PA Slaps Equitrans with $1.1M Fine for 2022 Rager Mountain Gas Leak

In November 2022, one of the ten natural gas storage wells at the Equitrans Rager Mountain Gas Storage Area in Jackson Township, Cambria County (in Pennsylvania), began to leak. Equitrans is the owner/operator of Rager Mountain. The well leaked roughly 100 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of gas into the atmosphere (see Equitrans Gas…

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More Drilling Mud Surfaces Near Marsh Creek State Park in PA

While drilling in Chester County, PA, in August 2020 in the Marsh Creek State Park area, Energy Transfer’s (ET) Mariner East 2X pipeline experienced an “inadvertent return” — nontoxic drilling mud coming up out of the ground where it’s not supposed to (see Mariner East 2X Construction Causes Another Drilling Mud Spill). It took more…

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XNG CNG Tractor Trailer Crashes, Closes Section of I-295 in Maine

An unfortunate incident to report. Yesterday morning, a compressed natural gas (CNG) tractor trailer registered to and owned by Xpress Natural Gas (XNG), based in Montrose, Pennsylvania, hit a patch of snow, lost control, struck a barrier, bounced off, and struck the median barrier, causing the trailer to detach. The trailer landed on the rear…

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CNG Truck Crash in Upstate NY Near Albany – This One Exploded

Here’s a story we became aware of several weeks ago but have not shared until now because we could not (still cannot) confirm some of the details. A tractor trailer hauling compressed natural gas (CNG) “from Pennsylvania” crashed into a low bridge in Glenville (Schenectady County), NY, near Albany, on Thursday, Dec. 21. The driver…

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Equitrans Still Needs to Tidy Up at Rager Mountain Gas Leak Site

In November 2022, one of the ten natural gas storage wells at the Equitrans Rager Mountain Gas Storage Area in Jackson Township, Cambria County (in Pennsylvania), began to leak. Equitrans is the owner/operator of Rager Mountain. The well leaked roughly 100 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of gas into the atmosphere (see Equitrans Gas…

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Freeport Fined $163K by EPA for June 2022 LNG Plant Explosion

Freeport LNG’s export terminal with three liquefaction “trains” shut down in June 2022 after an explosion and fire (see Explosion Rocks Freeport LNG Export Plant – Offline for 3 Weeks). What was initially thought to be a three-week outage lasted for ten months. The plant finally returned online in March of this year (see Freeport…

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CNG Truck Accident in Upstate NY Near Albany Injures Driver

Last Tuesday, Dec. 5, a tractor-trailer hauling a trailer with CNG (compressed natural gas) canisters traveling eastbound along Interstate 88 near Albany “exited the road and traveled down a steep ravine” shortly before 3 a.m. It crashed, ripping the top of the trailer off the frame (the part connected to the wheels). The driver was…

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DEP Allows EQT to Continue Work at Greene Well Frac-Out Site

In July 2022, MDN brought you news of a possible frac-out, or “inadvertent return” that happens when drilling mud pops out of places where it’s not supposed to — places outside the borehole being drilled (see Possible Frac-Out Reported at EQT Well Site in Greene County, PA). A landowner who lives near a well being…

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Frack Water Spill at Eureka Resources Plant in Williamsport, PA

An undetermined amount of fracking wastewater spilled at the Eureka Resources wastewater recycling facility in Williamsport (Lycoming County), PA, at about 9:10 a.m. yesterday. The incident prompted a response by city firefighters and police. The water came from a valve on a tank inside the facility, where oil, chemicals and other substances are removed from…

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Plum, PA House Explosion that Killed 6 NOT Caused by Local O&G Wells

In mid-August, a house exploded in Plum, PA, causing two neighboring houses to burn to the ground. Plum is located in Allegheny County near Pittsburgh. Five people died in the initial blast and fires. However, a sixth person later died from his injuries. We grieve with the families and friends of those who died or…

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PA DEP Still Probing How/If to Regulate Gas Storage Wells Post-Rager

Last November, one of the ten natural gas storage wells at the Equitrans Rager Mountain Gas Storage Area in Jackson Township, Cambria County (in Pennsylvania) began to leak. The well leaked roughly 100 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of gas into the atmosphere (see Equitrans Gas Storage Well in Cambria County, PA is Leaking)….

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Uncontrolled Release of Gas at Repsol Well in Bradford County, PA

A Repsol well located on a pad in Troy (Bradford County), PA, experienced uncontrolled natural gas venting. The situation began around 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27. It continued to vent “sporadically” until about 2:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 28. Repsol called the state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) to report the situation at 2:02 a.m….

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Report: Rager Mountain Gas Storage Well Casing Failed from Corrosion

Last November, one of the ten natural gas storage wells at the Equitrans Rager Mountain Gas Storage Area in Jackson Township, Cambria County (in Pennsylvania) began to leak. The well leaked roughly 100 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of gas into the atmosphere (see Equitrans Gas Storage Well in Cambria County, PA is Leaking)….

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Possible Frac-Out Near EQT Pad in Greene County…One Year Later

One year ago, in July 2022, MDN brought you news of a possible frac-out, or “inadvertent return” that happens when drilling mud pops out of places where it’s not supposed to–places outside the borehole being drilled (see Possible Frac-Out Reported at EQT Well Site in Greene County, PA). A landowner who lives near a well…

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TGP Compressor Station Explosion, Fire in TN Causes Force Majeure

Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP) experienced an explosion and fire at Compressor Station 860 near Centerville (Hickman County), TN, last Friday around 8:30 a.m. The location is about 60 miles southwest of Nashville. The explosion blew out the upper tier of the walls of the building. One employee experienced a medical emergency not directly related to…

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