DEP Declares 101 Medina Res Dev Co. LLC Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned, Not Plugged In Crawford, Erie Counties

On March 5, 2024, the Department of Environmental Protection issued violations to 101 conventional oil and gas wells operated by Medina Res Dev Co. LLC in Crawford and Erie counties for being abandoned and not plugged, according to DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database.

The wells included--

-- Crawford County, Cambridge Twp.: Fred Wade 1, Krietz 1, Wade Unit 2, John Clegg 2, 

-- Crawford County, Cussewago Twp.: Florek 1, 

-- Crawford County, Rockdale Twp.: Larry McDuff 1, Birchard Donachy 1, Hughes 1, RACOP 1, Jack Young 1, Frank Schropp 1, Herrick 4, Herrick 5, 

-- Crawford County Venango Twp.: Sanders 1, Hazel Drake 1, Billings 2, Skelton 1, Mongera 2

-- Erie County, Amity Twp.: Hibbard Swan 1, James Swan 1, Weber 1, Glenn Kimmy 1,  Estes 1, Everett Fenno 1, Lyle Bisbee 1, 

-- Erie County, Greene Twp.: Ira Hinkson 1, Pieri 1, Kaveney 1, Carniewski 1, Kibbe 1, Richard Allgeier 1, James Zimmerly 1, Blass 1, Davitt 1,

-- Erie County, Greenfield Twp.: James Pasierb 1, James Pasierb 2, Orton 1, McNaughton 1, McNaughton 2, Herbert Miller 1, Herbert Miller 2, Herbert Miller 5,  Josephine Colt 78-1, Josephine Colt 78-2, Josephine Colt 78-3, Frank Gulczynski 1, Gibbons 1, Gibbons 2 

-- Erie County, Harborcreek Twp.: Gem City Gun Club 1, James Kelley 1

-- Erie County, Le Boeuf Twp: Kenneth & Shirley Wise 4, Glenn Troyer Pulakos 1, Achilles Pulakos 1, Roscoe Mitchell 1, Williams 1, John Kelly 1, Barton 1, Stanley Wiater 1, Clifford Brown 1, Clifford Brown 2, Kibbe 2, Kibbe 3 Kibbe 4, Philip Pennsy 1, Delos Port 2, Delos Port 3, Fichthorn 1, Fichthorn 3, Elwood Niemeyer 1, Elwood Niemeyer 3, George Daley 2, Lyell Aldrich 1, Kohmanski 1, James Porter 1, Norman Porter 1, Norman Porter 2, Paul Mickle 1, Paul Mickle 2, Peters 1, El Dicola 1, Robert Harrison 1, Lowell Salmon 1, Edward Payne 1, Hatheway 1, Robert Youngberg 1, Glover 1, Kuebel 1, McLallen 2, Connell 1, Anyzek 1, Silas Coon, Silas Coon 3, McCormick 3, John Crane 2, Van Zandt 1

-- Erie County, McKean Twp.: McDonald 1, Komorek 1, Groenendaal 1

-- Erie County, Millcreek Twp.: Martin 1 

-- Erie County, Mill Village Boro: Schweitzer 1, George McLaughlin 1, George McLaughlin 2

Inspection reports exist, but not online yet for these determinations.

DEP’s eFACTS database shows Medina Res Dev Co LLC holds permits for 486 conventional oil and gas wells.

65 of these conventional wells owned by Medina were listed as abandoned in eFACTS.  Spot checking shows most of these are in addition to the 101 declared abandoned on March 5.

Medina was cited for one abandoned, unplugged well in 2023 by DEP-- Russell 3 - Erie County, Waterford Township and 10 violations for abandoned wells in 2022 [Read more here].

222 Violations Issued For Abandoned Conventional Wells In 2024

With these violations, DEP issued 240 new or continued violations for conventional oil and gas well abandonment in 2024 so far.

And that will not be all of them for this 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: All Medina Res Dev Co abandoned conventional wells.)

[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 - March 2 to 8 - 119 Conventional Well Abandonment Violations; Pipeline Land Slips; Ignored Orders  [PaEN]  

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 9 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 69 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 9 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]  

Related Articles This Week - Gas:

-- DEP Oil & Gas Advisory Board Meets March 19 On Drinking Water Supply Impacts From Drilling; New Financial Assurance Strategies To Prevent Abandonment; Draft Spill Policy; Injection Well Primacy; Much More  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Imposed $422,365 In Penalties On 14 Conventional Oil & Gas Well Operators In 2023 For Abandoning Wells, Spills, Venting Gas; 93 Operators Cited For Abandoning 271 Wells  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Declares 101 Medina Res Dev Co. LLC Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned, Not Plugged In Crawford, Erie Counties On March 5  [PaEN] 

-- New Reporting On The Uncontrolled Impacts Of Shale Gas Industry: The ‘Poisons Are Still Going Through My System;’ Roar, Fire From Gas Flares; Nothing Has Changed In 15 Years  [PaEN] 

-- US Senators Introduce Bill To Ban US LNG Gas Sales To Any Entity Under The Control Of Communist China To Protect US Jobs; Americans From Price Spikes; EQT Says We Have A ‘Duty’ To Provide LNG Gas To China; Where Do AMERICAN Interests Lie?  [PaEN] 

-- Marcellus Drilling News: ‘Selling Oil And Natural Gas To China?’ ‘It Simply Should Not Happen, Period’  [PaEN] 

-- Stars and Stripes Guest Essay: Pause On Permits For New LNG Gas Export Facilities Right Move For National Security - Rivals Like China Are Using US LNG To Build Influence - By Steve Anderson, US Army Brigadier General - Retired  [PaEN] 

-- EPA Region III Issues Formal Notice With Instructions On Appealing Penneco Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Allegheny County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Reports Progress On Permitting Reform; Reduces Permit Backlog By 41%  [PaEN]

NewsClips This Week - Gas:

-- WTAE: Concerns Over Flaring, Fracking In Cecil Twp., Washington County 

-- The Energy Age Blog: What Flaring At A Shale Gas Well Pad Looks Like From Your Bedroom Window, Same As It Did 15 Years Ago  [Welcome To Washington County] 

-- WTAE: Concerns Mounting Over Gas Leaks In Cecil Twp. Columbia Gas System In Washington County 

-- Reading Eagle: Kutztown Post Office Evacuated After Gas Leak

-- Warren Times: Company Confirms Malfunction At United Refinery Releases ‘Silica Material’ Coating Homes, Vehicles 

-- Erie News Now: United Refining Release Of Silica Dust Causes Concern In Warren [Video]

-- The Allegheny Front/PublicSource: Pittsburgh-Based EQT Gas Drilling Expansion In WV Sent 4 Families Reeling, While State Regulators Trusted The Company To Answer Their Complaints 

-- Reuters: Pittsburgh-based EQT To Reduce Gas Production Through March On Low Prices

-- Bloomberg: Natural Gas Prices Jump As EQT Slashes Output To Fight Glut 

-- LancasterOnline: Why UGI Gas Rates Going Down - Glut Of Gas, Mild Winter Lowering International Gas Prices

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Hearing Begin On Proposed Peoples Natural Gas Rate Increase Of Up To 21.4%

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: A Rescue Plan For American Energy And The Environment- Unleash Gas Production, Expand LNG Exports - By Dave McCormick, Republican US Senate Candidate  [No Support For Limiting LNG Exports To China ]

-- Williamsport Sun Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Needs To ‘Get Smarter’ About Natural Gas Production - PA Making Times Tougher On Natural Gas, Coal Industries - By Rep. Joe Hamm (R)     

-- Williamsport Sun Guest Essay: State Legislators Need To Become Better Informed About All Energy Issues - By Ralph Kisberg, Responsible Drilling Alliance

[Posted: March 7, 2024]  PA Environment Digest