Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency’s Peggy Clark reports on Wednesday that an uncontrolled-gas flow incident at the Tarka Pad outside of Columbiana has been neutralized and the evacuation order lifted. Wade Balser of the Ohio EPA is also pictured. (Photo by Stephanie Elverd)

COLUMBIANA — An uncontrolled-gas flow incident at Hilcorp Energy’s natural-gas pad outside of Columbiana has been neutralized, the broken wellhead capped off and the evacuation order lifted, Columbiana Assistant Fire Chief Frank Nulf reported on Wednesday.

Approximately 450 residents were evacuated in a 1-mile radius around Fairfield School Road after a contractor vehicle struck a wellhead at the Tarka location, causing a release of natural gas around 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

The residents were given the all clear to return to their homes over 24 hours later when the well was secured at 12:25 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

The area between Route 558 and Crestview Road will remain closed until heavy equipment used to cap the well is demobilized and removed. Residents who reside in that area have permission to travel to their homes, but are asked to be mindful of the truck and equipment traffic.

“We want people to be safe when they are returning home and to respect the barricades that are in place,” said Peggy Clark of the Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency (CCEMA).

Fred Romeo, Regional Emergency Operations and Response manager at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ONDR) said Wild Well Control — the specialized contractor brought in by Hilcorp — removed debris around the wellhead and freshwater was pumped into the casing to reduce the flow of gas. A back-pressure valve and two other valves were installed on top of the wellhead.

“The well is no longer emitting natural gas and a new permanent top structure has been attached,” said Nick Piatek, director of Government and Public Affairs at Hilcorp Energy Company, in an email. “The team will remain on location for further testing and demobilization at the pad.”

Romeo said that ODNR’s Oil and Gas Division will also remain on the scene during that phase.

In addition to the CCEMA and ODNR, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency also responded to the incident and provided baseline air monitoring throughout the situation. The EPA was tracking explosive gas methane and volatile organic compound levels on and around the pad.

Ohio EPA On-Scene Coordinator Wade Balser reported that the data collected did not indicate dangerous air quality at any time during the uncontrolled gas flow. He also stressed that there was no impact on water within the evacuation zone.

“The air monitoring continued overnight and into today and all air monitoring ranged in normal parameters,” Balser said. “The casing is now intact and has no integrity loss and we actually used freshwater to stop the gas flow so we didn’t introduce any chemicals into the environment.”

Balser added that the gas that escaped from the compromised wellhead already has or will dissipate into the atmosphere. He also noted weather and wind conditions helped disburse the released gas.

Piatek thanked all entities that responded to the incident.

“We are thankful for the cooperation and coordination with local and state agencies to bring about a quick and safe resolution,” he said.