The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently published on its website a series of video training tutorials to provide guidance on how to complete quarterly well inspections under the Mechanical Integrity Assessment (MIA) requirements. MIA forms, instructions and user guides are also available on DEP’s website.
DEP also recently published a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document addressing the Bureau of Air Quality’s General Permit-5 (GP-5) and Plan Approval Exemption Category No. 38. The GP-5 is a General Plan Approval and/or Operating Permit used to permit emissions from natural gas gathering, compression and/or processing facilities that are minor air contamination facilities, while Exemption Category No. 38 concerns a permit exemption for air emission sources located at a well pad.
The Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) announced that it has updated its recommended practices to include the Drilling and Completions phases of natural gas exploration. These recommendations cover a wide range of topics with regard to bringing a well into production, including regulatory planning and well flowback. The MSC had previously released seven additional sets of guidelines that cover site planning, motor vehicles, water pipelines, and more. The addition of the Drilling and Completions documents will help exploration and production companies in the region carry out their business in a safe, responsible manner, according the MSC.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will publish its final technical guidance document “Addressing Spills and Releases at Oil & Gas Well Sites or Access Roads” in the September 21, 2013 Pennsylvania Bulletin. The proposed Spill Policy was originally published in the April 14, 2012 Pennsylvania Bulletin for public comment, and the Department’s responses to the 67 comments from 12 commentors are included in a Comment and Response document published on the Department’s website today. The final Spill Policy is effective as of September 21, 2013.