EQT gives Mon Valley drilling work updates
MONONGAHELA – EQT currently has three well pads in the Monongahela area and is looking at several other sites to drill in the Mon Valley.
The Pittsburgh-based company, which recently announced its proposed takeover of Rice Energy, provided a brief presentation of its local work to members of Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce Wednesday at Mon Valley Hospital.
In addition to projects in Carroll Township, Stephanie Paluda and Nathaniel Manchin, EQT’s local and community affairs specialists, said the company also has proposed pads near Mon City and New Eagle.
The two were invited to speak by chamber President Tony Bottino because of the increased drilling EQT is doing in the area.
While all of the wells are being drilled in the Marcellus Shale, Manchin said the company has plans for seven additional wells in the Utica Shale in its leasehold area for this year, including a test well in Nottingham Township.
At least one person who lives near one of the active well sites off Route 481 noted the access road to the site is getting heavy use from the truck traffic, and often residents are required to use an alternate route.
Paluda said she would notify police about the traffic situation.
On June 19, EQT said it was buying Southpointe-based Rice Energy for $6.7 billion.
Since early 2016, EQT has added more than 485,000 acres to its development portfolio. The Rice Energy deal would give it another 425,000 acres, and would make EQT the largest producer of natural gas in the United States.
Manchin said following Wednesday’s meeting he couldn’t comment on the impact the merger would have on EQT’s drilling plans in the Mon Valley, where Rice had significant acreage.
He also said he couldn’t elaborate on the progress in addressing an abandoned mine blowout caused by one of EQT’s Marcellus Shale operations in February that created a large leak along Route 136 in Forward Township, Allegheny County.
While the majority of the leak was quickly controlled, Manchin said the company is continuing to work with the state Department of Environmental Protection.