West Deer Township Oil & Gas Ordinance
The West Deer Township Code of Ordinances provides a detailed definition of the following terms that are relevant to shale gas drilling:
In GENERAL, as it pertains to township ordinances:
The term "shall" is always mandatory.
The term "may" is always permissive.
BUILDING — A structure that is enclosed, and portions of which
are protected from the weather and are usually climate controlled
(heated and/or air-conditioned), and that is usable for habitation or as
a working environment.
CONDITIONAL USE — An authorized use which may be granted
only by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to express standards and
criteria prescribed in this Chapter, after review and recommendation
by the Township Planning Commission and public hearing by the
Board of Supervisors pursuant to public notice.
DEEP WELL — An unconventional well, or any pierced or bored
hole drilled or being drilled into or below the Marcellus Shale rock
formation for the purpose of, or to be used for, producing, extracting
or injecting gas, oil, petroleum or another liquid related to oil or gas
production or storage, including brine disposal
DEEP WELL SITE — The areas occupied by the facilities, structures,
materials and equipment, whether temporary or permanent,
necessary for or incidental to the preparation, construction, drilling,
fracturing, production or operation of a deep well. This definition also
includes any exploratory wells. If multiple areas are used, then the
total combined areas shall be considered the deep well site area.
DERRICK — Any portable framework, tower mast and/or structure
which is required or used in connection with drilling or re-working a
well for the production of oil or gas.
DRILLING — The digging or boring of a well for the purpose of
exploring for, developing or producing oil and/or gas or other
hydrocarbons.
DRILLING PAD — The area of surface operations surrounding the
surface location of a well or wells. Such area shall not include an
access road to the drilling pad.
FRACKING or FRACTURING — The process of injecting water,
customized fluids, sand, steam, or gas into a gas well under pressure
to improve gas recovery.
GAS — Any fluid, either combustible or noncombustible, which is
produced in a natural state from the earth and which maintains
a gaseous or rarefied state at standard temperature and pressure
conditions and/or the gaseous components or vapors occurring in or
derived from petroleum or natural gas.
GAS OR OIL PRODUCTION — The drilling and/or extraction of gas or
oil.
GAS WELL — Any well drilled, to be drilled, or used for the intended
or actual production of gas.
HELISTOP — A facility or structure that is intended or used for the
landing and take-off of rotary-wing aircraft, but not including the
regular repair, fueling, or maintenance of such aircraft, or the sale of
goods or materials to users of such aircraft.
NATURAL GAS COMPRESSOR STATION — A facility designed and
constructed to compress natural gas that originates from a gas well
or collection of such wells operating as a midstream facility for
delivery of gas to a transmission pipeline, distribution pipeline,
natural has processing plant or underground storage field, including
one or more natural gas compressors, associated buildings, pipes,
valves, tanks and other equipment.
NATURAL GAS PROCESSING PLANT — A facility designed and
constructed to remove materials such as ethane, propane, butane,
and other constituents or similar substances from natural gas to allow
such natural gas to be of such quality as is required or appropriate for
transmission or distribution to commercial markets but not including
facilities or equipment that is designed and constructed primarily to
remove water, water vapor, oil or naturally occurring liquids from the
natural gas.
OIL and GAS — Crude oil, fossil fuels, natural gas, methane gas,
coal bed methane gas, propane, pentone, carbon dioxide, butane,
hydrocarbon gases, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and other
gas species, including all natural gas liquids, and/or any other
constituents or similar substances that are produced by drilling an oil or gas well of any depth into, through and/or below the surface of the
earth.
OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT or DEVELOPMENT — The well site
preparation, construction, drilling, redrilling, hydraulic fracturing,
non-hydraulic fracturing (including stimulation by explosives), and/
or site restoration associated with an oil or gas well of any depth;
water and other fluid storage, impoundment and transportation used
for such activities; and the installation and use of all associated
equipment, including tanks, meters, and other equipment and
structures whether permanent or temporary; and the site
preparation, construction, installation, maintenance and repair of oil
and gas pipelines and associated equipment and other equipment
and activities associated with the exploration for, production and
transportation of oil and gas. The definition does not include natural
gas compressor stations and natural gas processing plants or
facilities performing the equivalent functions.
OIL AND GAS WELL SITE — Either individually or together, a deep
well site, shallow well site or any other site associated therewith or
with an exploratory well.
OIL OR GAS WELL — Any reference to an oil or gas well shall
mean, either individually or together, a deep well, shallow well or any
exploratory well of any kind or type.
SETBACK — The minimum distance that a structure can be located
from a right-of-way or property front, rear and side line or another
structure, thereby creating a required open space on a lot.
SHALLOW WELL — A pierced or bored hole drilled or being drilled
into the ground but above the Marcellus Shale rock formation for the
purpose of, or to be used for, producing, extracting or injecting gas,
oil, petroleum or another liquid related to oil or gas production or
storage, including brine disposal.
SHALLOW WELL SITE — The area occupied by the facilities,
structures, materials and equipment, whether temporary or
permanent, necessary for or incidental to the preparation,
construction, drilling, fracturing, production or operation of a shallow
well. This definition also includes any exploratory wells. If multiple
areas are used, then the total combined areas shall be considered the
shallow well site area.
STORAGE WELL — A well used for and in connection with the
underground storage of natural gas, including injection into or
withdrawal from an underground storage reservoir for monitoring or
observation of reservoir pressure.
WELL OWNER — A person (including any natural person,
partnership, association, company, corporation or entity of any kind
or type), who owns, manages, leases, controls or possesses an oil or
gas well.
View the West Deer Township ordinances and definitions here.
In GENERAL, as it pertains to township ordinances:
The term "shall" is always mandatory.
The term "may" is always permissive.
BUILDING — A structure that is enclosed, and portions of which
are protected from the weather and are usually climate controlled
(heated and/or air-conditioned), and that is usable for habitation or as
a working environment.
CONDITIONAL USE — An authorized use which may be granted
only by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to express standards and
criteria prescribed in this Chapter, after review and recommendation
by the Township Planning Commission and public hearing by the
Board of Supervisors pursuant to public notice.
DEEP WELL — An unconventional well, or any pierced or bored
hole drilled or being drilled into or below the Marcellus Shale rock
formation for the purpose of, or to be used for, producing, extracting
or injecting gas, oil, petroleum or another liquid related to oil or gas
production or storage, including brine disposal
DEEP WELL SITE — The areas occupied by the facilities, structures,
materials and equipment, whether temporary or permanent,
necessary for or incidental to the preparation, construction, drilling,
fracturing, production or operation of a deep well. This definition also
includes any exploratory wells. If multiple areas are used, then the
total combined areas shall be considered the deep well site area.
DERRICK — Any portable framework, tower mast and/or structure
which is required or used in connection with drilling or re-working a
well for the production of oil or gas.
DRILLING — The digging or boring of a well for the purpose of
exploring for, developing or producing oil and/or gas or other
hydrocarbons.
DRILLING PAD — The area of surface operations surrounding the
surface location of a well or wells. Such area shall not include an
access road to the drilling pad.
FRACKING or FRACTURING — The process of injecting water,
customized fluids, sand, steam, or gas into a gas well under pressure
to improve gas recovery.
GAS — Any fluid, either combustible or noncombustible, which is
produced in a natural state from the earth and which maintains
a gaseous or rarefied state at standard temperature and pressure
conditions and/or the gaseous components or vapors occurring in or
derived from petroleum or natural gas.
GAS OR OIL PRODUCTION — The drilling and/or extraction of gas or
oil.
GAS WELL — Any well drilled, to be drilled, or used for the intended
or actual production of gas.
HELISTOP — A facility or structure that is intended or used for the
landing and take-off of rotary-wing aircraft, but not including the
regular repair, fueling, or maintenance of such aircraft, or the sale of
goods or materials to users of such aircraft.
NATURAL GAS COMPRESSOR STATION — A facility designed and
constructed to compress natural gas that originates from a gas well
or collection of such wells operating as a midstream facility for
delivery of gas to a transmission pipeline, distribution pipeline,
natural has processing plant or underground storage field, including
one or more natural gas compressors, associated buildings, pipes,
valves, tanks and other equipment.
NATURAL GAS PROCESSING PLANT — A facility designed and
constructed to remove materials such as ethane, propane, butane,
and other constituents or similar substances from natural gas to allow
such natural gas to be of such quality as is required or appropriate for
transmission or distribution to commercial markets but not including
facilities or equipment that is designed and constructed primarily to
remove water, water vapor, oil or naturally occurring liquids from the
natural gas.
OIL and GAS — Crude oil, fossil fuels, natural gas, methane gas,
coal bed methane gas, propane, pentone, carbon dioxide, butane,
hydrocarbon gases, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and other
gas species, including all natural gas liquids, and/or any other
constituents or similar substances that are produced by drilling an oil or gas well of any depth into, through and/or below the surface of the
earth.
OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT or DEVELOPMENT — The well site
preparation, construction, drilling, redrilling, hydraulic fracturing,
non-hydraulic fracturing (including stimulation by explosives), and/
or site restoration associated with an oil or gas well of any depth;
water and other fluid storage, impoundment and transportation used
for such activities; and the installation and use of all associated
equipment, including tanks, meters, and other equipment and
structures whether permanent or temporary; and the site
preparation, construction, installation, maintenance and repair of oil
and gas pipelines and associated equipment and other equipment
and activities associated with the exploration for, production and
transportation of oil and gas. The definition does not include natural
gas compressor stations and natural gas processing plants or
facilities performing the equivalent functions.
OIL AND GAS WELL SITE — Either individually or together, a deep
well site, shallow well site or any other site associated therewith or
with an exploratory well.
OIL OR GAS WELL — Any reference to an oil or gas well shall
mean, either individually or together, a deep well, shallow well or any
exploratory well of any kind or type.
SETBACK — The minimum distance that a structure can be located
from a right-of-way or property front, rear and side line or another
structure, thereby creating a required open space on a lot.
SHALLOW WELL — A pierced or bored hole drilled or being drilled
into the ground but above the Marcellus Shale rock formation for the
purpose of, or to be used for, producing, extracting or injecting gas,
oil, petroleum or another liquid related to oil or gas production or
storage, including brine disposal.
SHALLOW WELL SITE — The area occupied by the facilities,
structures, materials and equipment, whether temporary or
permanent, necessary for or incidental to the preparation,
construction, drilling, fracturing, production or operation of a shallow
well. This definition also includes any exploratory wells. If multiple
areas are used, then the total combined areas shall be considered the
shallow well site area.
STORAGE WELL — A well used for and in connection with the
underground storage of natural gas, including injection into or
withdrawal from an underground storage reservoir for monitoring or
observation of reservoir pressure.
WELL OWNER — A person (including any natural person,
partnership, association, company, corporation or entity of any kind
or type), who owns, manages, leases, controls or possesses an oil or
gas well.
View the West Deer Township ordinances and definitions here.