Residents in Westmoreland County remain concerned after increased traffic and flaring at nearby natural gas wells continued following a “pressure anomaly” last week at one of CNX Resources Corp.’s horizontal Utica Shale drilling sites last week.

“When you came through there last night, the sky was on fire,” Robert Schimizzi of Washington Township said Sunday. “The wells were burning, and nobody knew why.”

As of Sunday, CNX was flaring seven nearby conventional wells, which can reach as deep as 3,000 feet, CNX spokesman Brian Aiello said.

Gas pressures increased last week at nearby shallow wells after the company was fracking at the much deeper — a little more than 2 miles below the ground — and horizontal Shaw 1G well site between Tower Run Road and the Beaver Run Reservoir on the property of the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County. 

Fracking is the process of pumping fluids and sand at high pressure to break shale formations and release gas.

CNX suspended fracking operations at the well on Jan. 26 and began flaring the first nearby shallow well last Tuesday.

The municipal authority said Saturday that there was no threat to the roughly 1,300-acre Beaver Run Reservoir, which provides drinking water to about 130,000 people.

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection officials told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Saturday that a crew will be stationed at the site round-the-clock.

Mr. Schimizzi said CNX called him Sunday and “they assured me that they have it under control.”

Other neighbors, including Jeff Pope, whose property borders Mr. Schimizzi’s, said they hadn’t received calls.

“We would appreciate some communication. We’ve tolerated a lot,” Mr. Pope said, referring to increased traffic through the township since the Marcellus Shale drilling boom began.

CNX contends that it has been in “regular contact with approximately 70 local residents … focusing on and communicating regularly with those residents in closest proximity to the flaring,” Mr. Aiello said.

Staff writer Anya Litvak contributed. Ashley Murray: amurray@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1750

First Published: February 3, 2019, 9:22 p.m.