Thursday, January 6, 2011

DEP Fines Talisman Energy for Diesel Spill at Marcellus Well

Today the PA Department of Environmental Protection announced that it has fined Talisman Energy (formerly known as Fortuna in these parts)  $24,608 for a large diesel fuel spill that occurred in March 2010 in Bradford County. The spill happened at the Putnam 77 Marcellus natural gas well pad in Armenia Township.

According to DEP North-central Regional Director Nels Taber, the diesel spilled off the well pad and into a neighboring farmer’s field. “Talisman is extremely fortunate that it did not impact surface water or wetlands,” Taber told the press.

The company reported the spill to DEP, but has been unable to explain the cause.

According to the DEP press release, discharging the diesel fuel without a permit violates the Clean Streams Law, and failing to manage the waste properly violates the Solid Waste Management Act.

Cleaning up the spill required the excavation and removal of 3,800 tons of contaminated soil. It also meant collecting some 132,000 gallons of contaminated water - from which 450 gallons of diesel fuel was recovered. You can read the DEP press release here.

2 comments:

  1. What happens for the landowner in a situation like this?
    Does the farmer get 3,800 tons of new uncontaminated soil to replace what was removed?

    If Taber says the spill did not impact surface water or wetlands, where is the 132,000 gallons of contaminated water coming from?

    Thanks for any clarification!

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  2. WOW! They must think we are really stupid.

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