BY JOSH MROZINSKI
Wyoming County Press Examiner
LEMON TWP. - A local farmer plans to develop a facility north of Tunkhannock that would discharge treated wastewater from natural gas drilling into the Meshoppen Creek.
Philip Brown said he plans to have wastewater recycled at the proposed facility.
"It would be clean water, almost like saline water," Brown, 59, added.
He added the water would discharge into the creek during high-flow events, such as rain storms.
Brown is developing the project with his wife, Janet, and a partner, under a corporation known as Wyoming-Somerset Regional Water Resources.
Citing a confidentiality agreement, Brown would not name his partner.
The treatment facility would be located about a quarter mile from Route 29 at the site of a former cheese factory.
"We purchased the property several years ago from the county," Mr. Brown said. "A discharge pipe is already there but it will have to be upgraded."
About 30 jobs will be created because of the proposed plant, Brown added.
The corporation has posted a public notice that it intends to seek a permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection to discharge industrial wastes into the creek.
DEP spokesman Mark Carmon said the corporation has not filed an application.
DEP is also reviewing an application from North Branch Processing to discharge treated industrial wastewater from natural gas drilling into the Susquehanna River.
North Branch Processing is proposing to build a brine treatment plant near Skyhaven Airport, south of Tunkhannock in Eaton Township.
Water that contains sand and chemical additives is used during a process known as hydraulic fracturing to break up shale to release natural gas.
After hydraulic fracturing, water that contains heavy concentrations of brine, or salt, as well as chemicals and metals, flows back.
Up to four million gallons of water can be used during hydraulic fracturing at a single well, according to Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Association President Stephen Rhoads.
On average, half of the water flows back, Rhoads said.
"We'd like to reuse as much of the water as possible," Rhoads added. "That's the most efficient thing to do."
The water can also be disposed in deep injection wells or treated and then discharged into a waterway.
While metals and chemicals are removed from the water during treatment, brine usually remains, Rhoads said.
He added reusing hydraulic fracturing wastewater reduces discharge into the environment.
Reducing the discharge is important to Brown, who will live about a mile from his proposed plant.
Brown, a fifth generation farmer, said protecting the creek's water quality is essential to agriculture.
"They (neighbors) want clean water and I want clean water," Brown added.
Posted
Dec 31 2008, 12:15 AM
by
WCEeditor