The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has fined CNX Gas Co. LLC $175,000 for a January 2019 well control incident in Westmoreland County, according to Kallanish Energy.
The DEP has executed a consent order and agreement in connection with violations and well construction at the Shaw 1G Utica well, located in Washington Township in Westmoreland County.
On Jan. 26, 2019, CNX experienced an unexpected loss of pressure during hydraulic fracturing operations at the well. This loss of pressure allowed gas emissions into shallower geologic formations, resulting in subsurface communication with nine nearby conventional gas wells. CNX temporarily flared the nine conventional wells to relieve pressure. The company finally regained control of the Shaw 1G Utica well on Feb. 4, 2019, and stopped the vertical flow of gas by pumping heavy mud into the wellbore, allowing the other wells to return to normal operating pressures.
Learn more: Kallanish Energy > Pa. fines CNX $175,000 for well control problems
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