DEP Fines Talisman Energy USA $3,500 for well drilling violations in Bradford County

BY THE REVIEW)
Published: February 2, 2010

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The Department of Environmental Protection has fined Talisman Energy USA of Horseheads, N.Y., $3,500 for violations discovered last year at three of the company's natural gas wells in Troy Township, Bradford County, according to a press release from the DEP.

Talisman Energy USA was formerly known as Fortuna Energy Inc.

"During routine inspections, DEP staff found minor reporting deficiencies, but also more serious violations that were quickly addressed by the company (Talisman Energy USA)," said DEP Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell.

An inspection in February 2009 at the Cease 1H well discovered that the proper ownership information, including the well permit number, operator's name, address and telephone number, had not been publicly posted by Fortuna as required by Pennsylvania's Oil and Gas Act, the press release said.

During a follow up inspection in June at three natural gas wells drilled on the same pad in Troy Township, flow-back fluids - or the fluids that are used to break up underground rock and then return to the surface - were found discharging into a drainage ditch, an adjacent sediment basin, and eventually through a vegetated area into an unnamed tributary of the south branch of Sugar Creek, the DEP said. These discharges violated Pennsylvania's Clean Streams Law, Solid Waste Management Act, and DEP's oil and gas regulations, the press release said.

The company promptly placed a pump into the sediment basin to pump the fluids back into tanks and hired a consultant to conduct appropriate sampling, the press release said.

The discharge did not cause a fish kill in the unnamed tributary and DEP samples taken in June found the conductivity, pH, salinity and total dissolved solid levels in that waterway to be within acceptable levels, the environmental agency said.

As a result of this incident, Talisman Energy USA has increased its efforts to make sure that its contractors and subcontractors are aware of the unique features of each well site, including the locations of tributaries and other waterways, and aquatic species they may need to be aware of, said Mark Scheuerman, manager of government and media relations for Talisman Energy USA.

In general, through, Talisman Energy is "very proud of its environmental track record in New York state, and now in Pennsylvania," Scheuerman said.

This press release was provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection agency.

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12 posted comments

Bradford County,
Welcome to the oilfield!!
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Roughneck EH,  02/05/10 3:15
I am sick and tired of reading comments here in our Bradford County newspaper from people who do NOT live in Bradford County. I realize fully there is no way to filter these outsiders. And it does not surprise me at all that their views differ from so many living here. I live here to get away from people with their views, for which I have no respect whatsoever. I do not go to wherever they live and try to change things or interfere with their business. I leave them alone. I wish they would be sufficiently courteous to reciprocate. It requires a hideous arrogance to insert oneself into the business of another region. And boy do these clueless people have it!!
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Not Afraid of the Facts,  02/04/10 4:40
The gas industry in Bradford County does not represent progress. It represents devastation to our land, forests, water, and way of life.
Every day of the week lies and half-truths spew from the mouths of landmen, subcontractors, and even company reps, all of whom say "trust me". Right now, it's the pipeline landgrabbers, waiting to make a maze of our forests. They swarm like vultures around landowners. We have already given up more than enough, no reason to make it easy to get the pipelines through.
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No rush to ship gas,  02/04/10 2:06
Part ostrich that's great!! They happen to be one of the smartest animals so that's all good. They don't put up with anyone's crap so nothing wrong with that. If this is news great for you. I don't happen to live in Bradford County at this time. Thank the Lord!! I live where there is already established gas and a gas line running through our back field which we don't own the mineral rights on and have some of the cleanest drinking water around. You all don't know what the drilling process really entails and are just scared of change and progress. You have no appreciation for anything except to STIR up the controversy. That is all this article did because it was a SLOW news day. This story is over a year old and they just now published it... get real. Get to know the facts and the truth which you don't know! Everyone wants to compare the gas industry to the coal industry and there is no comparison. There is natural gas in the air everyday and if you wanted to collect on it you could cap your farts. That's how natural this gas is. You all just crack me up. The fracking process??? Yes there are very minimal chemicals in them and they DO not get in the drinking water it's not possible in the fracking process. Some "enviromentalist" is trying to stir up trouble and that's it. Just like in the logging industry... they plant 2 trees for each they take. I am sure you use paper daily in one form or another. You have furniture in your house and did you know the computer you are typing on has plastic which is a petrochemical product?? Also that computer has a battery that is harmful to the enviroment? What about the oil you are burning to keep your home warm? Natural gas burns cleaner!! The other thing is Natural Gas cannot contanimate your drinking water it is airborn and will seperate out in an air pocket and go out into the air it won't stay in your water.
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Mrs. GD,  02/04/10 10:35
GD The Daily Review just wants to stir up controversy to sell papers. Where there is none, it will try to make some.
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Sherman,  02/04/10 9:19
There are obviously some people in Bradford County now who care only about their gas check. Let the county get trashed out to the max. No matter for them and not a problem. As long as that check shows up each month.

These people need to dummy up and realize there still are folks here, thousands of us, who get no check and never will. We still care about this county remaining clean and decent and livable. We care about upholding the reputation of our county as a great place to live. And we will fight you gas check people every step of the way. Because unlike you, we DO care about Bradford County.

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Amanda Formvary,  02/04/10 9:05
Mrs GD

I think your comment is asinine. Are you suggesting The Review should suppress the news?! Thank God they don't. When there is a violation of law that's news. The Review's job is to cover the news, and that's what this newspaper did. It's a NEWSpaper, after all. Your comment is a classic example of "blame the messenger". Your heritage must be part ostrich.

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Not Afraid of the Facts,  02/04/10 8:58
The fines really do reflect the severity. That is one of the lowest fines I have ever seen an energy or drilling company recieve. That means it must not have been that serious. Usually those fines are in the $10s of thousand and more. I think the Daily Review is just looking to find things to publish and is running out of ideas so they published this story.
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Mrs. GD,  02/03/10 4:53
Troy Resident - The fine reflects the severity of the infraction. That should tell you something.
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Sherman,  02/03/10 9:40
I'm really surprised to see this story. I thought Talisman (Fortuna) was the best of the "good guys". I thought they genuinely cared about doing things right. Now I don't know what to think. And if Talisman (Fortuna) really is the best, well then, OMG!
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Ben Skivens,  02/02/10 8:21
A whopping $3,500 fine - WOW! When these companies stand to make millions, maybe even BILLIONS, of dollars in profits, why would they pay $10,000 (probably more) to properly dispose of these pollutants when they can dump them out onto the ground for less in fines? I'm not anti-drilling, anti-gas industry or even a tree-hugger, but come one already DEP! Fines are supposed to be a deterrent, NOT an incentive! Tack a couple more zeros behind that fine and you might see the gas companies paying a little more attention to what they are doing.
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Troy Resident,  02/02/10 4:01
In other articles and in its meetings with landowners, Fortuna (now Talisman) always touts that it recycles flow-back fluids. Do they really do this consistently? This violation puts that claim into question.
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DeeCee,  02/02/10 10:22