PA Environment Digest Blog: Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - August 5 to 11; Routine Venting Of Conventional Wells, Shale Gas Wells; Major Conventional Spills; Pipeline Subsidence

From August 5 to 11, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 555 inspection entries.

So far this year-- as of August 4-- DEP issued 3,944 formal notices of violation to conventional operators (207 more since last week) and 821 to unconventional shale gas operators (7 more this week) based on 9,353 inspections of conventional facilities and 14,682 inspections of unconventional shale gas facilities.

Village Of Reno Still On Emergency Water

The Village of Reno in Venango County is still on a “Do Not Consume” order and emergency water supplies are being distributed to the 210 customers of their water system.

Water distribution was held up for several days when chlorine levels in the water tank were found to be below standards and another tank and water supply had to be located.

Oil City Council voted to seek an emergency permit from DEP to sell water to the Venango Water Company to supply the Village of Reno. Read more here.

Conventional Well Spills

On August 7, 2023, Red Jacket Energy LLC notified DEP of a crude oil and production wastewater release at its conventional 52A 18 CNGC3 oil well in Keating Township, McKean County.

“The crude oil release occurred at the tank battery for this lease, which is located approximately 750 feet north of this well. Due to erroneous valve positioning during the unloading of crude oil from the stock tank, fluid entered a buried brine [wastewater] tank which overflowed into the earthen containment that surrounds the tanks.”

“From the discharge point, crude oil entered a ditch/drainage that approaches an UNT of Potato Creek. Crude oil entered the UNT of Potato Creek approximately 200 feet northeast of the tank battery.”

“Upon my arrival, I witnessed personnel from Red Jacket Energy and AR Trucking collecting crude oil from an unnamed tributary (UNT) of Potato Creek with absorbent booms and pads as they agitated the stream channel.”

By the end of this inspection, absorbent booms had been placed at the end of the UNT, upstream of where it enters Potato Creek. Crews were building an underflow dam in the UNT to reinforce the numerous booms that were already in place.

DEP issued a number of notices of violation for the discharges and improper waste handling at the site and requested the operator to submit a written report by August 25, 2023 of how they will bring the site into compliance, including cleaning the site up to Act 2 Land Recycling Program standards.

DEP’s inspection report says they will do follow up inspections to determine cleanup progress.

On August 3, 2023, Diversified Prod LLC notified DEP of a production wastewater spill of an unknown amount at the Spencer 34 conventional well in Ferguson Township, Clearfield County.

On August 7, 2023, DEP inspected the site and found an area 30 by 40 feet had been impacted by the spill. The operator was in the process of excavating the impacted soil to take to the Carbon Limestone Landfill in Ohio for disposal.

Diversified said they were planning to use the Act 2 Land Recycling Program to cleanup the site.

DEP requested the operator provide a written report by August 18, 2023 on how they were going to bring the site into compliance. [DEP inspection report]

On August 10, 2023, in response to a landowner complaint, DEP inspected the Musser Assoc 2 conventional well operated by Madtick Dev Corp in East Mahoning Township, Indiana County and found evidence of a leak of production wastewater from a tank connected to the well.

Dead vegetation was observed in an area 30 to 45 feet wide and approximately 200 to 250 feet long. The wastewater tank was empty.

The landowner had unsuccessfully tried to contact the well operator. A tag on the well was illegible which should have shown the well operator and contact number.

DEP issued several notices of violation for the spill and requested the operator to submit a written report by September 10, 2023 of how they will bring the well into compliance.

Venting Of Conventional/Shale Gas Wells

On August 8, 2023, DEP inspected two conventional gas wells operated by Pennhills Resources LLC known as WT 2850 Lot 7/22 and WT 2850 Lot 8/24 in Howe Township, Forest County.

DEP’s inspection report for both wells noted “This recently drilled conventional well is currently venting to the atmosphere.”

Drill cuttings from the well were “directed” into an onsite unlined pit and there were no erosion and sedimentation concerns, according to the report.

No violations were noted.

Venting a new natural gas well has been a routine part of the process of getting all conventional wells into production. Venting natural gas removes stray solids and liquids and other foreign matter from the well that could contaminate the stream of natural gas. Read more here.

The DEP inspector just happened to be at the well when this was being done.

Of course today, we know natural gas (methane) is a potent climate-changing greenhouse gas and uncontrolled venting of new conventional wells releases this gas into the atmosphere.

On August 9, 2023, as part of an ongoing investigation of a natural gas leak, DEP inspected the Robert Lytle 1 conventional well operated by Robert Lytle in Harborcreek Township, Erie County and found it was still leaking natural gas.

DEP originally inspected the well on June 1, 2023 and found it was leaking and issued notices of violation for failure to report defective casing or cementing, failure to submit annual mechanical integrity reports and other violations.

DEP requested the operator to submit a written report by June 20, 2023 on how the operator will bring the well into compliance but has so far received no response.

DEP’s inspection reports said the natural gas well “will be vented for 30 days” through what appears to be a 20 foot tall pipe vent, according to photos with the report.

On August 9, 2023, DEP inspected four STL Resources LLC shale gas wells on the Sturgis well pad in Grugan Township, Clinton County and found the 1003H well being vented to the atmosphere.

DEP’s inspection report noted issuing a new notice of violation for failure of the operator to notify the agency of defective well casing or cementing.

DEP also inspected the 1001H, 1003H and 1007H wells on the Sturgis well pad and found those wells venting to the atmosphere.

DEP’s inspection reports noted continuing violations for failure of the operator to notify the agency of defective well casing or cementing.

Pipeline Construction Subsidence

On August 10, 2023, in response to a notification from PA General Energy LLC, DEP inspected the Shawnee Phase 2 Pipeline construction site in Fairfield Township, Lycoming County and found two areas of subsidence along Route 864.

PA General Energy was boring under a stream channel. One of the subsidence areas occurred near the middle of the channel and the other at the edge.

PGE proposed removing loose debris and filling the holes with bentonite to help seal and stabilize the impacted locations then restoring the bottom of the stream channel with native material present at the location.

DEP approved the restoration plan and boring under the stream channel resumed. No violations were noted. [DEP inspection report + photos]

Just three days before-- on August 7, 2023-- DEP did a routine inspection of the same Shawnee Phase 2 Pipeline construction right-of-way in Fairfield Township, Lycoming County in response to concerns the Whipper Hill oil and gas services had with the stability of the pipeline right-of-way.

“They [Whipper Hill] had finished clearing trees over the weekend and had since become aware of possible stability issues in the ROW.”

“The bore pit was dug between Rte 864 and Mill Creek. Rock was being brought in to line the bottom of the pit before any additional work is started. The goal is to stabilize the bottom of the pit with about 2 feet of rock to prevent excess sediment from being disturbed and ground water enters the pit from springs and seeps. The groundwater will collect in a sump in the pit before being removed as needed.”

DEP felt the erosion and sediment BMPs were in good condition. [DEP inspection report + photos]

The Shawnee Pipeline project is part of an extensive shale gas development project by PA General Energy on State Forest Land in the Loyalsock Creek Watershed that has had significant environmental violations. Read more here.

No Plugging Progress

On August 8, 2023, DEP inspector contacted the plugging contractor for Pennfield Energy LLC on the status of plugging McDowell 8 and 17 conventional wells in Mineral Township, Venango County.

Plugging is not completed as required by the consent order and agreement with the operator by the July 31, 2023 deadline.

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 and the Inspection Reports Viewer.

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: Top- Diversified Prod LLC conventional wastewater leak; Red Jacket Energy LLC 2 photos of crude oil/wastewater release from conventional oil well; Middle - Pennhills Resources LLC routine new gas well venting (note plastic pipe may indicate gas is escaping into the ground next to the well casing); STL Resources LLC shale gas well venting to atmosphere; Robert Lytle conventional gas well venting to atmosphere; Bottom- PA General Energy Shawnee Pipeline ROW subsidence, pipeline trench, right-of-way disturbance.)

[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 Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - August 5 to 11; Routine Venting Of Conventional Wells, Shale Gas Wells; Major Conventional Spills; Pipeline Subsidence [PaEN]

-- Mayor Of Sugarcreek Asks For Donations To Refill Village Of Reno Water Tank After Contamination In Venango County; Emergency Water Distribution Resumes; Contamination From Conventional Oil Wastewater Tanks Suspected [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - August 12 [PaEN]

-- DEP Accepting Comments On 2 Major Olympus Energy/Hyperion Midstream Natural Gas, Water Pipeline Projects Impacting EV, HQ Streams, Wetlands In Westmoreland County [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 58 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In August 12 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

NewsClips This Week:

-- Ohio River Valley Institute Blog: Oil & Gas - Central To Pennsylvania Politics, But Not Its Economy

-- Happy Valley Industry: KeyState Energy Natural Gas-Based Manufacturing, Carbon Capture Project Doubles Cost To $2 Billion, Pushes Back Start Of Operations Up To 2 Years In Clinton County

-- Public Source: Inside PA’s Compliance Monitoring Of Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County; DEP Struggling To Keep Up