Range Resources to Pay $4M Drilling Waste Fine

Houston Chronicle

Energy company Range Resources said Thursday it has agreed to pay a $4.15 million fine for environmental violations at a western Pennsylvania site that handled natural gas drilling waste.

The penalty is the largest the state has ever imposed on the shale gas industry.

Range, based in Fort Worth, Texas, said in a statement that it accepts the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection fine and is "deeply disappointed" over the violations at Washington County wastewater impoundments, about 25 miles southwest of Pittsburgh.

The fine was imposed for leaks at open pits Range operates to store the so-called flowback waste from natural gas wells. The liquid waste can include naturally occurring ultra-salty brine water, heavy metals, and chemicals used in the drilling process. Range said much of the water was filtered before it went into the pits.

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