Pa. eases ban on gas well driller

Pennsylvania environmental officials Friday allowed EOG Resources Inc. to resume drilling two Marcellus Shale natural gas wells, partially lifting a suspension imposed after an EOG well blew out last week in Clearfield County.

The Department of Environmental Protection's order allows the Houston-based company to restart drilling operations on two sites at the Punxsutawney Hunting Club, where EOG Resources is developing several wells, agency spokesman Neil Weaver said.

The site where the June 3 blowout occurred is still shut down to allow investigators and cleanup crews to finish work.

EOG is still prohibited from resuming post-drilling operations, the activity that was under way when operators lost control last week and a well spewed gas and wastewater for 16 hours.

No one was injured in the accident, the well did not ignite, and environmental damage was modest, DEP officials have said.

But the blowout was the first time an exploration company has lost control of a Pennsylvania well since the Marcellus Shale boom took off, and the DEP has promised an aggressive investigation and possible sanctions.