Hearing set for Olympus Marcellus shale gas valve site in Upper Burrell

Upper Burrell supervisors will hold a hearing Wednesday night on a proposed site to control the flow of natural gas from nearby Marcellus shale wells.

Olympus Energy’s subsidiary, Hyperion Midstream LLC, is seeking a conditional use for a natural gas valve site at 488 Rich Hill Road. The property is owned by the Pucketos Beagle Club.

The proposed development features above-ground piping to control the flow of natural gas produced at nearby Olympus Marcellus shale wells before it reaches a distribution line that is part of the Eastern Gas Transmission and Storage, Inc. transmission system, said Kimberly Price, an Olympus spokeswoman.

Olympus has two Marcellus well sites in the township: The Calliope well on Alcoa property off White Cloud Road and the Zeus well off of Guyer Road.

The conditional use hearing is scheduled to start after the supervisors’ 7 p.m. meeting in the municipal building at 3735 Seventh Street Road. Steve Yakopec, solicitor for Upper Burrell, described the hearing as a formality but said it is necessary for the oil and gas facility proposed for the site.

The valve site facilities, accessed by a gravel road, will use a piece of land about 80 feet by 85 feet, Price said.

“The site will also be instrumental in allowing Hyperion to perform pipeline maintenance activities, which ensure the safe and efficient flow of natural gas throughout Upper Burrell Township and beyond,” Price said.

Except for construction activities, the valve site should not create noise at the nearest property line, she said. There will not be any permanent lighting at the site, Price said.

Traffic to the site will include one to two pickup trucks per month during normal operations, she said.

Once Olympus secures the necessary permits, construction could begin as early as August, Price said.

A representative of the Pucketos Beagle Club could not be reached for the story.