Seneca Resources' plan for this site near Smethport is to go from spud, or the start of drilling, to sale, having the first natural gas to the market, in 200 days. Here the rig remains drilling the wells. A total of six wells will go in at this pad. Fracking is a separate process that takes place after the wells are drilled. It seems like the main reason that well sites must include 5 or more acres of cleared land is to provide space for the the massive amount of equipment and supplies necessary for the fracking process.
Once the well as been fracked and is producing, a much smaller footprint is needed. Although this particular well is not on Pennsylvania-owned forest land, we've heard from Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources officials who require in gas leases in state forests that several acres of a well site be allowed to be reclaimed by nature once the well is in and producing. DCNR makes full restoration of the site to its natural state once the well is done producing a requirement in its leases of state-owned woodlands. Companies must post a bond to ensure there is funding for the work.
