WOODLANDS, Texas - An official with oil and gas drilling company Anadarko says the firm is "very excited" about the potential for natural gas wells in central Pennsylvania and will do everything to ensure the environment is protected.
Matt Carmichael, in the company's public affairs department, confirmed Tuesday Anadarko has approximately 300,000 acres under lease in the Appalachian Basin (primarily in central Pennsylvania).
"We are very excited about the potential of this area and its ability to produce much-needed, clean-burning natural gas for American consumers," he said. "In addition, we understand the importance of effective water management, and we are committed to working with the relevant regulatory agencies and adhering to the rules and regulations to balance our activities with protection of the environment, wildlife and public health."
Carmichael said the company is in the "very preliminary" stages of exploring well sites in the Appalachian Basin and is still working to determine the area's potential and the best way to develop the natural resources while minimizing the impact of its activities.
"We have been very effective at finding balance in other areas where we operate, such as the Greater Natural Buttes of Utah where our efforts to minimize surface usage was recognized by the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining with its 2008 Earth Day Award, and in Wyoming where we have received several Wyoming Game and Fish awards for wildlife conservation and reclamation work, and developed a 48-mile water pipeline as an innovative approach to handle water in a state that gets fewer than 10 inches of rain per year," he said.
Carmichael said Anadarko looks forward to continue working with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, state Department of Environmental Protection and other relevant agencies "to ensure water withdrawal, well-pad planning, drilling procedures, completion procedures, water-handling methods and any other related activities meet or exceed the applicable regulations."
