“Safe-Well: One”

Table Top ExerciseMay 22, 2012

• US EPA – Funding, planning and participation

• Weston Solutions Inc. - Contractor

• PA DEP – Emergency Response and Oil & Gas Program

• Talisman USA – Private Production and Exploration

Company

• Tioga County Dept. of Emergency Services

The Players

• Economically, Northern Pa. has depended on Logging, Farming, Limited Manufacturing and Natural Resources such as Oil and Coal

• The Marcellus Shale natural gas deposit combined with the technology to tap it has caused a resurgence of natural resource extraction not seen in decades, and not of this type since the 1800s when crude oil was targeted.

Background

• With the extraction of natural resources comes the risk of environmental damage

• The most effective way to prevent and respond to these emergencies is through planning and the development of partnerships

Background

• The purpose of this exercise was to provide participants the opportunity to evaluate current response capabilities and practices

• The exercise allowed the major entities to “practice” together and develop a perspective from a different view point, as well as a working relationship

Purpose

• Incident Management(Especially planning & coordination of resources)

• Communication (Internal & External)

Focus of Exercise

• Participants were key players from the agencies and organizations represented.

• Many will be the same to show at a genuine emergency

• Observers were also invited, and again the focus was on those individuals that would show up at an actual event

Attendees

Exercise Structure• Module 1 – Alarm Phase (40 min. of TTX)• Module 1 Discussion (15 minutes)• Module 1 Group Report (15 minutes)• Module 2 – Expanding Response (55 min. of TTX)• Module 2 Discussion (25 minutes)• Module 2 Group Report (20 minutes)• Module 3 – Sustaining Response (60 min. of TTX)• Module 3 Discussion (30 minutes)• Module 3 Group Report (20 minutes)• Module 4 – Extended Response Considerations (30 min. of TTX)• Module 4 Discussion (10 minutes)• Module 4 Group Report (15 minutes)

• Natural Gas Drilling Industry• Environmental Protection• Emergency Management• Public Information

Functional Groups

09:00 a.m. – Tioga County reports that they have received notification from Tioga OneGas Production of America that they have experienced loss of control at the well head.Location described as: Belvedier 274 3-H well located near Mansfield in Rutland Township. Woolybugger Well Control has responded with an ETA of 12:00 p.m. The well is releasing fluid at an estimated rate of 4 barrels per minute.

Scenario

Scenario

“Our site-crew has been monitoring the discharge and it is escalating. The well is nowreleasing fluid at an estimated rate of not less than 5 barrels per minute. The fluid isalso spraying approximately one-hundred feet into the air and is raining down on thesite. We are following our company emergency response plan.”

“The well-head has washed out. Our loss of fluid is now at a rate of approximately 10barrels per minute.We have an established Incident Command.”

Scenario

“The rate of fluid loss has been consistently an average of 20 barrels per minute.”“Our evaluation of the event and the activity of the well lead us to believe there will be anatural gas release. We anticipate the release will likely occur between 0330 and 0530hours, Wednesday, May 23, 2012.”“Our last gas pressure had a mean reading of 900 p.s.i..”

Scenario

• Following the exercise, a hot wash was held to gather input from participants

• Observers were asked to weigh in on their impression

Hot Wash

• Using a table top exercise with focused simple objectives increased the probability of a successful exercise

• Choosing a production company versed in response planning and ICS was deliberate

• Results of the exercise were very promising and future exercises are planned

Summary

Contact Information

John Erich – PA DEP Emergency Response208 W. Third Street, Suite 101

Williamsport, Pa. 17701(570) 327-3722jerich@pa.gov