Company May Be Responsible
Could be source of bentonite found in Ohio River
Wheeling WV Intelligencer
13 May 2011
By Casey Junkins, Staff Writer
WELLSBURG - MarkWest Liberty officials said the natural gas processing
company "might be" responsible for the bentonite spill in Buffalo Creek
this week.
The creek runs east to west from Washington County, Pa., through Brooke
County before emptying into the Ohio River at Wellsburg. MarkWest
Manager of Environmental Regulatory Affairs Robert Hale said his
company noticed the cloudy water in a Pennsylvania portion of the creek
"near an area where a MarkWest contractor had completed a pipeline
borehole on May 2, more than seven days previous."
He said the company - which also operates the cryogenic gas processing
plant near Majorsville in eastern Marshall County - "immediately"
reported this murky water in the creek to the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection on Monday.
"The cloudy water was noticed by MarkWest on the afternoon of Monday,
May 9 while conducting a routine inspection of the area, and
observations showed that the condition was limited to a short distance
downstream," he said.
Hale is not certain the source of the murky water reported in the
Pennsylvania portion of the stream is the same as the one reported by a
Brooke County fisherman late Monday. He said, though, that "media
reports that a 'foamy substance' was found several miles downstream in
West Virginia" may have a connection to the MarkWest operations in
Pennsylvania.
"It is unclear whether there is any connection at this time," Hale
noted. "That said, MarkWest is working with the appropriate regulatory
agencies in Pennsylvania and will be contacting West Virginia
authorities to determine what, if any, impact our operations could have
had on the creek and water quality in the area or if the two separate
events are related in any way."
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Kathy
Cosco said this week the clay-like substance bentonite was detected in
the Ohio River, which receives water from Buffalo Creek. Natural gas
drillers commonly use bentonite to thicken their drilling mud to help
seal the wells.
According to a Material Safety Data Sheet, exposure to bentonite may
cause skin, eye, gastrointestinal or respiratory irritation.
However, Pennsylvania DEP spokesman Kevin Sunday said bentonite "has no
health risks associated with it and is often used in private water well
constructions and other places where water sealant is needed. The
foaming agent possesses no toxic risks." He said the clay and foaming
agent settled into nearby streambanks and groundwaters after being
"displaced during the inadvertent return."
"The rapid flow and turbid waters, combined with the clay and foaming
agent, caused the cloudiness and bubbling that was reported on May
9-10," Sunday said.
Sunday added the investigation is ongoing, noting Pennsylvania and West
Virginia regulators are working with MarkWest on the issue.
Cosco said Brooke County officials notified the West Virginia
environmental department of the apparent spill.
Sunday did not respond to an inquiry about when the Pennsylvania agency
notified Mountain State regulators of any possible spill.