Well
Sites
With today’s advanced drilling and completion
technologies, the process of drilling a natural
gas well in an urban environment is extremely
efficient, with minimal disruption to its surroundings,
especially when compared to other construction
or development projects or to other forms of energy
production. First a padsite is prepared to hold
the drilling rig and related equipment. Next,
the well is drilled, completed and connected to
a pipeline to transport the gas to market. And
finally the padsite is appropriately reduced,
reclaimed, or landscaped to blend in with its
surroundings and to meet city code. By being informed
about the process, Together, we’re Helping Move
America’s Resources!
Q. Where will the drillsite be located?
A. The goal of responsible energy companies is
to find drillsites that allow safety and security
at every location, to minimize disruption of the
neighborhood, and to find access routes that are
as unobtrusive as possible, while still able to
produce the most minerals for their royalty owners,
including school districts and municipalities.
Q. How long will
the drilling take?
A. From the time the pad preparation begins on
a single-well site, the entire process of setting
up the rig, drilling, fracture stimulating (“fracing”)
and installing operational equipment is usually
six to seven weeks. Even with multiple-well padsites,
the entire process frequently takes less time
than building a house or store in the same area.
Q. What times will
the drilling activity take place?
A. During the approximately three weeks of drilling,
operations run continuously 24 hours a day. The
fracing may take three or four additional days
and is restricted to daylight hours.
Q. What impact
will the drilling have on my neighborhood?
A. Today’s technology -- and city code -- assure
that drilling operations are sensitive to urban
neighbors by restricting noise and light, controlling
road access, and providing security measures.
As with any construction site, there will be additional
truck traffic for setting up and taking down the
equipment. After the wells are completed, the
energy company returns to monitor and maintain
the site. At some well sites where piping isn’t
an option, trucks may return to remove water from
the tanks onsite.
Q. What about the
pipeline?
A. Pipelines are necessary to get the natural
gas from the wellhead to the consumer. While the
diameter of the pipeline may vary depending on
its function, they are all similar to normal utility
pipelines that currently deliver gas to your home
or office, and thus pose no elevated safety issues.
New pipelines may be installed through traditional
open trenching, boring underneath the ground,
or a combination of the two.
Q .What happens
after the drilling?
A. Once drilling is complete and the operating
equipment in place, urban well sites are attractively
fenced and landscaped. Because of that, they are
frequently more appealing than other utilitarian
structures like water pump houses or electrical
stations. In many cases, the energy company makes
other improvements to the area surrounding the
drill site, as well, to help leave the neighborhood
in better shape than they found it.
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