First Louisiana, now Pennsylvania.
In Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania state government ordered a halt to all natural gas drilling in the state by a Houston-based company whose "out-of-control well" spewed explosive gas and polluted water in plumes 75 feet high.
The company, EOG Resources, is hydraulically fracturing about 70 wells in Pennsylvania.
EOG did not notify county officials until three hours after the blast. A 911 dispatcher reported being told by the company of "a small problem and it was being handled."
The well remained uncapped for 16 hours.
State officials ordered electric service cut in the area to prevent the gas from catching fire.
About 35,000 gallons of polluted water have been collected. Monitors in a nearby spring show signs of the toxic solution.
The day before the blast, EOG reportedly performed a test of the well's safety mechanism, which it called successful.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca NY Blog
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