A Feb. 18 article in The Bradford Era stated that Catalyst Energy Inc.’s fracking wastewater injection well in Cyclone had failed two mechanical integrity tests. The Era retracts that sentence.
The article should have stated that, “Catalyst Energy Inc.’s fracking wastewater injection well in Keating Township has failed two mechanical integrity tests, according to court documents filed by concerned homeowners appealing the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) permit allowing for the well’s operation.”
A representative of Catalyst refuted the report, which referenced a motion filed in concerned homeowners’ appeal to the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board.
Referencing the homeowners’ motion, available online at efiling.ehb.pa.gov, The Era’s report indicated that the Keating Township well had failed mechanical integrity tests. An email from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official Philip Yeany to the appellants’ attorney Lisa Johnson and copying Kevin Rowsey, states, “On 1/31 they shut the well in (stopped injection). They moved a rig in on 2/1. On 2/2 a verbal notification to EPA and PADEP was made indicating a loss of mechanical integrity.”
In fact, a Catalyst representative states, the well never failed any mechanical integrity test and has satisfied the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) permit requirements to continue operations.
“To the contrary,” the Catalyst representative said, “the injection well has passed every integrity test performed.”
Further, the maximum allowable injection pressure to which the well is subject is 2,600 psi, not 1,000 psi. The Catalyst representative said, “The well never failed a MAIP test.”
The Era stated that pressure readings recorded in DEP inspection reports show the well failed to meet maximum allowable injection pressure, which the appellants say indicates the well is leaking. The Era retracts that statement.
It has since been clarified that an allowable pressure drop of 5% from the initial reading of 1005 psi, or 50.25 psi, means the ending pressure must be equal to or greater than 955 psi. An ending pressure reading of 984 psi permits operations to continue.
