Range Resources’ well hits record flow in Washington County, Pennsylvania
Friday, December 19, 2014
An exploratory well in Washington County, Pennsylvania has reached a new record, reports Pittsburgh Business Times.
The Claysville Sportsman’s Club No. 1 well, owned by Range Resources, had an initial flow measuring 59 million cubic feet per day, based on an test period average of 24 hours.
The 11,700 foot deep well sits atop the Marcellus, Utica and Devonian shales, so all three layers can be reached with one well. It is believed to hold the record flow for all wells in the Appalachian basin.
Via: Pittsburgh Business Times > Range Resources’ Utica Shale well hits a sweet spot
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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.