Ashbaugh #1 is Done and Ready for Next Step

By Drew Orient
Orion Consulting Services
The Progress News on Monday January 10th  returned to the Stone Energy Inc. well site Ashbaugh #1 on Bus Mong Road for an on site update. The photo taken on New Year’s Day by The Progress News shows a wind blown yellow orange flame flaring off the gas as flow back water was recovered. But by this Monday the high level of activity visible for the last several months has come to an end.

(Caption photo right:Ashbaugh #1 on Bus Mong Road, Knox, PA, as seen on January 1st, 2011. The flare flame seen by many in the area, roared thunderously and lit up the day and night sky for nearly a week. The flame is now out and silent.)

The flare flame seen by many readers that lit up the day and night sky for nearly a week is gone. A steel plate cover now marks the spot of the Marcellus well. Stone Energy has temporarily shut in Ashbaugh #1  while they analyze the production test results and determine next steps. According to company representatives they are, at this point unofficially, “pleased” with well results.
Moreover, the gas they indicate is wet, meaning there are other oil based constituents with the methane we know as natural gas. These could include propane, butane , and ethane, and most likely will need to be processed and recovered, before the remaining gas can be routed into a transmission pipeline and sent to market on the east coast. The recovered liquids can then be sold, and land owners depending how their lease is written could also receive additional royalty income.
The gas from this well, and possibly other Marcellus wells in the Knox area. will need to go through what is called a Stripper Plant. Such a plant can be mobile and temporary to service one well, or it could be a permanent facility built in the vicinity and service multiple wells. Reportedly no decision has been made regarding the processing of the wet gas.
In fact to “get the gas out” a gathering line must be constructed from the well pad to connect to presumably the National Fuel Gas west-east line located north of State Route 322. In addition gone from the site are over 50 tank trailers. The bulk of the flow back water recovered after fracking was pumped out of the tanks. The water was transported by tank trucks to the Franklin Brine facility just east of Franklin for treatment and then discharge into the Allegheny River.
Approximately 500 barrels or 20,000 gallons was sent to another frac operation outside the area.
So for now after all the flurry of activity, all is rather quiet and now at night nearly dark on the western front. As of this writing there is no hydraulic fracturing date set for the Stone Energy nearby Emrick well 1-H on Ogden Road just off State Route 208. The Progress News will update when it is known. Next week look for a discussion about flow back and production water treatment issues.