Drilling Begins in Somerset County, PA
The Somerset County Daily American newspaper reports drilling by Samson Investment Co. has commenced in the county:
Paul Menhorn is among the very first area landowners to get an in-person look at natural gas drilling operations. A drilling rig is now boring a gas well on his 157-acre dairy farm, which is located a few miles from Berlin.
It was last August when a representative from the Tulsa, Okla.-based firm told Menhorn that they would in fact begin to explore his property. By November, trucks were on the land, moving dirt and preparing the drilling site.
Equipment was shuttled onto his land March 2. A drilling rig now towers over a telephone pole near one of his barns.
According to Menhorn, it’s been life as usual, despite the sudden additions to his farm.
As for noise:
“When they’re drilling you can hear a little chattering, but it’s not bad,” Menhorn said, adding that his sleep has been unaffected by the sounds.
The newspaper article also reports:
The rig on Menhorn’s property could be the first of many. According Samson’s Web site, the company has doubled its work force over the past five years – a sign of growth and production.
The article gives an honest and frank view of what life has been like for the Menhorns since drilling started, along with a talk about the Menhorns’ concern about their water supply and how they approached ensuring there would be no problems with water contamination. The article is well written and worth your time to read all of it.
Read the full article: Drilling company taps Marcellus shale