GasSearch Drilling Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cabot Oil & Gas,
GasSearch Drilling Services operations manager Chad Gorman unveils a new maintenance facility for vehicles supporting the gas industry. Photo By Bob Baker
opened a $4 million maintenance facility in Lenox Township on Wednesday.
At a ribbon cutting, Chad Gorman, GDS operations manager, said the company had 270 employees across four locations in Susquehanna County and was targeting to have 30 more employees by the end of 2019.
The company provides well pad construction, roustabout services, and equipment rentals direct to Cabot. And, GDS is also contracted for water hauling services required for both drilling and hydraulic fracturing of natural gas wells.
The new 28,000-square-foot facility features a five-bay terminal that can accommodate simultaneous maintenance on its truck fleet.
The new 28,000 square foot maintenance facility in Lenox Township stands ready to accommodate 15 vehicles simultaneously. Photo By Bob Baker
At peak capacity, the facility will employ 100 people, including drivers, dispatch employees and mechanics.
“Since its inception over 10 years ago, GDS has grown exponentially, supplying job opportunities to hundreds of local people,” Cabot vice president Phil Stalnaker said. “The company continues to invest in the community by expanding its facilities and increasing its fleet size.”
GDS also continues to grow as Cabot continues to lead the region in production of natural gas.
Kelsey Mulac, Cabot external affairs coordinator, noted that Cabot – just in Susquehanna County – is currently topping the charts at 2.8 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day, compared to 1.6 bcfs in the fall of 2014.
While Cabot is a leading producer of gas, GDS’ new facility off Route 92 in Lenox has some state-of-the-art and environmentally friendly components including LED lighting throughout; zoned, in-floor radiant heating in the maintenance garage; recycled/waste oil burners as the primary heating source; and, a rolled, compacted concrete parking lot.
Gorman noted that GDS’ present maintenance facility in Montrose recycles 6,000 gallons of waste oil and between it and the new facility, that will double to 12,000 gallons by year’s end.
GDS also has an updated Montrose dispatch facility and a Dimock-based headquarters.
He also noted that GDS’ water trucks are replaced every three to four years, and GDS employs a rigorous internal maintenance program to ensure all vehicles are well maintained.
“We make sure that trucks are not going on the road with any deficiencies,” he said.
Gorman noted the site location of the newest facility in the southeastern corner of Susquehanna County was intentional because company officials are hoping that its proximity to Interstate 81 will make it a more practical option for workers from Luzerne and Lackawanna counties in Pennsylvania and Broome County in New York.
He said that GDS offers a very competitive package to attract drivers and mechanics to the area that includes industry-leading starting wages, great benefits, clothing allowances, and merit- and safety-based bonuses.
Gorman added that potential new drivers participate in a four-week mentor program. Drivers who hold a Class A or B CDL license with tanker endorsement are encouraged to apply through the GDS website.
About the new facility and GDS’ parent company, Cabot, Susquehanna County Commissioner Alan Hall said, “Show me another employer that has made as big an investment in the region in the past decade, and I will tell you it doesn’t exist.”
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