State shines a light on gas production, solar guidelines
The Marcellus and Utica shale reserves make Pennsylvania among the nation’s most prolific natural gas-producing areas.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Solar panels were installed on Food Helpers property in Brownsville in 2021. The panels were intended to reduce the nonprofit’s electric bill and, in the future, provide income for the organization.
Pennsylvania – not surprisingly – continues to be the second largest natural gas producer in the United States.
This is according to the state Department of Environmental Protection, which recently released its 2021 Oil and Gas Annual Report showing the Keystone State still lags behind only Texas, thanks to an abundance of natural gas beneath us in the Marcellus and Utica shales.
The data also show that production and compliance inspections in Pennsylvania increased significantly in 2021 compared with the year before. More than 7.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas was produced from unconventional and conventional gas wells statewide in 2021, the largest volume recorded in the state in a single year. That was up from the 2020 figure of about 793 billion.
The vast majority of the combined output from each year was from unconventional – fracked – wells.
DEP personnel, according to the report, completed 34,145 compliance inspections at conventional and unconventional well sites in 2021, 8,200 more than the 2020 figure. All inspections are conducted electronically.
Personnel from the agency issued 770 unconventional well permits in 2021, about 150 fewer than the previous year. DEP attributed that decrease to sustained low commodity prices and longer well bores.
An interactive map of oil and gas locations by DEP showed heavy activity in Washington and Greene counties, which are historically among the most productive areas in Pennsylvania. Well sites also were prevalent in western Fayette, southern Beaver and southern Butler counties.
Ramez Ziadeh, DEP’s acting secretary, said in a statement: “In 2021, DEP remained committed to enforcing violations of the oil and gas industry. Governor (Tom) Wolf and DEP continued their priority of maintaining environmental protection for Pennsylvania’s residents and visitors.”
The DEP 2021 oil and gas report can be accessed online at www.dep.pa.gov.
On the sunny side
State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding recently released guidance for Pennsylvania landowners who are pondering whether to add solar production on farmland or in rural communities.
The so-called “agri-solar” guidance follows Gov. Tom Wolf’s support for technologies that could create jobs and generate farm income without compromising food and fiber production. Solar energy is an eco-friendly renewable energy source that reduces emissions.
Redding said in a statement: “Pennsylvania’s farmland is a precious resource for producing food, protecting our environment, and feeding our economy. Solar energy production holds tremendous potential for generating electricity to power farm operations and furthering Pennsylvania’s transition to a clean-energy future.
“If carefully planned, well-situated and properly maintained, solar production will not compromise or diminish valuable farmland resources, rather it will enhance them.”
Solar arrays cannot be placed anywhere. Redding advises landowners to consider:
- Sustainable site selection with a priority on roofs, parking lots or brownfields rather than agricultural or forested land;
- Avoiding premium quality soil locations;
- Maintenance that protects soil and pollinators through native vegetation that is free of invasive species; gives priority to grazing vs. mowing, compensating farmers for the service; and includes decommissioning plans to fully restore any soil when a project ends;
- Integration of energy and agricultural production that is complementary rather than competitive.
Among other issues, Redding also said farmland owners should consider the impact solar production would have on a farm’s enrollment in preferential tax programs; preserved farm status; local zoning; environmental permits; and conservation plans.
For more information, visit www.agriculture.pa.gov or Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan.