Welcome to the Times-Tribune's Natural Gas Blog

Welcome to the Times-Tribune's natural gas blog, Deep Pockets. We'll be posting upcoming meetings, article links and other information related to natural gas drilling in Northeastern Pennsylvania. We're inviting readers to share their own useful info and tips, and to give us feedback.


Want to learn how to track natural gas drilling activity in your area? It's all on the state Department of Environmental Protection's Web site. Follow the instructions below, and you can monitor drilling activity in each county.

- Log on to www.depweb.state.pa.us
- Click on "Land Topics"
- Select "Oil and Gas Wells"
- Click on "Reports"
- Click on "eFACTS"
- Read and accept the eFacts acknowledgement statement
- Click on "Site Search"
- Select "Oil and Gas" from "Program" and chose a county if you wish.
- Hit "Search"


- Megan Reiter

Marcellus Shale Summit

A few new statistics about natural gas drilling in the state were revealed at the Marcellus Shale Summit hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in Harrisburg today.

Deputy Secretary J. Scott Roberts said that:

• 2,510 oil and gas drilling permits have been issued so far this year.
• Between January and April, DEP conducted 3,300 drilling site inspections, found 537 violations, and investigated 230 complaints.
• Most of the violations were for improper or incomplete erosion and sedimentation control plans. There were also about 70 violations for unauthorized discharges of wastewater, about 50 violations for improper signage, and about 40 drill pit violations.

Mr. Roberts also said that of the four new field inspectors being hired by the department this year, three will be located in the northeastern part of the state, particularly between Lycoming and Wayne counties.