Crews are still trying to stop a major fracking fluid leak at a Bradford County natural gas well.
Meantime, Chesapeake Energy is shutting down “completion operations” at its Pennsylvania sites until the company figures out what caused Tuesday’s accident. That includes all hydraulic fracturing or fracking.
Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Dan Spadoni says a Texas company called “Boots and Coots” is leading the cleanup effort.
"They have set up a mechanical system so that they can pump what’s called lost circulation material into the well to plug the leak. They would then pump heavy mud into the well, and they are hopeful the combination will effectively seal the well."
Spadoni says test results on impact of the spill are not complete, but a field check did not show any negative effect on the Susquehanna...
"We have not seen evidence of a fish kill. Obviously the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission was notified, and they have been on the scene as well."
Emergency officials initially thought they had capped the leak Wednesday evening, but Spadoni says about a gallon of fracking fluid is still leaking every minute.
Chesapeake Energy says a “limited” amount of natural gas has escaped, as well.
At least two families have been displaced by the spill.
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