observed impacts of marcellus shale drilling on agricultural lands
DESCRIPTION
Presentation to NYS Association of Towns Annual Conference 2/22/11TRANSCRIPT
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Observed Impacts of
Marcellus Shale Drilling on
Agricultural LandsPresented to the
New York State Association of Towns
Annual Training Session & ConferenceFebruary 21, 2011
George R. Frantz, AICP, ASLA
Department of City & Regional Planning
Cornell University
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Why Bradford County, PA?Small Industrial
Towns
Scenic Beauty
Major Agricultural County
Vibrant, Historic
Downtowns
Major Tourism Sector Based
on Outdoor Recreation
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Marcellus
Shale
Formation
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Bradford County –
5th Largest
Agricultural
County in PA
“Clean & Green” Agricultural Parcels
w/ Natural Gas Wells
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Western
Bradford County
Study Area
November 2010• 13 active drilling/ fracking
operations;
• 7 pads – no drilling/ not
restored;
• 4 pads – restored
• 2 pads – newly built/ no
drilling commenced.
• 3 water impoundments
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Washington County - WA7Source: M. Bu, S. Upadhyay
Typical
Well Pad• 3-5 acres;
• Level;
• Gravel surface.
* Large open storage pits
such as in this aerial image
have not been observed in
Bradford County drilling
operations. Drilling
operations appear to prefer
closed storage trailers
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Typical
Well
Pad• 3-5 acres;
• Level;
• Gravel surface.
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Typical
Well
Pad –
Drilling
Phase• Drill rig, offices,
storage, dorms
(sometimes)
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Typical
Well
Pad• Hydraulic
Fracturing
Phase
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Storm Water Pollution Prevention
Well pads
permitted by
PADEP &
Susquehanna
River Basin
Commission .
Pad design must include
SWPP best management
practices.
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Storm Water Pollution Prevention
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Storm Water Pollution Prevention
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Storm Water Pollution Prevention
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Site Restoration
Mandatory
stockpiling of
topsoil at time
of well pad
construction
(& possible use as sound
barrier)
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Site Restoration – W05
8/2
7/0
9
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Site Restoration – W05
12
/17
/10
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Site Restoration – W05
9/1
8/1
0
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Site Restoration – AT02
8/2
7/0
9
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Site Restoration – AT02
12
/5/0
9
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Site Restoration – W09
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Site Restoration – W08
Equipment left on
site after
restoration
generally will
include 1-10
wellheads, gas
cleaner, brine
storage tanks, &
metering system.
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Restored Drilling Site Aerial
View
Original pad
size:
+/- 310 ft x 285 ft/
+/- 88, 500 sq. ft
Restored pad
size:
+/- 16, 000 sq. ft
(1 wellhead)
Source M. Bu & S. Upadhyay. 2010
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Views of a Drilling Rig – approx. 2 miles
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Views of a Drilling Rig – approx. 1 mile
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View of Drilling Rig – approx. 1,000 ft.
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Washington County, PA
Drilling Pad
Restored Drilling
Pad
Water Retention
UnitWashington
Canonsburg
Source M. Bu & S. Upadhyay. 2010
12 mi.
Canton Twp.
Chartiers Twp.
Mt. Pleasant Twp.
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26000FT
Ea
ch
sq
uare
=
4 s
q. m
iles.
Source M. Bu & S. Upadhyay. 2010
Restored Pad
Active Pad
Reservoir
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Washington County – High Impact Area
1 Square Mile
Source M. Bu & S. Upadhyay. 2010
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Gas Collector Lines
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Potential Impacts of Collector Lines
• Topsoil and subsoil
mixing;
• Soil compaction;
• Damage to drainage
systems;
• Proper restoration and
two years of monitoring
needed.
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Gas Transmission Lines
• So far, so good…
• Temporary disruption of
fields during
construction;
• SWPPP BMPs critical;
• Site restoration BMPs
critical.
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Gas Transmission Lines
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Storage Site
February 2010
Equipment Staging
October 2010Drilling Pad
September 2009
Delayed Site Restoration – W17
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Drilling Support Services
• ARE subject to
local zoning
regulations;
• Potential long-
term impacts;
• Potential larger
impacts.
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Drilling Support Services
• Is your Town
ready for the types
of commercial &
industrial land
uses that follow
the rigs?
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Heavy Truck Traffic
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New York State
Department of Agriculture
and Markets
Guidelines for
Agricultural
Resources
Protection at Gas
Well Drilling Sites
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Gas Well Development
• Regulated by DEC;
• Very little protection in
the regulations for
agricultural resources;
• Protection measures
need to be included in
easement.
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Phases of Project
• Siting of Access
Roads and Well Pads;
• Construction;
• Restoration;
• Monitoring and
Remediation.
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Siting Goals• Locate access roads
and well pads along
field edges and in
nonagricultural areas
when possible;
• Locate access roads
along ridge tops and
follow field contours
where possible;
Photo: NYS Dept. Agriculture & Markets
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Siting Goals• Permanent width of
access roads in
agricultural fields should
be no more than 16 feet;
• All existing drainage and
erosion control
structures should be
avoided.
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Construction Guidelines• The surface of the
access roads constructed through agricultural fields should be level with the adjacent field surface;
• Culverts and ditches should be installed along access roads to maintain natural drainage patterns;
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Construction Guidelines• All topsoil must be
stripped from agricultural areas used for vehicle and equipment access and parking;
• Topsoil must be stripped from the well pad area and stockpiled separate from other material;
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Construction Guidelines Cont.• Topsoil and subsoil
graded from the drill site should not block drainage;
• Provisions for drainage tile repair should be included in the easement agreement;
Photo: NYS Dept. Agriculture & Markets
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Construction Guidelines Cont.
• Materials from brine pits should be removed from agricultural areas;
• Brine pits should be covered with several feet of subsoil and the original depth of topsoil;
• Drilling mud should be
hauled off site;
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Restoration Guidelines
• All disturbed agricultural areas must be de-
compacted to a depth of 18 inches;
• All rocks 4 inches and larger in diameter must be
removed from the soil surface;
• Topsoil is replaced;
• Stone removal from the topsoil surface prior to
reseeding;
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Restoration Guidelines Cont.• All access roads must be regraded level with
adjacent field;
• All agricultural areas should be reseeded with the
seed mix specified by the landowner;
• All surface and subsurface drainage structures must
be repaired to preconstruction conditions;
• All construction debris must be removed from the
site.
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Monitoring
• The project sponsor
needs to monitor
agricultural areas for two
years following
restoration;
• Monitoring should include
topsoil thickness, stone
content, crop production
and drainage.
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Contact:George Frantz
Cornell University Department of City & Regional Planning
(607) 227-4652
Matt Brower
NYS Dept. Agriculture And Markets
(518) 457-2713
Mike Saviola
NYS Dept. Agriculture and Markets
(607) 351-7954