Trumbull officials plan to OK drilling pact

By Ed Runyan | March 28, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

Barzak

WARREN

Trumbull County commissioners plan to approve a road-use and management agreement today that the Trumbull County Engineer’s Office will use for the first time later this month.

The highway engineer will enter into the first agreement with CONSOL Energy/CNX Gas Corp. of Pittsburgh, which plans to begin drilling for gas and oil off of Warren-Sharon Road in Vienna Township within the next six weeks.

The agreement will be used on every drilling project, said Don Barzak, director of governmental affairs for highway Engineer Randy Smith.

The agreement will spell out the responsibilities of the driller for preparing, maintaining and repairing roads, culverts and bridges being used by the driller to their original condition.

CNX is planning to make improvements to about one mile of Warren-Sharon and Warner roads combined in advance of the start of drilling operations, Barzak said.

CNX will spend “possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars” to improve the berm and sub-base in some areas, as well as pave, Barzak said.

The improvements are needed because the company expects 2,500 to 3,000 vehicles to use the area over the three-month construction period of the well and drilling pad, Barzak said.

CNX Gas Corp., a subsidiary of CONSOL Energy, is the leading eastern U.S. gas producer, according to its website.

CONSOL Energy is one of the largest independent natural-gas exploration, development and production companies in the United States, its website says.

Barzak said he’s hopeful that all of Trumbull County’s townships, cities and villages will approve the same agreement, which is modeled after the one being used in many other areas of the state.

The county engineer’s office is meeting with township officials today on it.

Another company, Carrizo Oil and Gas Inc. of Houston, has talked to the county engineer’s office regarding gas wells they plan to drill off of Hayes-Orangeville Road in Hartford Township and off Ridge Road in Vienna Township, Barzak said.

Carrizo has not indicated when its drilling operations will begin, Barzak said.