Marsh Creek Lake fracking spill?

[larkmark]

https://www.inquirer.com/science/mariner-east-pipeline-sunoco-marsh-creek-pennsylvania-fracking-20200811.html

 

[larkmark]

I didn't see this on the news in my area. someone sent it to me.

 

[flyflicker]

To clarify, this is NOT related to fracking. It is related to shallow, horizontal drilling to install the Mariner Pipeline.

The “drilling fluid” mentioned in article is likely a bentonite slurry, which is a mixture of the natural clay mineral “bentonite” and water. Bentonite usually comes from clay mines in WY. While true, it can “smother” benthic life, like mayfly larvae, it is more akin to sediment than a toxic chemical.

Just wanted to clear the air. It does not make the spill right, just wanted to take some of the drinking water contamination by fracking drama out of the post.

The sinkholes and pipeline integrity, however, are a serious point of concern.

 

[sgrim]

Thanks for making that point Flyflicker. Tensions are high in the area regarding this project. It's been a real cluster* with numerous spills, sinkholes,property damage, hostile exchanges with the crews... Sunoco can't get out of the neighborhood fast enough to suit most people.
The article in the Inquirer states that an estimated 1000 gallons were leaked; that figure has since been updated to 10,000 gallons.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Bentonite may not be a "toxic chemical" however it can be deleterious to aquatic life at the right concentrations.... also it is so fine that it takes a very long time to fully settle out. Once it does the area it covers will be uninhabitable for many sensitive macroinvertebrate taxa until it is flushed out of the system. Manual removal other than by vaccum or suction dredging is nearly impossible.

 

[larkmark]

So it sure doesn't belong in our waterways.

 

[riverwhy]

Saw a video of this. Visually it looked pretty bad. Doesn't Marsh Creek have wild trout?

 

[sgrim]

Marsh Creek lake is a warm water lake...mostly a bass/panfish/muskie fishery. There are heavy paddleboard and kayak hatches in the summer.

 

[riverwhy]

I meant from the feeder creek. I assume that's where the spill came from. The video showed kayakers following the plume to the shallow headwaters of the lake.

 

[Mike]

Marsh Ck (the stream) supports a very low density wild BT population upstream from the lake. It is a warmwater stream below.

 

[afishinado]

Fine levied on Sunoco for pipeline mishap at Marsh Creek Reservoir >

https://6abc.com/marsh-creek-spill-west-whiteland-upper-uwchlan-drilling-fluid/6381356/

 

[lycoflyfisher]

afishinado the article states the fines are for spills in 8 other counties in 2018-2019. It will likley take over a year until DEP is ready to levy fines for the Marsh Creek incident.

 

[bikerfish]

The pipeline IS related to fracking, so the spill is related to fracking. I signaled the warning years ago when all this was starting, I was told constantly it's no big deal, it's just fine, nothing is going to damaged, the money will be great, it will help the economy, it's all about progress.
yeah, whatever.
Now the gas companies begging for government money because it wasn't the cash cow they said it would be. I say let em drown in the fluid they spill.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear bikerfish,

That has been the nature of extractive industries since time began.

They set out balls to wall when prices are high and almost immediately outproduce the demand for their product. Natural gas only has a value when it is below the ground. Once it is above the ground the value drops precipitously unless it is quickly consumed. We saw that scenario happen almost immediately after fracking got going in PA. Then come the bankruptcies, and we are left holding the bag on the mess.

It's almost as if people are incapable of learning from mistakes?

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[afishinado]

The whole Mariner East Pipeline project has been a mess in Chester County since the start.

According to this article in the link below, the DEP wants the pipeline to be rerouted.

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/green/pa-orders-sunoco-to-reroute-mariner-east-pipeline-after-spill-mess-in-chesco-creek/2530617/

Edit:

Second article >

https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2020/09/11/dep-orders-sunoco-to-reroute-pipeline-after-marsh-creek-lake-spill/?fbclid=IwAR0Ur_6MZCZiiy1-n-lw8EJz5gu9X-SN7RZ67sehDKR6S4SSr5wU8S1XB_U

Third article >

https://patch.com/pennsylvania/westchester/dep-orders-sunoco-divert-pipeline-marsh-creek-state-park

 

[afishinado]

There has been a resolution to the Marsh Creek Reservoir spill from the Sunoco pipeline according to this article >

https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/DCNR_details.aspx?newsid=805&fbclid=IwAR08HzF-JdNUe27XdZh0X4RkdCkEAQFas7u4MS5MydOgVp1M-mjRZdOuZJQ