Company to drill U.S. Steel mill near Pittsburgh
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Merrion Oil& Gas, a New Mexico-based energy company wants to drill six natural gas wells at U.S. Steel Corp.’s Edgar Thomson steel mill near Pittsburgh, according to Kallanish Energy.
The company has had preliminary meetings with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and plans to submit a drilling permit application in the first quarter of 2018.
The company plans to provide the Marcellus Shale natural gas produced to U.S. Steel to heat the blast furnaces at Edgar Thompson, where 600 are employed.
Learn more: Kallanish Energy > Company seeks to drill at U.S. Steel mill near Pittsburgh
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.