Associated Press Published

Doddridge County Gas Well Site Shut Down Following Fire

Tower for drilling horizontally into the Marcellus Shale Formation for natural gas, from Pennsylvania Route 118 in eastern Moreland Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, USA

State regulators say four Antero Resources natural gas wells in Doddridge County will remain idle while investigators examine a recent fire.

Department of Environmental Protection Kelly Gillenwater tells The Exponent Telegram that there were no injuries from the early Thursday fire, and no material appears to have spilled outside the containment area at the site near West Union, about 75 miles south of Wheeling.

Antero said in a news release that the cause of the fire is still unknown.

Antero Chief Administrative Officer and Regional Senior Vice President Al Schopp says the company reported the fire to state regulators and voluntarily shut down the wells prior to the cease-operation order being issued.

Gillenwater says investigators are still evaluating whether any citations will be necessary.