Consol unveils plans for gas drilling at Pittsburgh airport


August 27, 2013 at 2:18p.m.

Consol unveils plans for gas drilling at Pittsburgh airport

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Consol Energy has released details of its plan to drill for natural gas at the Pittsburgh International Airport.

The company says in a release today that it hopes to begin constructing well sites and pipelines in the spring of 2014. Consol, which is based outside of Pittsburgh, plans to use six well pads to drill a total of 47 Marcellus Shale wells at the airport.

About 17 miles of pipeline will also be constructed to deliver gas to market.

In February the Allegheny County Airport Authority approved the deal with Consol, which paid a signing bonus of $50 million. Officials hope royalties will total $450 million over the next 20 years.

A public meeting on the plan will be held at the Airport Marriott from 4 to 7 p.m. today.