PA Environment Digest Blog: PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Dec. 23 to 29 - Abandoned Conventional Wells; Shale Gas Wastewater Releases; Conventional Wells Venting Gas

From December 23 to 29, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 443 inspection entries-- a holiday week.

So far this year-- as of December 22--

-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 109 conventional, 4 unconventional

-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 6,773 conventional and 1,275 unconventional

-- Inspections Last Week: 214 conventional and 255 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Inspections: 15,944 conventional and 22,629 unconventional

-- Wells Drilled Last Week: 1 conventional and 14 unconventional

-- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 177 conventional and 420 unconventional

4 Abandoned Conventional Well

On December 27, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection of the Sara Gorley, AG Miller 963 conventional well operated by Fortress Energy Corp in Luzerne Township, Fayette County and found the operator continued to take no further action to deal with violations related to abandoning and not plugging the well.

The original violations for abandonment were issued on March 17, 2021.

DEP’s inspection report does say an attempt to plug the well was made at one point, but not completed.

DEP requested a written report by January 10, 2024 explaining how the well would be brought into compliance.

On December 28, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection of conventional wells operated by Pin Oak Energy Partners, LLC and found them to be abandoned and not plugged.

The wells included: Gustave & Pauline Welz 1 and 2 in Waterford Township, Erie County and Lampman 3 in Conneaut Township, Crawford County.

The operator did take steps to correct some violations noted in a December 5, 2023 inspection report, but not all.

Other violations included venting natural gas to the atmosphere and failure to submit required production and waste generation and well integrity reports.

DEP’s inspection report requested a written report by January 17, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

DEP issued or continued 512 notices of violation for abandoning conventional oil and gas wells without plugging them so far in 2023. Read more here.

No Action Cleaning Up Conventional Spill

On December 27, 2023, DEP inspected the McCown 1 well operated by the CC Wharton Estate in Cecil Township, Washington County and found the operator did not take any steps to clean up the release from the well.

DEP inspected the well on November 17, 2023 in response to a citizen complaint and issued the original violation for the release.

DEP also found the production wastewater tanks were corroded with standing wastewater within the containment area and crude oil tanks with apparent releases.

“The Department has not been able to contact the operator and has not received any response from the previous inspection.

“The Department requests the operator assess the entire well site for leaks and spills.”

DEP’s inspection report requests a written report by January 8, 2024 from the operator on how they will bring the well area into compliance.

Started, But Clean Up Not Completed On Conventional Spill

On December 27, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection of the Latrobe Brewing 4 conventional well operated by Diversified Prod LLC in Derry Township, Westmoreland County and found cleanup of an estimated 1,680 gallon production wastewater spill was only partially completed.

DEP issued the original notices of violation for this site on October 20, 2023.

Although the leaking wastewater storage tank was removed and contaminated soil excavated, the soil remained on site-- uncovered around the excavation area, which was not reclaimed.

There were no erosion and sedimentation controls to minimize the potential of sediment washing off the piles.

DEP issued additional violations for the incomplete cleanup and lack of erosion controls and DEP’s inspection report requested the operator to file a written report by January 8, 2024 describing how the site will be brought into compliance.

Conventional Gas Well Venting Gas

On December 27, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection of the Kennedy 4 conventional gas well operated by Diversified Prod LLC in Georges Township, Fayette County and found it was still venting natural gas in a manner “creating a hazard to public health and safety.”

DEP issued the original notices of violation for this site on October 25, 2023.

The operator did submit a notice it would be plugging the well on December 14, 2023, however no action was taken by the operator.

DEP’s inspection report said the violations remain outstanding and no follow up action by the operator was requested because 30 days had not expired since the plugging notice.

On December 26, 2023, DEP inspected the Elliott 24 conventional gas well operated by SME Well SVC Inc. in Pine Township, Allegheny County and found the well was venting natural gas to the atmosphere through multiple holes in the casing.

DEP’s inspection report requested a written report by January 16, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

No Action On Corroded Wastewater Tank

On December 27, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection of the Nellie G. Jellison conventional well operated by Fairman Corp in Derry Township, Westmoreland County and found the operator had taken no action to evaluate and fix or replace a corroded wastewater tank on the site.

The original violations were issued on November 13, 2023.

DEP’s inspection report requested the operator to submit a written report by January 10, 2024 on how the well site will be brought into compliance.

Large, Unknown Volume Of Shale Gas Wastewater Released

On December 27, 2023, DEP inspected the Whispering Pines shale gas well pad operated by Clean Energy Exploration & Production LLC in Delmar Township, Tioga County and pools of production wastewater on the pad with “a steady stream of water coming out of a culvert from the pad and into a bioretention basin.”

A large area of water ran the length of the 30 production wastewater tanks at the pad.

“Because of the large volume of elevated conductance fluid discovered on the pad surface and discharging into the bioretention basin, the DEP recommends pursuing Act 2 [Land Recycling Program] due to the unknown volume of elevated conductance fluid impacting the unprotected pad surface and the bioretention basin.”

DEP’s inspection report requested the operator to submit a written report by January 23, 2024 on how the well pad will be brought into compliance.

Shale Gas Well Release Cleaned Up

On December 26, 2023, DEP inspected the Kline shale gas well pad operated by Blackhill Energy, Inc. in Springfield Township, Bradford County and found the operator took steps to cleanup production wastewater that was released from the secondary containment system on November 30, 2023.

DEP’s inspection report said the violation is considered closed.

Failure To Submit Conventional Annual Reports

On December 27, 2023, DEP did follow up inspections on more conventional wells operated by River Ridge Gravel Co in Cranberry Township, Venango County for failure to comply with a June 23, 2022 administrative order to submit well production and waste generation and well integrity reports by February 15, 2023.

This group of wells included River Ridge 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 75 and 77.

The original notices of violations for these wells were issued on April 27, 2022.

DEP did similar inspections for 11 conventional wells on December 6 and 7, 2023; 10 conventional wells on December 15, 2023; 54 conventional wells on November 14, 2022; and 34 conventional wells on November 21, 2022.

The production and waste report is critical to understanding how much wastewater and other waste those wells generated and where it was disposed of.

The annual integrity report is critical because it helps ensure the operator is taking the steps needed to prevent natural gas, oil or contaminated water leaks from oil and gas wells.

In fact, some of the River Ridge oil wells were leaking or had leaks in the past.

No follow up action was indicated in DEP’s inspection report.

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: Row 1- CC Wharton Estate conventional well spill not cleaned up; SME Well SVC Inc. conventional well venting as thru multiple holes in the casing; Pin Oak Energy Partners, LLC conventional well venting gas “maxed out” readings; Row 2 - Fairman Corp corroded conventional wastewater tank; Clean Energy Exploration & Production LLC shale gas well pad wastewater release; Row 3 - Diversified Prod LLC partially cleaned up conventional well spill site; River Ridge Gravel Co failed to comply with order to submit annual waste and well integrity 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 Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Dec. 23 to 29 - Abandoned Conventional Wells; Shale Gas Wastewater Releases; Conventional Wells Venting Gas [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industry Compliance So Far In 2023 - It Isn’t Pretty [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - December 30 [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On A Permit For A Portion Of The NFG Midstream Covington 16-Inch Natural Gas Pipeline In Tioga County [PaEN]

-- DEP Reviewing Final Act 2 Land Recycling Cleanup Report For Dozens Of Chemicals At Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 54 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In December 30 PA Bulletin [PaEN]