Our look at the
BEST PRODUCTION PAD

As gas drilling proceeds on Marcellus Shale in southwestern Pennsylvania, we're able to get a better look at gas well drilling and production activities. The Best Production Pad and Best Unit 1H-7H near Buffalo, Pa is one such case study, with photos of early drilling through natural gas production and pipeline installation.

These photos provide an in-depth look at a larger gas drilling pad and natural gas production unit on Marcellus Shale. With seven horizontal gas wells currently drilled from the Best Production Pad and Unit, it may be one of the largest on Marcellus Shale.

This acreage is owned by Range Resources Appalachia.

The area around WOTRING ROAD in Hopewell Township,
Washington County, Pa is full of gas drilling activity
namely the Best Production Pad owned by Range

Buffalo, Pa which is home to many picturesque farms

Gas drilling traffic has destroyed this corner and road sign

Orange fencing has been laying helter-skelter for months

Mess on the other side of Wotring Road in someone's front yard

BEST PRODUCTION PAD AND BEST UNIT 1H - 7H
WOTRING ROAD
HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP
WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

BEST PRODUCTION PAD Hopewell Township, Washington County Wotring Road Buffalo, Pa
Gas Well Name	DEP Permit Number
Best Unit 1H	125-23277
Best Unit 2H	125-23283
Best Unit 3H	125-23282
Best Unit 4H	125-23284
Best Unit 5H	125-23370
Best Unit 6H	125-23368
Best Unit 7H-A	125-23369

Horizontal gas well drilling on the Best Pad early in 2009

Diesel powered generators and other equipment on the Best drilling pad

Logging operations on and around the gas production site

Logging debris, condensate tanks, office trailer and porta-johns

Newly installed gas processing equipment

View of one end of the multi-acre drilling pad and gas production unit

Battery of six large white condensate tanks

Metal containment barriers are being installed differently in Washington County than they were in 2008, showing banking of soil for better strength against both sides of the metal containment barriers. These barriers are supposed to hold the complete contents of all the onsite separation tanks.

Six of the seven gas well heads on the
Best Production Pad prior to fracking

Some gas well pads like this one in Washington County are being drilled with multiple gas wells. These horizontal or directional wells extend in various directions, like the spokes of a wheel. Depth of these Marcellus Shale wells averages 7,000 feet with the horizontal laterals reaching out another 3,000 feet.

Close-up of one the gas well heads

A steady stream of tanker trucks hauls water to the Best site for future hydraulic fracturing work. Each well's frac job can require up to 6-million gallons of water.

Pittsburgh television news reporter Jim Parsons of WTAE-TV filed this news report on water withdrawals for gas well fracking

WATCH VIDEO

The black nitrile lined containment pond next to the site is being filled with water drawn off local streams. Tankers haul water 24-7. Since this photo was taken, the impoundment has changed from a fresh water impoundment to a recycled frac wastewater impoundment, bringing repeat complaints from neighbors who say this pit smells so bad you can't sit outside in the evening air.

Gas piping connections sit on the drill pad ready for installation

   Major fracing activity!

Gas produced by the Best Unit wells will be sent to market through these newly installed gas lines

   Flaring the Best Production pad gas wells over Labor Day weekend

Labor Day 2009 predawn hours
Flare is right next door to this residential property. The neighbor had to put his beagle hunting dogs in the garage (on the right) for several days.

Flare is putting off a putrid smell like a raunchy outhouse. Certain to screw-up any Labor Day picnic nearby.

Bobcat Pressure Control onsite

   Working under lights at night

Two flares where one was expected

Armageddon-like scene on Wotring Road
Pre-dawn hours of Labor Day 2009

Eastern Resource Services on site

WASHINGTON COUNTY REAL ESTATE TAX INFORMATION DECEMBER 24, 2009 PARCEL NUMBER: 350-012-00-00-0005-00
Deed Book - Page: 200900837

NAME:	RANGE RESC APPALACHIA 51342	DATE OF LAST SALE 1/13/2009 SELLING PRICE $331,582.00
ADDRESS:	380 SOUTHPOINTE BLVD STE 300
	CANONSBURG PA 15317

DISTRICT:	350 (HOPEWELL)
PROPERTY TYPE:	Vacant Agric.(Tillable & Other
DESCRIPTION:	48.291 ACRES & C&G

Assessment Information

YEAR	CODE	LAND	TOTAL
2011	1	1,800	1,800
2010	1	1,800	1,800
2009	1	1,800	1,800

Billing History

Year	Control	Billed	Date	Due @ Face
2010	35010-1/ 0	$44.82	1/4/2010	$44.82
2009	35009-1/ 0	$38.52	1/2/2009	$0.00

In 2010, these two parcels of land (171 acres) containing all these industrial grade activities still enjoy "Agricultural" zoning with very favorable "Clean & Green" tax treatment, paying only $129 in Washington County taxes, much less than most homeowners.

WASHINGTON COUNTY REAL ESTATE TAX INFORMATION DECEMBER 24, 2009 PARCEL NUMBER: 350-018-00-00-0002-00
Deed Book - Page: 200900837

NAME:	RANGE RESC APPALACHIA 51483	DATE OF LAST SALE 1/13/2009 SELLING PRICE $0.00
ADDRESS:	380 SOUTHPOINTE BLVD STE 300
	CANONSBURG PA 15317

DISTRICT:	350 (HOPEWELL)
PROPERTY TYPE:	Vacant Agric.(Tillable & Other
DESCRIPTION:	LAND 123.409 AC @ C&G

Assessment Information

YEAR	CODE	LAND	TOTAL
2011	1	3,390	3,390
2010	1	3,390	3,390
2009	1	3,390	3,390

Billing History

Year	Control	Billed	Date	Due @ Face
2010	35010-1/ 0	$84.41	1/4/2010	$84.41
2009	35009-1/ 0	$69.35	1/2/2009	$0.00

Two of the seven gas well heads on this Wotring Road site

ERS equipment

Impoundment next to the Best Production Pad.
Flaring caught the black nitrile liner on fire.
The arrow indicates where it was replaced.

Photos of Labor Day frac pit fire New!

Sediment marks the black liner showing higher fluid levels.
Neighbors say the smell varies from kerosene to sewage to ammonia.
"It takes your breath away," said one.

Yellow arrow shows where the fluid level reached the spillway.
Where did the fluids go, a local creek?

Baker tanks and other gas well equipment

"Any person entering these premises has the authority to STOP any unsafe act or point out any potential hazard which may exist."

Stallion tanker drawing out fluids

Looking across the site toward the impoundment

How would you like to live in this house next door? Drilling knocked out their water well, so Range had to drill them a new one.

Painting valves and pipes

Looking over the painting project

Stallion tanker truck emptying the large green
fluid container on the production pad

   Gas well head on left.
Gray tank is an H2S scrubber?

Tanker truck convention - Dumping recycled wastewater, water from streams and other liquids into the large impoundment behind the neighbor's homes.