Three Marcellus Shale gas drillers have been fined a total of $374,000 for water pollution citations, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

The citations were issued in Bradford, Lycoming and Tioga counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. Faulty wells and equipment were found to have contaminated water supplies with methane. In Tioga County, Shell Appalachia was fined $85,593 for an incident involving a an abandoned gas well. XTO Energy Inc. paid $95,753 in fines for a Lycoming County incident in 2011 that impacted seven private water wells as well as two creeks. Chesapeake Energy was fined $193,135 for a gas leak that impacted a Bradford County watershed and four water wells.

According to the Department of Environmental Protection, the three companies have settled the cases and have paid their fines. They have also signed agreements, signifying that treatment and monitoring systems have been installed at polluted water wells. The agreements also indicate that the companies fixed faulty well parts and equipment.

Via: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review > Marcellus shale drillers, Pa. settle 3 cases of fouling water supplies, pay $374K