Municipal News
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 11 September 2013 20:26
Union Twp. Special Public Meeting of September 9, 2013
By Paul Chasko
Over 50 residents of Union Township expressed their concerns over upcoming seismic testing in area municipalities, including Union Township, at a special informational meeting on September 9.
By Paul Chasko
Over 50 residents of Union Township expressed their concerns over upcoming seismic testing in area municipalities, including Union Township, at a special informational meeting on September 9.
Keith McKay (standing) of GeoKinetics addresses the Union Twp. Board and residents on Seismic Testing
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Representatives of EQT, Geokinetics and Cougar Land Services were present at the request of the Union Township Board of Supervisors to explain the procedures to be used and answer questions from residents.
The Seismic “Bunola 3D” survey is a project of EQT to determine the exact locations of the Marcellus shale deposits in the area for purposes of drilling to extract natural gas and liquid by-products. Geokinetics is the Texas-Based company that will be performing the testing. Cougar Land Services is contracted to solicit permits from land-owners to access properties for installation of cables and sensors to gather data from the tests.
All board members were present for this meeting as were the board Secretary, Treasurer, Solicitor, the Township Engineer (Carl DeCais) of Chester Engineering and the Director of Environmental Sciences and Mining Geologist (Andrew Stern) also from Chester Engineering – both there to offer advice and guidance to the township. Solicitor Dennis Makel ran the meeting and introduced the company representatives and Twp. advisors from Chester Engineering to attendees. A question and comment period followed a presentation by Mr. Keith McKay of GeoKinetics.
McKay gave an overview of the entire testing project (Bunola 3D Project). He explained that the data gathered from the seismic testing will result in more efficient and effective drilling for natural gas in the area of the study. He said that most residents would be aware only of the Vibroseis Units (also called “Thumper Trucks) that send low-frequency vibrations into the earth. The “thumper Trucks” in a tandem of three will run down some area roads, stop at roughly 220 foot intervals and send vibrations through the roadbed into the earth for two to three minutes. The vibrations bounce back from the shale deposits deep beneath the surface and are picked up by receiver units placed in the surface at selected points. The receiver units include “geophones” that are driven into the ground to receive the signals. Nearly all of the permits being sought by Cougar Land Service personnel are for access to properties to install these sensor units that are cabled to a receiver unit. These sensors generate no energy into their surroundings and are totally benign. McKay also explained that in “remote” areas inaccessible by the “Thumper Trucks” 2.2 pound explosive charges would be detonated in shot holes, roughly 20 feet deep and two to three inches in diameter to generate the seismic energy. There was an implication that a special permit would be sought from property owners to use shot-holes. The data from the testing will be used to create computer-generated graphical displays of the strata deep beneath the surface. The energy sent into the earth by either method was expressed by McKay to be below that which would cause any damage to homes and/or outbuildings and will be measured real-time by a seismograph placed in the ground near structures.
(A prior phone call by this writer to EQT requesting a history of damage caused by seismic testing was said to be unavailable.)
The energy of the vibration is measured in inches per second (the movement of particles of earth in a given period of time). According to McKay, the energy that could possibly cause some minimal damage to structures is 0.5 inches/second. He described minimal damage as cracked plaster. The maximum energy levels expected to be delivered by the “Thumper Trucks” is 0.35 Inches/second and that energy dissipates the further a structure is from the energy source (Thumper Truck or Shot-Hole).
Union Township has a strict seismic testing ordinance in place requiring the seismic testing energy source to be a minimum of 150 feet from any structure. McKay stated that GeoKinetics is seeking relief from that requirement. They want to drop that requirement to 50 feet as many homes are located closer than 150 feet from the roadway. Their claim is that the condition of the soil in this area will allow for that distance without damage to structures. Chester Engineering did not seem to totally agree with that assessment without additional testing of soil conditions near structures that could be affected.
There are certain areas within the township that are honeycombed with abandoned shallow coal mines (particularly in the area of Lew Street - and there are other similar areas). McKay felt they would present no issue but Mr. Stern of Chester Engineering stated that one could not predict with certainty that some catastrophic failure of an old mine could not occur as a result of the testing. Several residents of Lew Street were in attendance and asked the board to prohibit any testing in that area. To illustrate the issue, one incident was cited by several residents in which an earth–mover fell into a mine while digging a house foundation on Lew Street. These residents feel particularly uneasy about losing their homes as a result of seismic testing.
Concerns and comments voiced during and after the Q/A period centered on the issues below:
• This testing program puts the homes and property of most residents at risk only to benefit the financial interests of a few.
• There is concern over damage to gas, water and sewer lines servicing area homes. The experts feel that setting pipelines of any kind into harmful vibration is unlikely as surrounding earth will prevent any vibration.
• We have a limit in our Seismic Testing Ordinance (150 feet from structures) that was set by our engineering firm. Some residents feel it would be a mistake for the board to ignore the recommendations of our engineer by changing that to 50 feet increasing the risk to homes.
• When questioned about compensation for damage, the comments from Mr. Stern were pessimistic at best. He stated that in his experience, most claims would be to insurance companies that would likely claim that any damage was caused by pre-existing conditions - resulting in legal battles.
• The Board was asked to prohibit testing in the Lew Street area and any other areas that had been shallow-mined.
• One resident was concerned that as a result of PA Act 13, the board, under state law may have lost their rights to enforce any ordinance affecting extraction of natural gas. This is a Gray area for Seismic Testing.
At the request of the board, GeoKinetics has agreed to bring a “Thumper Truck” to the Union Twp. building on September 21 and perform a demonstration of a seismic test. The demonstration is opened to the public and is slated for 10:00 am.
GeoKinetics has offered to inspect and photograph homes in Union Township to establish conditions prior to the testing. Many residents have opted to schedule these inspections.
A “preliminary” map of Union Township was on display during the meeting showing the points at which the “Thumper Trucks” would be actuated and properties where sensors would be located.
The Seismic “Bunola 3D” survey is a project of EQT to determine the exact locations of the Marcellus shale deposits in the area for purposes of drilling to extract natural gas and liquid by-products. Geokinetics is the Texas-Based company that will be performing the testing. Cougar Land Services is contracted to solicit permits from land-owners to access properties for installation of cables and sensors to gather data from the tests.
All board members were present for this meeting as were the board Secretary, Treasurer, Solicitor, the Township Engineer (Carl DeCais) of Chester Engineering and the Director of Environmental Sciences and Mining Geologist (Andrew Stern) also from Chester Engineering – both there to offer advice and guidance to the township. Solicitor Dennis Makel ran the meeting and introduced the company representatives and Twp. advisors from Chester Engineering to attendees. A question and comment period followed a presentation by Mr. Keith McKay of GeoKinetics.
McKay gave an overview of the entire testing project (Bunola 3D Project). He explained that the data gathered from the seismic testing will result in more efficient and effective drilling for natural gas in the area of the study. He said that most residents would be aware only of the Vibroseis Units (also called “Thumper Trucks) that send low-frequency vibrations into the earth. The “thumper Trucks” in a tandem of three will run down some area roads, stop at roughly 220 foot intervals and send vibrations through the roadbed into the earth for two to three minutes. The vibrations bounce back from the shale deposits deep beneath the surface and are picked up by receiver units placed in the surface at selected points. The receiver units include “geophones” that are driven into the ground to receive the signals. Nearly all of the permits being sought by Cougar Land Service personnel are for access to properties to install these sensor units that are cabled to a receiver unit. These sensors generate no energy into their surroundings and are totally benign. McKay also explained that in “remote” areas inaccessible by the “Thumper Trucks” 2.2 pound explosive charges would be detonated in shot holes, roughly 20 feet deep and two to three inches in diameter to generate the seismic energy. There was an implication that a special permit would be sought from property owners to use shot-holes. The data from the testing will be used to create computer-generated graphical displays of the strata deep beneath the surface. The energy sent into the earth by either method was expressed by McKay to be below that which would cause any damage to homes and/or outbuildings and will be measured real-time by a seismograph placed in the ground near structures.
(A prior phone call by this writer to EQT requesting a history of damage caused by seismic testing was said to be unavailable.)
The energy of the vibration is measured in inches per second (the movement of particles of earth in a given period of time). According to McKay, the energy that could possibly cause some minimal damage to structures is 0.5 inches/second. He described minimal damage as cracked plaster. The maximum energy levels expected to be delivered by the “Thumper Trucks” is 0.35 Inches/second and that energy dissipates the further a structure is from the energy source (Thumper Truck or Shot-Hole).
Union Township has a strict seismic testing ordinance in place requiring the seismic testing energy source to be a minimum of 150 feet from any structure. McKay stated that GeoKinetics is seeking relief from that requirement. They want to drop that requirement to 50 feet as many homes are located closer than 150 feet from the roadway. Their claim is that the condition of the soil in this area will allow for that distance without damage to structures. Chester Engineering did not seem to totally agree with that assessment without additional testing of soil conditions near structures that could be affected.
There are certain areas within the township that are honeycombed with abandoned shallow coal mines (particularly in the area of Lew Street - and there are other similar areas). McKay felt they would present no issue but Mr. Stern of Chester Engineering stated that one could not predict with certainty that some catastrophic failure of an old mine could not occur as a result of the testing. Several residents of Lew Street were in attendance and asked the board to prohibit any testing in that area. To illustrate the issue, one incident was cited by several residents in which an earth–mover fell into a mine while digging a house foundation on Lew Street. These residents feel particularly uneasy about losing their homes as a result of seismic testing.
Concerns and comments voiced during and after the Q/A period centered on the issues below:
• This testing program puts the homes and property of most residents at risk only to benefit the financial interests of a few.
• There is concern over damage to gas, water and sewer lines servicing area homes. The experts feel that setting pipelines of any kind into harmful vibration is unlikely as surrounding earth will prevent any vibration.
• We have a limit in our Seismic Testing Ordinance (150 feet from structures) that was set by our engineering firm. Some residents feel it would be a mistake for the board to ignore the recommendations of our engineer by changing that to 50 feet increasing the risk to homes.
• When questioned about compensation for damage, the comments from Mr. Stern were pessimistic at best. He stated that in his experience, most claims would be to insurance companies that would likely claim that any damage was caused by pre-existing conditions - resulting in legal battles.
• The Board was asked to prohibit testing in the Lew Street area and any other areas that had been shallow-mined.
• One resident was concerned that as a result of PA Act 13, the board, under state law may have lost their rights to enforce any ordinance affecting extraction of natural gas. This is a Gray area for Seismic Testing.
At the request of the board, GeoKinetics has agreed to bring a “Thumper Truck” to the Union Twp. building on September 21 and perform a demonstration of a seismic test. The demonstration is opened to the public and is slated for 10:00 am.
GeoKinetics has offered to inspect and photograph homes in Union Township to establish conditions prior to the testing. Many residents have opted to schedule these inspections.
A “preliminary” map of Union Township was on display during the meeting showing the points at which the “Thumper Trucks” would be actuated and properties where sensors would be located.
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