Upper Burrell supervisors consider proposed Marcellus shale well

The Upper Burrell supervisors will consider a request for a Marcellus natural gas well to be drilled on Alcoa property off White Cloud Road.

So-called unconventional wells are used in a controversial natural gas extraction process known as fracking.

This would be the second Marcellus shale fracking site in the township.

The supervisors are holding a public hearing on the well April 7.

Olympus Energy of Canonsburg has applied to the state Department of Environmental Protection for the well permits for the White Cloud Road site and three additional wells at the existing Zeus well pad off of Guyer Road.

The township planning commission recently approved the conditional use of the well at 812 White Cloud Road, known as the Calliope Well.

Township Solicitor Steve Yakopec said the proposed well is in an area zoned industrial. According to township ordinances, a conditional use hearing is necessary for oil and gas development.

Sometime after the hearing, township supervisors will vote on final approval of the well.

Olympus is planning for construction of the well pad late this year and drilling five wells in 2022, said Kimberly Price, a spokeswoman for Olympus Energy.

Trucks working at the site will not use township roads. The primary route will include Route 780, she said. That is a state-owned road.

Township approval is not necessary for additional wells at the Zeus pad, Yakopec said.

The scheduling of drilling the wells will be added to the Calliope schedule after Olympus receives the proper permits, Price said.

Olympus is buying water from the Municipal Authority of the City of New Kensington for both township projects.

The water for both well projects will be piped in, “resulting in a significant reduction in associated truck traffic,” Price said.