Can drilling cause water well contamination?
Every aspect of well permitting and construction is highly regulated. Range goes to great lengths to ensure our well integrity by using top-rated contractors and materials. Range, samples all water sources (e.g., including water wells) within 1,000 feet of our drilling locations before our drilling. We use certified third party environmental laboratories to collect and analyze these samples. We also install steel casing completely across the aquifer, often called surface casing. Given the additional casing that we have to run into the well, the aquifer zone will be protected by a total of three or more steel casing strings depending on the specific location and depth of the well. In addition depending on the location, when we drill through the shallow aquifer zone, we employ either fresh water based mud or drill with air. If there is a residential complaint in the Marcellus Shale region which Range cannot resolve, it is coordinated through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental P
