This is a report on our examination of a number of gas wells in Putnam and Kanawha counties all operated by the same company.

The Home Page for the 2011 Study

Four Wells in the Kanawha State Forest

Three Wells with Surface Contamination

Three Well with Inadequate Secondary Containment

A Vertical Marcellus Well

Condensate Tank Overflow

The Home Page for the 2010 Study

The Home Page for the 2009 Study

Putnam County
Poca River Road
583
731
1492
595
615
743
775
746
739

Spanish Oak Road
232
Putnam B-85

Long Road
298

Kanawha County
Dry Branch
5999
1266

Harmon's Creek
2026
5714

Environmental Assessment
Putnam County
1492 & 731

Kanawha County
2026
5714

The Home Page for the 2008 Study

Putnam County
Long Road Group
1288
1215
1178
1299
702
No API #1
No API #2
No API #3
1155
No API #4
No API #5

River Road Group
735
601
570

King Cemetery Group
1200
274
404

Kanawha County
2026
5714

Kanawha State Forest

We visited four well sites in August 2011 in this popular state park located just south of Charleston, West Virginia.

Like almost all other well sites we've visited, the four in the park did not have security barriers to protect the public from the inherent hazards at these industrial sites.

47-039-05500

		This well was next to the stream in Polly's Hollow. Metalwork at the wellhead was rusted and in need of paint.
		The 100 barrel tank has an overflow detector/prevention device (to the right of the ladder, on top of the tank). This is the first we've seen such a device at a well site we've visited. The tank had been given a red oxide paint covering which has deteriorated.

47-039-01939 and 47-039-02079

		These two wells shared the same pad. The wellhead for 47-039-02079 had a warning for the possible presence of hydrogen sulfide, a gas that can be extremely toxic.
		The metal at the wellhead for 47-039-02079 was severely corroded. One of the characteristics of hydrogen sulfide is that it rapidly corrodes metal. The gas can destroy wellheads and pipelines, making the metal paper thin.
		The paint on the wellhead for 47-039-01939 had deteriorated.
		Besides a plastic condensate storage tank the site had this large steel tank (about 20 feet high with a ladder up the back). We don't know the purpose of this tank.

47-039-05772

		The unpainted wellhead for 47-039-05772 is beginning to corrode. The tall 100 barrel tank is visible in the background.
		A large barely vegetated area exists between the wellhead and edge of the pad. Our tests for chloride in the surface soil here found it at 40 and 46 ppm.
		There were numerous signs of animal activity in the bare area. These marks are turkey scrapes. When we were visiting the site yellow finches flew to the bare area, singly or in groups, to ingest the soil. Finches and other bird species are attracted to salt which can be toxic to them.
		We did not find chloride in the bare area around a seep on the fill slope below the well. The sheen in this small pool of water is caused by iron loving bacteria. In spite of the absence of elevated chloride, this area looked like something bad was happening.

Go to Three Wells with Surface Contamination
Four Wells in the Kanawha State Forest | Surface Contamination
Inadequate Secondary Containment | A Vertical Marcellus Well
Condensate Tank Overflow