[Note: DEP’s Compliance Database was not updating regularly this week due to an IT problem, so the system may be behind.]
So far this year-- as of December 1--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 71 conventional, 31 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 6,152 conventional and 1,201 unconventional
-- Inspections Last Week: 247 conventional and 404 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 15,027 conventional and 21,186 unconventional
-- Wells Drilled Last Week: 2 conventional and 9 unconventional
-- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 172 conventional and 388 unconventional
9 Abandoned Conventional Wells
On December 5, 2023, DEP inspected the Throckmorton 1 conventional gas well operated by Bialy Gas Production LLC in Economy Borough, Beaver County and found the well to be abandoned and leaking natural gas.
DEP also issued notices of violation for not submitting production and waste generation and mechanical integrity reports.
DEP requested the operator to submit a written report by December 19, 2023 on how the operator plans to bring the well into compliance. [DEP inspection report]
On December 5, 2023, inspected four wells operated by Pin Oak Energy Partners LLC--
-- Isoldi Unit 1 conventional well in Mercer Borough, Mercer County and found it to be abandoned and not plugged with rusting production tanks. Violations were issued. [DEP inspection report - written report requested by January 5, 2023 on bringing the well into compliance]
-- Gustave & Pauline Welz 1 conventional well in Waterford Township, Erie County and found it to be abandoned and not plugged. In addition, an exposed pipeline from the well crossed a pond overflow area. Violations were issued. [DEP inspection report - No follow up action requested.]
-- Gustave & Pauline Welz 2 conventional well in Waterford Township, Erie County and found it to be abandoned and not plugged. In addition, the well was blowing natural gas into the atmosphere. Violations were issued. [DEP inspection report - DEP requested a written report by December 21, 2023 on how the operator will bring the wells into compliance.]
-- Walter & Aino Rinne 2 conventional well in Waterford Township, Erie County and found it to be abandoned and not plugged. Violations were issued. [DEP inspection report - DEP requested a written report by December 21, 2023 on how the operator will bring the wells into compliance.]
On December 6, 2023, DEP inspected the McBurney 1 conventional gas well operated by OWS Acquisition Co. LLC in Heritage City, Mercer County and found it remains abandoned and not plugged.
The original violation for abandonment was issued June 20, 2023. Leaks from the wellhead observed in the last inspection have been corrected. Production valves are closed.
DEP’s inspection report did not indicate any follow up action.
On December 7, 2023, DEP inspected two conventional wells operated by Pitt Oil & Gas LLC in Brokenstraw Township, Warren County--
-- Arthur K. Wickham A&D 1: DEP found the well to be abandoned and not plugged and the operator failed to submit production and waste generation and well integrity reports. Multiple notices of violation were issued. DEP’s inspection report requested a written report by December 29, 2023 on how the operator would bring the well into compliance.
-- Arthur Ward 3: DEP found the well to be abandoned and not plugged and the well was discharging fluids on the ground. Multiple notices of violation were issued. DEP’s inspection report requested a written report by December 29, 2023 on how the operator would bring the well into compliance.
On December 4, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection of the Warren Rail Car 2 conventional gas well in Warren City, Warren County operated by Armac Resources LLC and found the abandoned well had not yet been fully plugged.
DEP issued a violation for abandoning the well and not plugging it on September 29, 2023 and the operator has unsuccessfully taken steps to plug the well that was leaking natural gas.
DEP requested the operator to submit a written report by December 14, 2023 with a revised timeline for plugging the well. [DEP inspection report.]
DEP issued or continued 499 notices of violation for abandoning conventional oil and gas wells without plugging them so far in 2023. Read more here.
No Cleanup Progress At Shale Gas Pad
On December 5, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection of the Crain shale gas well pad in Rome Township, Bradford County operated by Chesapeake Appalachia LLC and found no progress in addressing wastewater issues first identified on October 6, 2023.
DEP noted Chesapeake was setting up to frack three newly drilled shale gas wells on the site.
DEP found contaminated water within secondary containment structures on the site.
DEP’s inspection report said the October violations remain outstanding. No follow up actions were indicated.
Conventional Spills
On December 6, 2023, DEP inspected the Kish 1 conventional well site in Jefferson Township, Mercer County in response to a notification from Diversified Prod LLC on December 4, 2023 of a wastewater spill when a valve failed on a storage tank.
DEP found the operator had excavated contaminated soil and taken it to a landfill for disposal. The wastewater tank was also going to be replaced.
Notices of violation were issued for the spill.
DEP’s inspection report requested a written report by December 23, 2023 on how the operator was going to complete bringing the well site into compliance.
On December 5, 2023, DEP inspected three conventional wells operated by Farrington & Hepler Gas & Oil Inc. in Economy Borough, Beaver County--
-- Musgrave 4: DEP found dark staining on the ground which is evidence of a leak or spill from the well and requested the operator to evaluate the release. DEP also found low hanging power lines running through trees and onto the ground near the pump jack and requested clarification where these power lines were actively in use.
Notices of violation were issued related to the release and a written report was requested by December 23, 2023 from the operator on how the well site was going to be brought into compliance. [DEP inspection report]
-- Musgrave 6: DEP found dark staining at the well and conductivity readings indicated a release. Wastewater tanks down slope from the well were found to have a disconnected hose and there was evidence of a release of contaminated fluids from the tanks.
Violations were issued related to these releases and the DEP requested a written report by December 23, 2023 from the operator on how the well site was going to be brought into compliance. [DEP inspection report]
-- Robert Hood 1: DEP found the well was “actively leaking fluids as bubbling and dripping fluid could be seen” and “distressed vegetation was observed.”
DEP issued notices of violation related to the release and requested a written report by December 23, 2023 from the operator on how the well site was going to be brought into compliance. [DEP inspection report]
Failure To Complete Site Restoration
On December 5, 2023, DEP inspected the Ferrebee BEA shale gas well drilling site in Ohioville Borough, Beaver County operated by Geopetro LLC and found the operator had failed to complete restoration of the well pad site and related facilities.
Problems noted in the inspection include evidence of earth slumping and movement, sparse vegetation cover and erosion and sedimentation issues.
DEP issued notices of violation related to site restoration and denied the operator’s request to terminate operations at the site.
DEP’s inspection report requested a written report by December 23, 2023 on how the operator intends to bring the site into compliance.
Federal Well Plugging Sites
DEP again devoted considerable inspection time on multiple federally-funded conventional oil and gas well plugging project sites in Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Venango and Washington counties.
Coterra Energy
DEP again focused on inspections of Coterra Energy, Inc. facilities in the Dimock region of Susquehanna County last week.
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 Row: Bialy Gas Production LLC conventional abandoned well leaking gas in Beaver County; Chesapeake Appalachia LLC no progress in shale gas wastewater cleanup in Bradford County; Farrington & Hepler Gas & Oil Inc. leaking conventional well + another leaking well in Beaver County; Middle Row: Farrington & Hepler Gas & Oil Inc. open conventional production tank with evidence of release in Beaver County; Geopetro LLC failed shale gas well site restoration in Beaver County; OWS Acquisition Co. LLC abandoned conventional well in Mercer County; Bottom Row: Pin Oak Energy Partners LLC exposed pipeline crossing pond outflow in Erie County + abandoned conventional well rusted wastewater tank in Mercer County; Pitt Oil & Gas LLC abandoned well leaking fluids in Warren County.)
[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:
-- PA Oil & Gas Industry Compliance So Far In 2023 - It Isn’t Pretty
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - December 9 [PaEN]
-- DEP Sets Jan. 23 Hearing On Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Frazer Compressor Station In Chester County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 68 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In December 9 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles:
-- Marcellus Drilling News: Senate Republican Leaders Urge DEP To Withdraw Environmental Justice Policy Saying They Lack Statutory Authority, And Out-of-State Groups Not Actual Residents Express EJ Concerns [PaEN]
-- PA Business Report: Senate Republicans Urge DEP To Withdraw Updated Environmental Justice Policy
-- DEP Expects $44 Million To Plug Conventional Wells Leaking Methane; $76 Million For 2nd Year Of Federal Conventional Abandoned Well Plugging Program [PaEN]
-- DEP Plugs 132 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells So Far; DEP Issued 490 NOVs For New Conventional Well Abandonments So Far In 2023 [PaEN]
-- Roulette Oil & Gas LLC Withdraws Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Application In Potter County [PaEN]
-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports 3rd Quarter Natural Gas Production Down 0.5% Over 3rd Quarter 2022, But Increased Over Last 12 Months [PaEN]
-- PA Senate Hearing Focuses On Minimizing Risk And Harm In Development Of PA’s Hydrogen Infrastructure [PaEN]
-- House Environmental Committee To Hold Dec. 11 Hearing On Bill To Expand Renewable Energy Mandates In Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards [PaEN]
-- Hydrogen Tax Credit Changes, Riparian Buffers, Light Pollution On House Environmental Committee Agenda For Dec. 13 [PaEN]
-- PennEnvironment, Three Rivers Waterkeeper Sue Styropek USA To Stop Plastic Pollution In Raccoon Creek, Ohio River In Beaver County [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission: Low Stream Flows Trigger Shutdown Of 4 Shale Gas Drilling Water Withdrawals In Bradford, Tioga County [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- TribLive: MAX Environmental Yukon Hazardous Waste Landfill Could Pay $275,000 To Settle Pollution Claims In Class Action Lawsuit By Residents [75% Of Waste Comes From Shale Gas Industry]
-- TribLive: Natural Gas Smell Causes Evacuation At Plum Boro Middle School, Allegheny County [Plum Boro Natural Gas Home Explosion Killed 6 People In August]
-- The Derrick Editorial: Reliable Power Means Shoring Up Natural Gas Infrastructure
-- EQT Joins The Oil & Gas Decarbonization Charter To Reduce Methane Emissions
-- TribLive: Murrysville Council OKs Lease For Gas, Oil Rights Under 2 Public Parks
-- Scranton Times: Landfill Gas Processing Plant Holds Public Information Session In Throop About Storing Carbon Dioxide Deep Underground
-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Concerns Grow Over Perceived Viability Of Hydrogen Hubs
-- PA Capital-Star: Hydrogen Hubs Face Scrutiny At PA Senate Dems Hearing
-- Williamsport Sun Guest Essay: Hydrogen Hubs Won’t Create Jobs - By Commonwealth Foundation
-- TribLive: Rain Fails To Ease Concerns Over Falling Water Level At Beaver Run Reservoir In Westmoreland
-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA May See Biggest Drop In Decade For New Shale Gas Wells
-- TribLive: Southwest PA Enjoying Low Natural Gas Prices After Large Drop From Last Year
-- Tribune-Democrat: Peoples Gas Says Credit Offsets 149% Natural Gas Price Hike
-- Interfaith Partners For The Chesapeake Bay: Dec. 7 Screening Of ‘A Plastic Wave’ - How To Reduce Your Plastic Waste, 7:00 p.m.
-- The Allegheny Front: Lawsuit Claims Ohio Approvals To Frack State Lands Violated Law
-- Inside Climate News: Massachusetts Public Utilities Agency Sets Framework For Reducing Natural Gas Use For Heating
-- Inside Climate News: From Fracked Gas In PA To Toxic Waste In Texas, Tracking Vinyl Chloride Production In The US
-- Bloomberg: Europe’s Winter Natural Gas Price Slump Shifts Focus To Summer Storage
[Posted: December 9, 2023] PA Environment Digest
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