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Gas companies flock to Alle-Kiski Valley to tap in to Marcellus shale

Date: 4/25/2010

By Mary Ann Thomas and Jessica Turnbull, VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH
Sunday, April 25, 2010

Coming to your town soon: Drilling for natural gas wells in the Marcellus shale.

Pennsylvania’s new gold rush is attracting a stampede of energy companies far and wide, which are starting to set up shop in the Alle-Kiski Valley.

They want to reach the natural gas trapped 6,000 feet below much of the state.

Residents should expect even more permits and drilling in Southwestern Pennsylvania in the years to come.

According to Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry trade group, 763 Marcellus wells were drilled in the state 2009. Of those, 336 were drilled in the southwestern counties, in a statement from Gary Sheppard, Penn State Cooperative Extension educator from Westmoreland County.

"There are impacts and things that are happening to our communities that are not all on the good side," Sheppard said. "There is some discord, and some people are making out better than others on their leases."

The number of new wells drilled will double to about 1,750 this year, according to estimates from the trade group.

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