So far this year-- as of April 19-- DEP reported--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 85 conventional, 4 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 2,983 conventional and 340 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2024: 183 conventional and 45 unconventional
-- Inspections Last Week: 353 conventional and 235 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 5,069 conventional and 7,871 unconventional
-- Wells Drilled Last Week: 4 conventional and 6 unconventional
-- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 39 conventional and 112 unconventional
16 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations
On April 18, 2024, DEP inspected the AH Elliott conventional well in Washington Township, Fayette County owned by Greensboro Gas Co in response to a complaint and found it to be abandoned and not plugged.
The well was also venting gas to the atmosphere through a wooden plug in the wellhead that produced a hazard to public health and safety.
The inspector also found evidence of the well leaking fluid around the wellhead.
The owner failed to submit a mechanical integrity report on the well.
DEP’s eFACTS database shows Greensboro Gas Co has 168 conventional oil and gas well permits-- all listed as abandoned.
DEP’s inspection report included violations for these failures and requested the owner to submit a written report by May 23, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.
On April 22, 2024, DEP inspected the Harry Shaw 1301 conventional well in Plum Borough, Allegheny County owned by Peoples Natural Gas Co LLC and found the well continues to be abandoned and not plugged.
DEP issued the original violation for abandonment on March 8, 2023.
DEP’s inspection report continued the violations and requested the owner to submit a written report by May 23, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.
On April 24, 2024, DEP inspected the Barber 1 conventional well in Luzerne Township, Fayette County owned by Fortress Energy Corp and found it to be abandoned and not plugged.
DEP’s eFACTS database shows Fortress Energy Corp holds 24 conventional oil and gas well permits all listed as active or “never materialized.”
DEP’s inspection report includes abandonment violations and requests the owner to submit a written report by May 24, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.
On April 24, 2023, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the Detwiler Unit 1 conventional well in Springfield Township, Fayette County owned by Oil & Gas Mgmt Inc. and found it to be abandoned and not plugged.
The original violation was issued on January 24, 2024 and the well owner has failed to respond.
DEP’s inspection report continues the violation and requests the owner to submit a written report by May 1, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.
On April 24, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the Brodak 3 conventional gas well in East Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County owned by Questa Petro Co. and found it to be abandoned and not plugged and venting gas to the atmosphere.
The owner also failed to submit a well mechanical integrity report, a violation originally issued on March 7, 2023.
DEP’s eFACTS database shows Questa Petro Co holds 379 conventional oil and gas well permits-- 3 are listed as abandoned (not this one), 36 inactive status and the remainder active or “never materialized.”
DEP’s inspection report includes violations for these failures and requests the owner to submit a written report by May 24, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.
On April 25, 2024, DEP did follow-up inspections at Kinley 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 conventional wells in Cornplanter Township, Venango County owned by Dannic Energy Corp and found them all to be abandoned and not plugged.
The original violations for abandonment were issued on or about March 8, 2023 and the owner has taken no action in response to the violations.
DEP’s eFACTS database shows Dannic Energy Corp has 836 conventional oil and gas well permits, six are listed as abandoned, some as “never materialized” and all others as active,
DEP’s inspection report [Kinley 1 example] continued the violations and requested the owner-- again-- to submit a written report by May 24, 2024 on how the wells would be brought into compliance.
On April 24, 2024, DEP inspected two conventional wells in Summit Township, Butler County in response to a complaint from the property owner the wells were abandoned and not plugged-- owner unknown.
DEP’s inspection report (not online) said an abandoned well workbook was completed.
DEP inspections last week identified more abandoned and not plugged wells with unknown owners in--
-- Shaler Township, Allegheny County
-- Rome Township, Crawford County
-- Richhill Township, Greene County
-- Mahoning Township, Lawrence County
-- Fallowfield Township, Washington County
-- Hanover Township, Washington County
-- Bell Township, Westmoreland County
-- Murrysville Borough, Westmoreland County
1 Abandoned Shale Gas Well
On April 17, 2024, DEP did an inspection at the Guardian Shale Gas Well Pad in Hebron Township, Potter County owned by Roulette Oil & Gas LLC and found the well to be abandoned and not plugged.
The original violations related to abandonment were issued on January 3, 2024.
DEP said the well owner Jim Reynolds was at the inspection and was expected to submit a request for an extension of Inactive Well Status for the well.
DEP’s inspection report said the Inactive Status application would address the abandonment violations [if approved by DEP].
DEP’s inspection report had no followup actions for the well owner, but the violations were continued.
443 Conventional, 1 Shale Gas Abandoned Well Violations In 2024
So far in 2024, DEP issued 443 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well owners and 1 shale gas well owner for abandoning wells and not plugging wells.
2 Shale Gas Wells Venting Gas
On April 18, 2024, DEP inspected the Bauer 849 Shale Gas Well Pad in Middlebury Township, Tioga County owned by Seneca Resources Co LLC in response to an April 17 report from the company that there was “the presence of combustible gas (60 bubbles a minute) outside the surface casing string” of two wells- 66HU and 69HU.
Well 66HU
The inspector used a methane meter and found gas venting at 100% of the “lower explosion limit” from the surface casing, 100% of the lower explosion limit from the intermediate casing and 64% of the lower explosion limit from the production casing.
DEP’s inspector explained-- “Please note that, because Seneca provided a self-reported notification, no violation was cited for 25 Pa. Code §78a.86 (defective cement), for the annuli where combustible gas was detected during this inspection.”
DEP’s inspection report includes a violation for failure to prevent gas flow in the annulus. “In areas of known shallow gas producing zones, gas block additives and low fluid loss slurries shall be used.”
The operator was requested to submit a written report by May 17, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.
Well 69HU
The inspector used a methane meter and found gas venting at 21% of the “lower explosion limit” from the surface casing and at 100% of the lower explosion limit from the production casing.
DEP’s inspector also explained-- “Please note that, because Seneca provided a self-reported notification, no violation was cited for 25 Pa. Code §78a.86 (defective cement), for the annuli where combustible gas was detected during this inspection.”
DEP’s inspection report includes a violation for failure to prevent gas flow in the annulus. “In areas of known shallow gas producing zones, gas block additives and low fluid loss slurries shall be used.”
The operator was requested to submit a written report by May 17, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.
Conventional Wells Venting Gas
On April 22, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the Robert Lytle 1 conventional gas well in Harborcreek Township, Erie County owned by Robert P. Lytle as part of an ongoing gas migration complaint.
DEP found the well was being plugged due to well integrity issues.
DEP’s inspection report documented well plugging progress observed during the inspection.
On April 23, 2023, DEP inspected the Kiefer 001 conventional gas well in West Pike Run Township, Washington County owned by Kriebel Natural Gas Co LLC and found it was venting gas in a manner which does not protect health, safety, environment and property.
DEP noted the well is “plumbed for house gas use.”
DEP’s inspection report includes violations for this offense and requests the owner to submit a written report by May 8, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.
Shale Gas Well Pad Act 2 Cleanup Report Disapproved
On April 17, 2024, DEP issued a letter of disapproval for the Remedial Investigation and Final Report under Act 2 Land Recycling Program for a spill at the Chesapeake Appalachia LLC Indian Foot Shale Gas Well Pad in Albany Township, Bradford County.
DEP issued the original violations for the spill on December 27, 2023. [DEP inspection report]
DEP’s deficiency letter said Chesapeake did not prove it met the manganese Statewide Health Standard. The well pad owner will have the opportunity to resubmit the Final Report with updates.
Conventional Well Spill
On April 23, 2024, DEP inspected the Chambers 1 conventional well in Richhill Township, Greene County owned by BB Mulvaney as part of an abandoned/orphan well survey.
DEP found evidence of releases at the site, including pooled wastewater at a storage tank.
DEP’s inspection report includes violations related to the release and requests the owner to submit a written report by May 10, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.
2024 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups
So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 111 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups. These numbers do not include conventional oil and gas well cleanups because they rarely use the Act 2 process.
Failed Erosion & Sedimentation Controls
On April 19, 2024, DEP inspected the Anomaly Digs Pipeline Project owned by Enterprise TE Prod Pipeline Co LLC in Union Township, Clearfield County at the request of the Clearfield County Conservation District and documented failed erosion and sedimentation controls.
Violations were issued for the failure of the BMP controls and for failure to restore the pipeline construction site.
DEP’s inspection report requested the owner to submit a written report by May 10, 2024 on how the site will be brought into compliance.
On April 22, 2024, DEP inspected the Mankey 881 conventional well site in Morris Township, Greene County owned by Consol PA Coal Co LLC and found the well was in the process of being plugged.
DEP, however, observed multiple failures of erosion and sedimentation controls and slope failures at the site.
DEP’s inspection report includes violations for the infractions and requests the owner to submit a written report by May 13, 2024-- including a Geotechnical Report-- on how the well site will be brought into compliance.
Shale Gas Wells Failed To Submit Waste/Integrity Reports
On April 22, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to Nucomer Energy LLC for failure to submit monthly production and waste generation and disposal reports since August 31, 2023 for two shale gas wells (1H and 2H) at the DR02 well pad in Hickory Township, Forest County.
The violation also said the company failed to file annual mechanical integrity reports for the same two shale gas wells (1H and 2H).
DEP’s notice of violation requested the well owner to submit the required reports within 30 days-- May 17, 2024.
Failure To Submit Well Integrity Reports
On April 17, 2024, DEP inspected the Gouker 1 & 2 and Stimak 1 conventional wells in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County owned by Dorso LP and found the owner did not submit annual mechanical integrity reports.
DEP’s inspection report [Gouker 1 example] requested the owner to submit a written report by April 26, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.
Report Violations
To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.
Text photos and the location of abandoned wells to 717-788-8990.
Check These Resources
Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database webpage to search their compliance records by date and owner 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- BB Mulvaney conventional well wastewater spill; Peoples Natural Gas Co LLC abandoned conventional well; Kriebel Natural Gas Co LLC conventional well venting gas; Robert P. Lytle conventional well plugging due to well integrity issues; Row 2- Enterprise TE Prod Pipeline Co LLC failure of erosion & sedimentation controls on pipeline right-of-way construction; Greensboro Gas Co abandoned conventional gas well; Dorso LP failed to submit well integrity report on this conventional well; Row 3- Seneca Resources Co LLC shale gas wells #66 and #69 leaking gas; Dannic Energy Corp one of 11 abandoned conventional wells cited by DEP; Fortress Energy Corp abandoned conventional well; Questa Petro Co abandoned conventional 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 Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - April 27 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 93 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 27 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week - Gas:
-- Witness At Senate Hearing On Oil & Gas Wastewater Road Dumping Reports Her Home Has Been Surrounded By Dumping; Dumping Again On The Upswing In 2024 [PaEN]
-- Clean Air Council/Sierra Club: PA Falling Behind In Conventional Oil & Gas Well Plugging Bonding; Burden Falls On Taxpayers [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Inquirer Guest Essay: You Don’t Need To ‘Sacrifice’ Chester For Europe’s LNG Gas Security - By Lisa Badum, Member Of German Bundestag Since 2017
-- Williamsport Sun Guest Essay: Lift The LNG Gas Permit Ban [On New Gas Export Facilities] - By David Callahan, Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition [Coalition Wants To Ship PA Gas To Our Competitor China ]
-- Beaver County Times: Shell Charged For Falcon Pipeline Spills During Plant Construction
-- Penn State Researchers Estimate Methane Emissions Potential Of Decommissioned Shale Gas Wells
-- HartEnergy.com: CNX, Other Appalachian Gas Producers Slash Production, Deferring Well Completions As Gas Prices Hover Near Record Lows
-- Reuters: EQT Extends Output Curbs As Natural Gas Prices Stay Low
-- Public Source: EQT Says Fracked Gas Is A Climate Solutions, But Scientists Call That Deceptive Greenwashing
-- NorthcentralPA.com: EQT Gas Invites Applications For PA Qrew Camps For Students Grades 9-11 To Teach about Natural Gas Industry, Careers
-- Marcellus Drilling News: Ohio Oil & Gas Commission Votes To Shut Down 3 Athens Wastewater Injection Wells
-- Cleveland.com: Ohio Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Leaked Waste For Years Before State Finally Stopped It
-- Marcellus Drilling News: Ohio Court Orders PA’s Austin Master Services To Cleanup Martins Ferry Oil & Gas Wastewater Plant
[Posted: April 27, 2024] PA Environment Digest
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