Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. on Friday resumed hydraulic fracturing (hydofracing) operations in Susquehanna County, PA, after the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said the company had complied with the terms of a Sept. 24 order.

DEP last month ordered the Houston-based producer to stop using hydrofracing on its natural gas wells in Susquehanna County after a hydrofrac lubricant was spilled three times over a one-week period at a Cabot drilling site. DEP first issued a notice of violation for two spills that occurred Sept. 16 (see Daily GPI, Sept. 24). It followed up with a separate notice of violation for the third spill, which occurred Sept. 22.

Under the DEP order, Cabot had to update its pollution prevention plan outlining where waste would be treated and how pollutants would be prevented from entering the state’s waterways. Cabot also had to submit an engineering study.

“Cabot submitted an acceptable updated preparedness, prevention and contingency plan and an engineering study to the department on Oct. 6 that was reviewed and met the conditions of the order,” said DEP Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell.

“During this three-week assessment period, we have worked closely with DEP to develop improved control measures,” said Cabot CEO Dan O. Dinges. The company is “pleased with this resolution and our opportunity to get back to work.”

While location building, drilling and pipeline work were not impacted, the hydrofracing delay pushed back some completions, according to the company. Cabot currently has 10 horizontal and nine vertical wells in the queue to be completed.

“We expect to frac one horizontal well per week for the remainder of the year,” said Dinges. “However, safety and environmental protection will dictate our pace.”

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