |
Violation Type: Environmental Health & Safety |
Enforcement Type: No Enforcement Data |
604972 |
02/15/2011 |
Failure to report defective, insufficient, or
improperly cemented casing w/in 24 hrs or submit plan to
correct w/in 30 days |
Resolution: |
PA Code Legal Citation: 25 Pa. Code 78.86 :
PA Code Website |
Violation Type: Administrative |
Enforcement Type: No Enforcement Data |
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PENNSYLVANIA BULLETIN
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August 27, 2011 Pa. Bulletin - Water for
fracking Depue 2H
"Consumptive use of up
to 4 mgd (million gallons
day)"
NOTICES
SUSQUEHANNA RIVER
BASIN COMMISSION
Projects Approved
for Consumptive Uses of Water
[40 Pa.B. 6496]
[Saturday, November 6, 2010]
Williams Production Appalachia, LLC, Pad
ID: Depue Well No. 2H, ABR-201009098, Franklin Township, Susquehanna
County, PA; Consumptive Use of up to 4.000 mgd; Approval Date:
September 27, 2010.
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August 27, 2011 Pa. Bulletin - Blasting permits
actions
Actions on applications under the
Explosives Acts of 1937 and 1957 and 25 Pa. Code § 211.124. Blasting
activity performed as part of a coal or noncoal mining activity will
be regulated by the mining permit for that coal or noncoal mining
activity.
Blasting Permits Actions
58114128. Dyno-Nobel, Inc., (1320
Galiffa Drive, Donora, PA 15033), construction blasting for Williams
Gas Depue Interconnect in Franklin Township, Susquehanna County with
an expiration date of October 31, 2011. Permit issued: August 10,
2011.
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July 21, 2012 Pa. Bulletin - Air quality
General Plan Approval and Operating
Permit Usage Authorized under the Air Pollution Control Act (35 P.
S. §§ 4001—4015) and 25 Pa. Code Chapter 127 to construct, modify,
reactivate or operate air contamination sources and associated air
cleaning devices.
Northeast Region: Air Quality Program, 2
Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711-0790 Contact: Ray Kempa, New
Source Review Chief—Telephone: 570-826-2507
58-399-041GP5: WPX Energy Appalachia LLC
(6000 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 300, Canonsburg, PA 15317-5834)
on June 29, 2012, to construct and operate one (1) IC Engine and one
(1) dehy/reboiler at their Depue Natural Gas Compressor Station site
in Franklin Township, Susquehanna County.
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DEP Permits for
the Depue wells
(As of July 22, 2012)
WPX ENERGY
APPALACHIA, LLC
DEPUE 1H OG Well
115-20501 Permit issued 2-16-11
DEPUE 2H OG Well
115-20418 Permit issued 7-27-10
DEPUE 3H OG Well
115-20502 Permit issued 2-16-11
DEPUE 4H OG Well
115-20459 Permit issued 11-9-10
DEPUE 5H OG Well
115-20503 Permit issued 3-29-11
DEPUE 6H
OG Well
115-20460 Permit issued 11-9-10
"Proposed But Never Materialized"
(No DEPUE 6H permit is currently listed
on the DEP website?)
DEPUE 7H OG Well
115-20504 Permit issued 2-16-11
DEPUE 8H OG Well
115-20461 Permit issued 11-9-10
DEPUE 9H OG Well
115-20505 Permit issued 2-16-11
DEPUE 10H OG Well
115-20462 Permit issued 11-9-10
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