PA Environment Digest Blog: Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 11 to 17; Fracking 2 Wells Interfered With Another Shale Gas Well In Westmoreland County

From March 11 to 17, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 527 inspection entries that resulted in reporting 30 violations of environmental regulations-- 14 violations by the conventional oil and gas industry and 16 violations by the unconventional shale natural gas industry.

So far this year-- as of March 10-- DEP issued 806 formal notices of violation to conventional operators and 296 to unconventional shale gas operators based on 2,786 inspections of conventional facilities and 5,094 inspections of unconventional shale gas facilities.

Fracking Interfered With Another Well

On March 14, DEP inspectors found the fracking of two Olympus Energy LLC unconventional shale gas wells in Washington Township, Westmoreland County interfered with another shale gas well-- Export Fuel #1-- owned by Mountain V Oil & Gas Inc.

In both cases on the Athena Well Pad, DEP said Olympus Energy failed to stop fracking Athena 4M (inspection report) and Athena 6M (inspection report) wells when there were indications the fracking was interfering with another well.

Pressure in the Mountain V Oil & Gas Export Fuel #1 well increased from 1,800 to 3,300 psi from the Athena 4M fracking and from 600 to 1,975 psi from the Athena 6M well fracking.

DEP also gave Olympus Energy notices of violation for failure to provide area of review reports for the Athena Well Pad that may have documented the potential for interference.

The incidents were reported to DEP on March 4 (Athena 6M) and March 10 (Athena 4M).

Other NOVs

Conventional well driller STK Investments LLC was issued a notice of violation for abandoning a well without plugging it in Warren County.

Defective well casing or cementing NOVs were issued to ARMAC Resources LLC (conventional) for a well in Warren County; and Chesapeake Appalachia LLC (unconventional) in Bradford County.

There were the usual assortment of spills and releases and failure to collect wastewater-- Diversified Prod LLC (conventional - Washington County); Chesapeake Appalachia LLC (unconventional- Bradford County); and Range Resources Appalachia LLC (unconventional - Lycoming County).

Report Violations

To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.

Check These Resources

Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database webpage to search their compliance records by date and operator.

Sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE service which sends you information on oil and gas and other permits submitted to DEP for review in your community.

Violation Details

Violations Reported - Conventional

1 -- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It

1 -- Failure To Report A Release That Caused Or Threatens To Cause Pollution

1 -- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth

1 -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

1 -- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

1 -- Defective Well Casing Or Cementing

1 -- Failed to Notify DEP of Defective Well Casing or Cementing

1 -- Failed to repair or replace defective equipment

Company/Location/Violations - Conventional

Warren County

-- ARMAC Resources LLC - Warren City - Warren Rail Car 2 Well

-- Defective Well Casing Or Cementing

-- Failed to Notify DEP of Defective Well Casing or Cementing

-- Failed to repair or replace defective equipment

-- STK Investments LLC - Columbus Twp. - Pollack 1

-- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It

Washington County

-- Diversified Prod LLC - California Boro - Joseph F. Harris 1

-- Failure To Report A Release That Caused Or Threatens To Cause Pollution

-- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth

-- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

-- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

Violations Reported - Unconventional Shale Gas

1 -- Defective Well Casing Or Cementing

2 -- Operator Started Fracking Without DEP Approval

2 -- Failed to Stop Fracking When Well Communication Incident Took Place

5 -- Failed To Submit Area Of Review Report Prior To Start Of Drilling

2 -- Failure To Prevent Potential Pollution Of Waters of Commonwealth

1 -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

1 -- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

Company/Location/Violations - Unconventional Shale Gas

Bradford County

-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC - Tuscarora Twp. - Folta 22HC

-- Failure To Prevent Potential Pollution Of Waters of Commonwealth

-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC - Wyalusing Twp. - Stalford 5H

-- Defective Well Casing Or Cementing

Lycoming County

-- Range Resources Appalachia LLC - Cogan House Twp. - Laurel Hill 9H

-- Failure To Prevent Potential Pollution Of Waters of Commonwealth

-- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

-- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

Westmoreland County

-- Olympus Energy LLC - Washington Twp. - Athena 2M

-- Failed To Submit Area Of Review Report Prior To Start Of Drilling

-- Olympus Energy LLC - Washington Twp. - Athena 4M

-- Operator Started Fracking Without DEP Approval

-- Failed to Stop Fracking When Well Communication Incident Took Place

-- Olympus Energy LLC - Washington Twp. - Athena 6M

-- Operator Started Fracking Without DEP Approval

-- Failed to Stop Fracking When Well Communication Incident Took Place

-- Failed To Submit Area Of Review Report Prior To Start Of Drilling

-- Olympus Energy LLC - Washington Twp. - Athena 8M

-- Failed To Submit Area Of Review Report Prior To Start Of Drilling

-- Olympus Energy LLC - Washington Twp. - Athena 10M

-- Failed To Submit Area Of Review Report Prior To Start Of Drilling

-- Olympus Energy LLC - Washington Twp. - Athena 12M

-- Failed To Submit Area Of Review Report Prior To Start Of Drilling

[Note: If you believe your company was listed in error, contact DEP’s Oil and Gas Program.]

[Note: These may not be all the NOVs issued to oil and gas companies during this time period. Additional inspection reports may be added to DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database.]

PA Oil & Gas Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 11 to 17; Fracking 2 Wells Interfered With Another Shale Gas Well In Westmoreland County [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - March 18 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posts 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 18 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Compliance Reports

-- Feature: 60 Years Of Fracking, 20 Years Of Shale Gas: Pennsylvania’s Oil & Gas Industrial Infrastructure Is Hiding In Plain Sight [PaEN]

-- Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners Failed To File Annual Production/Waste Generation Reports For 61,655 Wells; Attorney General Continues Investigation Of Road Dumping Wastewater [PaEN]

-- DEP Issued 754 Notices Of Violation For Defective Oil & Gas Well Casing, Cementing, The Fundamental Protection Needed To Prevent Gas Migration, Groundwater & Air Contamination, Explosions [PaEN]

-- DEP Report Finds: Conventional Oil & Gas Drillers Routinely Abandon Wells; Fail To Report How Millions Of Gallons Of Waste Is Disposed; And Non-Compliance Is An ‘Acceptable Norm’ [PaEN]

-- DEP 2021 Oil & Gas Program Annual Report Shows Conventional Oil & Gas Operators Received A Record 610 Notices Of Violation For Abandoning Wells Without Plugging Them [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industry Has Record Year: Cost, Criminal Convictions Up; $3.1 Million In Penalties Collected; Record Number Of Violations Issued; Major Compliance Issues Uncovered; Evidence Of Health Impacts Mounts [PaEN]