Definitions. As used in this Subsection
CC, the following terms shall be interpreted or defined as follows:
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Best management practices (BMPs) are state-of-the-art mitigation
measures applied to oil and gas facilities and production to help
ensure that energy development is conducted in a safe and environmentally
responsible manner that protects air and water quality, landscapes
and natural resources and public health.
BUNK HOUSE
A housing facility designed and intended to be used for a
temporary period of time to house oil and gas, exploration-related
workers. Such facility is not intended to accommodate families or
school-aged children. A bunk house may be a travel trailer, camper,
mobile home or a structure manufactured for this particular use.
COMPLETION OF THE WELL
The date 60 days after the end date of the drilling, redrilling
or reworking of the well site in which the well is properly equipped
for production of oil or gas.
COMPRESSOR
A device used alone or in series to raise the pressure of
natural gas and/or by-products to create a pressure differential to
move or compress a liquid, vapor or gas.
COMPRESSOR STATION
An oil and gas facility designed and constructed to compress
natural gas, through the use of motors, that originates from an oil
and gas well or collection of such wells and to operate as an upstream
or midstream facility for delivery of oil and gas to a transmission
pipeline, distribution pipeline, natural gas processing and/or treatment
facility or underground storage field.
DRILLING
Any vertical or horizontal digging or boring of a new well
or reworking of an existing well with the intention to explore, develop
or produce oil, gas or other hydrocarbons or to inject gas, water
or any other fluids or substances into the earth.
DRILLING AND STIMULATION EQUIPMENT
All parts and appurtenances to such structure and every piece
of apparatus, machinery or equipment used, erected or maintained in
connection with oil and gas drilling, as defined herein, as well as
the completion and stimulation/workover equipment utilized to complete
the well.
FLOWBACK WATER
The murky, salty water from fracking natural gas wells consisting
of fracturing fluid which returns to the surface as well as produced
water.
FRACTURE or FRACKING
The process of injecting water, customized fracking fluid,
steam, or gas into a gas well under pressure to improve gas recovery.
FRESHWATER
Water obtained from a potable water source of the commonwealth
such as a hydrant, stream, lake, water well, spring or other source
that has not been treated or utilized in commercial or industrial
operations.
FRESH GROUNDWATER
Water in that portion of the generally recognized hydrologic
cycle which occupies the pore spaces and fractures of saturated subsurface
materials. Groundwater often supplies wells and springs and is often
withdrawn for domestic, agricultural, municipal, industrial and other
beneficial uses.
GAS WELL
Any well drilled for the intent of extracting gas or other
hydrocarbons from beneath the surface of the earth.
IMPOUNDMENT, FRESHWATER
A depression, excavation or facility situated in or upon
the ground, whether natural or artificial and whether lined or unlined,
used to store freshwater.
IMPOUNDMENT, WASTEWATER
A lined depression excavation pit or facility situated in
or upon the ground, whether natural or artificial, used to store wastewater
fluid including but not limited to brine, fracturing fluid, produced
water, recycled water, impaired water, flow back water, or any other
fluid that does not satisfy the definition of "fresh water."
LOCAL STREET OR ROAD
A public street or road adopted by ordinance carrying a maximum
of 2,000 AWDT and provides for no truck usage except for local deliveries.
"AWDT" is defined as daily traffic count average over a one-week period.
MUNICIPALITY
The Municipality of Murrysville, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.
OIL and GAS
Crude oil, natural gas, methane gas, coal bed methane gas,
propane, butane and/or any other constituents or similar substances
that are produced by drilling a well of any depth into, through, and
below the surface of the earth and defined as follows: "Gas" is a
fluid, combustible or noncombustible, which is produced in a natural
state from the earth and maintains a gaseous or rarified state at
standard temperature of 60º F. and pressure 14.7 PSIA or any
manufactured gas, by-product gas or mixture of gases or natural gas
liquids. "Oil" is defined as hydrocarbons in liquid form at standard
temperature of 60º F. and pressure 14.7 PSIA, also referred to
as petroleum.
OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT FACILITY OR FACILITY
(a)
NATURAL GAS COMPRESSOR STATIONA facility designed and constructed to compress natural gas that originates from an oil and gas well or collection of such wells operating as a midstream facility for delivery of oil and gas to a transmission pipeline, distribution pipeline, natural gas processing plant or underground storage field, including one or more natural gas compressors, associated buildings, pipes, valves, tanks and other equipment.
(b)
NATURAL GAS PROCESSING PLANTA facility designed and constructed to remove materials such as ethane, propane, butane, and other constituents or similar substances from natural gas to allow the 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 are/is designed and constructed primarily to remove water, water vapor, oil or naturally occurring liquids from natural gas.
OIL and GAS DEVELOPMENT or DEVELOPMENT
A land development which includes the well site preparation,
well site construction, drilling, fracturing, and/or site restoration
associated with an oil and gas well of any depth; water and other
fluid storage; gas reservoir; 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, not
regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission or United
States Department of Transportation, Office of Pipeline Safety, and
associated equipment; and all other equipment and activities associated
with the exploration for, production of and transportation of oil
and gas, including natural gas compressor stations and natural gas
processing plants, structures defined as other support facilities
or structures performing similar functions that operate as midstream
facilities.
OIL AND GAS PROPERTY
Any surface property for which the underlying oil and gas
rights are:
(a)
Leased for development; and/or
(b)
Under the control of the operator.
OPERATOR
The person designated as operator on the permit application
and, if a separate entity from the operator, the owner of the oil
and gas development or facility which is the subject of the application.
OWNER
A person who owns, manages, leases, controls or possesses
a well property.
PERENNIAL STREAM
Stream that has continuous flow in parts of its stream bed
all year round during years of normal rainfall.
PERMANENT FACILITY AREA
The area designated by the operator on the approved plat
detailing the outer boundary of the area where the wellhead and permanent
above-ground equipment and structures associated with the production
and operation of oil and gas wells, post-hydraulic fracturing, are
permitted.
PERSON
An individual, association, partnership, corporation, political
subdivision or agency of the federal government, state government
or other legal entity.
PLAT
A map, drawing or print, which shall be stamped by a professional
engineer or registered surveyor, accurately drawn to scale showing
the proposed or existing location of a well or wells, well pad and
permanent facility area. The plat must show protected structure setbacks.
PRIVATE WATER SUPPLY
Any water supply which is not provided by a water company
and not delivered through water mains. The sources of the supply may
be a well, borehole, spring, stream, river, lake or pond. The supply
may serve just one property or several properties through a network
of pipes.
PROTECTED STRUCTURE
Any occupied structure with walls and a roof within which persons live or customarily work, the attached portion of which is closer than 750 feet to the nearest portion of the boundary of a proposed well pad. This term shall not include any structure on which construction commenced after operator filed an application for a conditional use pursuant to §
220-31CC; or any structure located on a property other than an oil and gas property, where the surface owner of the property has signed a waiver relieving the operator from implementation of the requirements of §
220-31CC(7). In the waiver, the surface owner must acknowledge that he has notified all residents on the property and that the operator is explicitly relieved from complying with the regulations applicable to the protected structure. The waiver must be notarized and approved by the Municipal Solicitor.
RECREATION AREA
An area of land owned and maintained by the Municipality,
the Franklin Regional School District, the Westmoreland Conservancy
or a nonpublic or private academic institution licensed by the State
of Pennsylvania and used for active parks, playgrounds, athletic facilities
and similar uses.
REDRILL
Deepening or sidetrack/horizontal drilling of the existing
well bore extending more than 150 feet from said well bore.
REWORK
Reentry of an existing well within the existing bore hole
or by deepening or sidetrack/horizontal operations (which do not extend
more than 150 feet horizontally from the existing well bore) or replacement
of well liners or casings.
WASTEWATER
Water which has been previously used for industrial, municipal,
domestic or other purposes including those associated with fracturing,
drilling flowback, and other drilling-related activities.
WATER IMPOUNDMENT - FRESH
A lined depression excavation pit or facility situated in
or upon the ground, whether natural or artificial, and used to store
fresh water.
WATER IMPOUNDMENT -WASTE
A lined depression excavation pit or facility situated in
or upon the ground, whether natural or artificial, used to store wastewater
fluid including but not limited to brine, fracturing fluid, produced
water, recycled water, impaired water, flow back water, or any other
fluid that does not satisfy the definition of "fresh water."
WELL
A bore hole drilled or being drilled for the purpose of,
or to be used for, producing or extracting gas, petroleum or another
liquid related to oil or gas production.
WELLBORE
The hole that is drilled to aid in the exploration and recovery
of natural resources including oil and gas.
WELLHEAD
The component at the surface of an oil or gas well that provides
the structural and pressure-containing interface for the drilling
and production equipment. The wellhead is established after the completion
of the hydraulic fracturing and is often referred to as the "christmas
tree" within the industry.
WELL PAD
The area designated on the approved plat that includes the
area accommodating all structures and equipment associated with or
incidental to construction, drilling, fracturing and resource recovery
prior to the establishment of the permanent facility area, specifically
excluding access roads.
WETLAND
Areas inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater
at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and which normally
support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in
saturated soil conditions, including swamps, marshes, bogs and similar
areas.