PA Environment Digest Blog: Chesapeake Appalachia: DEP Inspections Find Violations For Spills, Releases, Continuing Defective Casing/Cementing At Shale Gas Well Pads In Bradford, Susquehanna Counties

Last week DEP inspectors again found continuing violations of spills and releases creating new brownfield sites as well as defective well casing and cementing at three shale gas well pads in two counties.

At the Grippo Well Pad well 24HC in Terry Township, Bradford County DEP found continuing violations from a spill that was not reported to DEP by the company before an inspection in March.

DEP sample results from a March 30 inspection found elevated levels of barium, strontium, lithium and chloride in pooled water on the site indicating drilling wastewater. Again sample results did not show testing for PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ or radium 226 or 228. [Read inspection report, with photos]

DEP identified these violations at the site--

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

-- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth

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

-- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

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

Chesapeake is pursuing Act 2 Land Recycling cleanup for the contaminated areas.

At the Kerr B Well Pad in Lathrop Township, Susquehanna County DEP found petroleum contamination on the well pad the company said was the result of a mechanical malfunction of an onsite natural gas compressor.

DEP noted violations for--

-- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth

-- Failed to control, dispose of fluids, residual waste or drill cuttings properly

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

Chesapeake said they removed contaminated soil from around the compressor site and disposed of it at a landfill. [Read inspection report with photos. Read inspection report with sample results]

DEP is not requiring any further action by the company.

At the Delhagen Well Pad and wells 2H and 5H in Rush Township, Susquehanna County DEP found continuing violations related to defective well casing and cementing that first began on June 16, 2016.

The good news is, on this April 24 inspection, no combustible gas was found but DEP did not clear the failed to notify DEP of defective well casing or cementing violations at this well pad. [Read inspection report]

DEP is not requiring the company to take any follow up action.

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.

(Photos: Grippo Well Pad, Bradford County; Kerr B Well Pad, Susquehanna County from DEP inspection reports.)

[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 - April 22 - 28; Conventional Wells Venting Gas; Shale Gas Well Pad Spills [PaEN]

-- Citizen Complaint Results In Finding 2 Abandoned Conventional Wells Owned By Prosperity Oil Co. Continuing To Vent Natural Gas In Washington County [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Appalachia: DEP Inspections Find Violations For Spills, Releases, Continuing Defective Casing/Cementing At Shale Gas Well Pads In Bradford, Susquehanna Counties [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - April 29 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posts 61 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 29 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]