PA Environment Digest Blog: XTO Energy Begins Plugging First Of 4 Abandoned Shale Gas Wells At Butler County Well Pad

On January 23, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection at the Coretsky shale gas well pad in Prospect Borough, Butler County operated by XTO Energy, Inc. [ExxonMobil] and found plugging operations had begun on the first of four abandoned shale gas wells at that pad.

DEP inspector Brian MacQuarrie noted AXIS workover Rig 53 was on location and at the Patton 2H and put 4,650 feet of tubing down the well and pumped 1,260 gallons of freshwater and thin drilling “mud” down the hole.

MacQuarrie’s inspection report noted he was on site observing the operation for about six hours on January 23.

Also on site were Rich Lightner and Shawn Gearhart from XTO. XTO is following through on a commitment they made to begin plugging operations during a January 16, 2024 DEP inspection. Read more here.

DEP first issued notices of violation for “failure to plug the well upon abandoning it” for the Patton C 2H, 3H, 4H and 5H at the Coretsky shale gas well pad on September 24, 2023.

The violations will continue until the wells are plugged. Read more here.

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: Well servicing equipment over the 2H shale gas well..)

[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 Weekly Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Jan. 20 to 26 - 15 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Plugging Abandoned Shale Gas Wells; Revolution Pipeline Land Slip; Brief Compressor Fire; Crypto Mining? What's That Pink Stuff? [PaEN]

-- 5 Months Later, Roulette Oil & Gas Still Has Not Resolved Violations For Abandoning A Shale Gas Well Without Plugging It In Potter County [PaEN]

-- XTO Energy Begins Plugging First Of 4 Abandoned Shale Gas Wells At Butler County Well Pad [PaEN]

-- 66 Months Later, DEP Worked With Conventional Well Owner, But Multiple Spills At A Well Site Have Still Not Been Cleaned Up; No Protections In Place For Operators Or Taxpayers [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - January 27 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 84 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In January 27 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

2023 Oil & Gas Compliance Reports:

-- DEP Issued At Least 512 Violations To 95 Conventional Oil & Gas Operators For Abandoning Wells Without Plugging Them In 2023; 10 Shale Gas Operators Were Issued NOVs For Abandoning Wells [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Record 6,860 Notices Of Violation To Conventional Oil & Gas Operators In 2023-- Nearly 52% More Than In 2021; ‘Culture Of Non-Compliance’ Continues [PaEN]

-- 2023 Shale Gas Operator Compliance Report: 1,310 Violations; Explosions; Pad Fire, Evacuation; Uncontrolled Gas Venting; Frack-Outs; Polluting Water Supply; Spills; Pipeline Crashing Thru A Home; More [PaEN]

-- PA Environment Digest: Articles On Oil & Gas Facility Impacts