WHEELING - In June, it was an explosion at an AB Resources natural gas drilling site in Moundsville. In July, it was a gas leak from a TransEnergy Inc. drilling pad near Cameron.
And now, one week ago today, a Chesapeake Energy well on Pleasants Ridge near the border of Marshall and Wetzel counties ignited.
There have been three significant drilling accidents in Marshall County over the past four months, with a different company responsible for each mishap.
Considering the fact that Marcellus Shale natural gas producers have moved into West Virginia's Northern Panhandle on such a large scale - including plans to drill near The Highlands early next year and the possibility of working in Oglebay Park - concern is mounting about just what long-term impact the area may face if these accidents aren't stopped.
"It is tough now, but we are doing the best we can to keep up with everything," Marshall County Office of Emergency Management Deputy Director Mike Mucheck said, referring to the three accidents. "Anytime you have this many incidents, especially these large scale ones, it is a concern."
Including the violation issued to Chesapeake for "failing to prevent the release of natural gas and the potential pollution of waters of the state," West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection officials stated several times that the well fire presented an imminent danger to the area. That led them to shut down Chesapeake's operations at the site.
The department also suspended AB Resources' work following the June 7 explosion at that company's drilling site on Beam's Lane near Moundsville. State officials later restored the company's right to operate once the firm addressed its violations, which included failing to set casing at the permitted depth for the site and inaccurately reporting coal seam depth.
For its July gas leak, state environmental department officials cited TransEnergy for "imminent danger to persons; well control failure," according to the organization's website.
In all, DEP spokeswoman Kathy Cosco said natural gas drillers in the Mountain State have committed 471 violations since Jan. 1, 2009.
The high number of violations in the Mountain State is a concern for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry group based in Canonsburg, Pa. Coalition spokesman Travis Windle called the three accidents "completely unacceptable."
"We, as an industry, plan on being here for 40-50 years. We want to make sure the community is safe. We want to be good neighbors," he said.
"The Marcellus Shale Coalition has a safety committee that is working to address these problems," Windle added.
Windle emphasized that "these incidents are generally uncommon, and are typically in isolated areas."
This may be true generally, but with Chesapeake's plans to drill in the vicinity of parks and businesses in Ohio County in the near future, there is a concern that accidents could impact residents and possibly the area's quality of life.
Windle said the problems generally have nothing to do with geology, noting "it is just a matter of having the proper safeguards in place."
"We need to make sure everyone knows how to deal with fires and other problems at drill sites. But we are not going to be satisfied until the number is zero,'' he said.
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection officials were unable to provide accident numbers for their state last week.