What Is Marcellus Shale?

The Marcellus Shale gas well drilling industry is a hot topic right now, sparking debate between environmentalists and economists. The Marcellus Shale rock formation is one of the largest reserves of natural gas in the U.S., spanning about 600 miles across most of Pennsylvania and reaching into West Virginia, Ohio, and other surrounding states.

The Marcellus Shale lies anywhere from 5,000 to 8,000 feet under the ground, and many experts estimate that it may contain enough gas to supply U.S. demand for over a decade.

Fracking: What it Is and How it’s Done

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a process that involves pumping millions of gallons of water, sand, and chemicals into a well to fracture the shale and release the natural gas trapped deep beneath the Earth’s surface.

Fracking has been used for decades, beginning in 1947, to stimulate oil and natural gas wells. About 90 percent of the natural gas wells in the United States use this process to supply the country’s demand.

But using hydraulic fracturing to do horizontal drilling – like with Marcellus Shale – didn’t become a reality until the 21st century. With this new process and the amount of natural gas trapped within the Marcellus Shale, it has quickly become the ‘gold rush’ of the new millennium.

The liquid pumped into the well is known as fracture fluid, and it can contain many different types of chemicals. About 99 percent of the fluid is made up of water and sand.

Marcellus Shale Drilling – Recent Accidents and Explosions

Marcellus Shale drilling could give the U.S. economy a huge push at a time when our country really needs it, but it also brings the potential for serious environmental and public health risks, including:

• Accidents at drill sites, including explosions and fires
• Toxic ground water
• Poor air quality
• Hydraulic fracturing chemicals in soil and on ground surfaces
• Waste disposal issues
• Bad road conditions
• Negative impact on wildlife and crops

The impact of contaminated water and air quality on the general public has not yet been proven, but there have been several recent accidents and explosions at local Marcellus Shale drilling sites and other gas wells:

• On Tuesday, March 1, 2011, a tank caught fire at a Mount Pleasant gas well in Washington County, PA. Although no one was reported injured, the tank exploded.
• On February 23, 2011, a fire erupted on a Marcellus Shale well site in Avella, Washington County, PA. It left three workers injured, and two of them had to be flown to local hospitals for treatment.
• On Friday, July 23, 2010, a shallow gas well exploded in Indiana Township in Allegheny County, PA. Two workers were killed.
• On June 7, 2010, seven workers were injured in a gas well explosion in Marshall County, WV. Their burns ranged from 10 to 30 percent of their body, and one victim had third-degree burns.
• Just four days after the Marshall County gas explosion, a well blowout in Clearfield County, PA sent more than 35,000 gallons of fracking fluid and gas into the air for 16 hours.
• In April 2010, Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. was banned from drilling until it plugged wells that were believed to have contaminated drinking water in 14 homes. The contamination may have come from an explosion on New Year’s Day in 2009.

Marcellus Shale Drilling Outlook

Many people are becoming worried about the effect Marcellus Shale drilling will have on local residents, workers, and entire communities because of these recent accidents. For places like Upper Burrell in Westmoreland County, PA, where two gas wells are planned near 67 homes, an explosion has the potential to injure or even kill hundreds of people.

In 2010 alone, the Department of Environmental Protection issued 1,985 new Marcellus drilling permits, and 763 wells are already either completed or under construction.

Recent passed legislation will force drilling companies to make information available to the public about the chemicals they are using for Marcellus Shale fracking. Also, U.S. Congress asked the Environmental Protection Agency to do a new study on hydraulic fracturing – set to be released in 2012.

Injured by Marcellus Shale Drilling?

Were you injured in an explosion on or near a Marcellus Shale site? Did a gas drilling rig catch fire while you were working and leave you with severe burns? Has your health been affected by water contaminated with toxic chemicals like methane gas?

Whether you are a resident living close to a well site, a firefighter who was injured while responding to a fire caused by Marcellus Shale drilling, or a worker who was hurt on the job, it’s important to know your legal rights. You may be entitled to money for your injuries and pain and suffering.

But you must act now. There are time limits. Contact us right away for a FREE, confidential, no obligation legal evaluation of your claim. Call 1-866-9-4EDGAR (1-866-943-3427) or fill out the form at the top right of this webpage to get started – 24 hours, seven days a week.