Pa. fines gas driller for losing control of well
State environmental regulators have fined a gas drilling company for allowing natural gas to escape a well in northeastern Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said Tuesday it fined Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. more than $76,000 for losing control of a well at its Huston pad in Brooklyn Township, Susquehanna County.
Regulators say the well released natural gas for about 27 hours before it was brought under control on Jan. 6.
A Cabot subcontractor who was replacing equipment at the wellhead didn’t follow procedures for working on equipment in cold weather, the DEP said, leading to a damaged valve that released the gas.
The gas dissipated and there was no significant environmental impact, according to the DEP.
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