EQT has footprint in Valley communities
EQT has its footprint in the Mid-Mon Valley, both in drilling and community support, Stephanie Paluda told business leaders.
Paluda, local government and community affairs specialist for EQT, along with manager of local government and community affairs Nathanial Manchin spoke during a Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce meeting Wednesday in the Anthony M. Lombardi Conference Center on the campus of Monongahela Valley Hospital.
EQT currently is operating three pads, all in Carroll Township, Paluda said. These include the Warner Pad on Van Voorhis, which may eventually be extended into Monongahela and New Eagle, Haywood Pad located along Crackerjack Road and R. Smith Pad on Shannon Road.
There is also a pad on Kevich Road in Fallowfield Township, which is not currently active, and there is a proposed pad off Grant Road. There are 10 to 15 wells per pad.
Asked the life expectancy of the wells in the Valley, Paluda said, “We haven’t reached it yet.”
She said the company is also testing the Utica shale from the same pads.
“There are five to six test wells for Utica,” Paluda said. “We’re still in testing stage.”
Paluda said the permitting process can take up to a year in Pennsylvania. Leasing and state permits can affect when drilling is scheduled to occur. Thus, part of her job is to let communities know when EQT will be drilling.
The company is concerned with maintaining the integrity of the roads its trucks travel, she said.
“We try to mitigate those issues,” Paluda said. “We know that a number of trucks travel those roads.”
Paluda said shale drilling is beginning to pay off locally. She encouraged residents follow the EQT hotline to track when they will receive royalties.
“Once a well is drilled is when the economic impact is greatest,” Paluda said.
Local communities are currently benefitting the EQT Charitable Foundation, which granted more than $6 million in 2016.
“We try to be as involved as we can,” Paluda said.
For example, she said the Monongahela Area library received $10,000 to reach its funding goal for the year. Carroll Township police received a new cruiser, and donations were made to the Monongahela Food Pantry and the Donora-Monongahela Lions.
Each volunteer fire department in New Eagle, Monongahela, Carroll Township and Fallowfield Township as well as Mon Valley Emergency Medical Service and Monongahela and Carroll Township police departments all received grants.
She said EQT Foundation aims to provide annually, sustainable grants to emergency responders.
EQT sponsored the Aquatorium concert series and the chamber’s Fourth of July fireworks.