Innovation focus of Cabot picnic

BY STACI WILSON

Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation plans to utilize compressed natural gas (cng) in the near future – not only in its fleet vehicles but also for some of its drill rigs inSusquehannaCounty.

The natural gas company unveiled its gas transport module at the third annual Cabot Community Picnic, held Saturday, at the Harford Fairgrounds.

Cabot President Dan Dinges said currently two natural gas drilling rigs inSusquehannaCountyare bio-fuel capable and the module – or “tube trailer” – will be ready to filled at the Springville CNG station in Springville Twp.

Cabot spokesman George Stark said the 9-cylinder tube trailer will be taken to the rigs and used to help power the drill rigs and cut the diesel use down by at least one-third.

“The system we’re utilizing is unique toPennsylvaniaand the Marcellus shale play,” Stark said. “We’re happy to pioneer it here inSusquehannaCounty.”

Craig Almquist, a Cabot facilities engineer out ofPittsburgh, said the two converted natural gas drills can run about a 50-50 blend of CNG and diesel.

Almquist spoke to the crowds of people who attending the company’s outreach effort.

Stark said, “We’re happy with the turn-out and amount of dialogue, education and outreach. It’s wonderful for us to have the opportunity to showcase the new technology – especially how we plan to use natural gas in the county.”

For Paul and Joyce Jennings, of Dimock Twp., the community event gave them a chance to learn more about the industry itself.

“We know a lot of people who work in the industry,” Mr. Jennings said.

This was the first year the couple attended the Cabot picnic. “It’s huge,” Mrs. Jennings remarked.

In addition to Cabot and the companies that it works with, the annual picnic showcases all the community has to offer, Stark said.

“While people are taking the time to learn about Cabot, we want them to learn about Big Brothers/Big Sisters or the Center for Anti-Slavery Studies,” Stark said.

Earlier this year, Cabot took a lead role in a fundraising effort for construction of a physicians’ clinic at the the Endless Mountains Health Systems in Bridgewater Twp.

Cabot instituted a challenge to the community to come up with $1 million – which Cabot would match. Cabot kicked off the effort with a $1 million donation. The net effort would yield $3 million toward the building project effort.

The Cabot community match effort ended with the picnic.

Stark said the community stepped up to the plate – raising over the $1 million match goal.

Peter Quigg, President of the Community Foundation of theEndlessMountains, said the total – as of Saturday morning – was $1,250,000.