Susquehanna Gas Facility Explosion and Spill Results in Fine

An explosion at a natural gas drilling storage tank and a wastewater spill earlier this year in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania is resulting in a fine for the gas company.

The Department of Environmental Protection has fined Cabot Oil and Gas $120,000 dollars for the January 11 incident that was apparently caused by a worker using a cell phone as a flashlight to check the level of fluid in the wastewater tank igniting vapors in the headspace.

The explosion caused a split in the tank wall, allowing 2,835 gallons of waste water to spill onto the well pad.  Some of that material surpassed the containment area and contaminated soil at the R. Reynolds pad in Jessup Township.

A worker suffered burns in the incident but was able to return to work the next day.

The DEP says Cabot had cleaned up the spill and revised some of its policies.