Toxic Spill in Tioga County: A Note to Rep. Jim Christiana, Who Argues That It Never Happens

PA ‘Fracking’ Blowout Spews Marcellus Shale Fluid onto State Forest Lands

Talisman Energy may face heavy penalties

Photo: Typical PA Gas Drilling Site

By G. Jeffrey Aaron

jgaaron@gannett.com

Jan25, 2011- Talisman Energy has resumed its Marcellus drilling operations in Pennsylvania, a week after one of the company’s gas wells experienced a blowout that caused an uncontrolled discharge of sand and fracking fluids onto state forest lands in Tioga County.

As a result of the incident, Talisman shut down all of its hydraulic fracturing operations in North America while it conducted an internal investigation into the cause of the Jan. 17 blowout. Those operations have since resumed, with Talisman’s Pennsylvania drilling program being the last to be brought back online.

Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has requested Talisman provide answers to nine questions related to the blowout as part of its investigation into the incident. The investigation could result in civil penalties levied against Talisman.

The well where the blowout occurred is on Pennsylvania State Forest lands in Ward Township, about nine miles southeast of Mansfield.

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