[ back ]
Fracking leads county to add more protection
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - October 26, 2011)
Fracking leads county to add more protection
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Geauga County officials sought added protections last week as the first hydraulic fracturing well drilling, known as fracking, is set to occur in the county.
Geauga County Commissioners approved a roadway use, repair and maintenance agreement with a company that is preparing to employ the fracking method, which involves shooting water infused with chemicals and sand at high pressure into shale formations to unlock reservoirs of natural gas. The added protection was requested by Geauga County Engineer Robert Phillips.
The drilling is expected on an estimated 600-acre property off Newcomb Road, just south of Patch Road, in Parkman Township, Mr. Phillips said. He said the company will initially drill vertically to about 7,000 to 9,000 feet. It then will drill horizontally into the shale about 4,000 feet. He said the company plans to drill horizontally in five different directions to extract the natural gas and small amount of oil.
According to Mr. Phillips, the agreement called for Chesapeake Exploration, the driller, to set aside money into an escrow account that can be used by the county if damage is done to county roads.
Commissioner Tracy Jemison said the agreement protects the county from having to pick up the bill if damage is done to the roads.
"If the bottom falls out of the road, we have the authority and money to fix it," he said. "You've come up with a good agreement to protect the county."
Mr. Phillips said the company is expected to take about 30 to 45 days to prepare the site and another 45 days to drill the well. He said the company had indicated it wished to bring in the drilling rig Nov. 1, but it's behind schedule.
He said the company is required to establish an escrow account and keep $250,000 for the county to use if damage is detected. He said the company is allowed to draw down the account to $100,000, but must replenish it to the full amount.
He said the company is the first to attempt the fracking process in the county, although it had done work in counties to the south of Geauga, such as Tuscarawas and Stark. He said the company has been required to reconstruct roads in other counties that it has worked in.
He said the company is not allowed to begin activities until the money is placed in the account.
Mr. Phillips said the concern is not so much with the weight of the drilling rig brought in. He said the rig is not expected to weigh any more than those used for traditional well drilling. Instead, he said, the concern lies with the repetitive loads that will be brought in.
He said about 20,000 tons of stone that is expected to be brought in will likely require 1,000 separate truck loads. An estimated six million gallons of water will also be brought in along with 6,000 tons of sand.
He said the loads are also expected to be made during the traditional freeze-thaw season, which can contribute to damage.
Mr. Phillips said the company has agreed to go beyond the requirements for testing nearby residential water wells. State law requires companies to test, at minimum, within 300 feet of a well site. He said the company has agreed to test within 3,000 feet.
[ back ]
