PA Environment Digest Blog: PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 18 to 24 - 3 Abandoned, Plugged Shale Gas Wells Still Leaking Gas; 480 Abandoned Conventional Well NOVs

From May 18 to 24, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 334 inspection entries, fewer than usual perhaps due to Memorial Day holiday week.

So far this year, DEP took these actions as of May 17--

-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 30 conventional, 14 unconventional

-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 3,819 conventional and 439 unconventional

-- Enforcements 2024: 231 conventional and 61 unconventional

-- Inspections Last Week: 149 conventional and 328 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Inspections: 6,467 conventional and 9,736 unconventional

-- Wells Drilled Last Week: 3 conventional and 12 unconventional

-- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 54 conventional and 136 unconventional

2 Abandoned Conventions Well NOVs

On May 14, 2024, DEP did a routine inspection of the Floch 9 conventional well in West Shenango Township, Crawford County owned by Diamond Energy Partners LLC and found it abandoned and not plugged.

DEP’s inspection report included violations and requested the owner to submit a written report by June 14, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

On May 15, 2024, DEP inspected the CM Lemmon 3 conventional well in Jackson Township, Greene County owned by Zama Petro Inc. and found it abandoned and not plugged and venting gas.

DEP’s inspection report included violations and requested the owner to submit a write report by May 31, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

3 Abandoned, Plugged Shale Gas Wells Still Leaking Gas

On May 15, 2024, DEP inspected the Cernuska Shale Gas Well Pad owned by EQT Chap LLC in Jefferson Township, Greene County and found wells M07H and M08H abandoned and plugged, but were still venting gas.

The inspection found plugging operations were finished on both wells, but when the inspectors did a gas leak check they found the wells were venting gas and bubbling inside the well head.

DEP inspection report for M07H and inspection report for M08H requested the owner to submit a written report by May 30, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

On May 7, 2024, DEP inspected the Heuer Shale Gas Well Pad owned by Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC in Union Township, Tioga County and found well 1V abandoned and plugged, but was still venting gas.

DEP’s inspection report noted the plugging failed to comply with a May 11, 2022 consent order and agreement.

DEP requested the owner to submit a written report by June 15, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

480 Conventional, 8 Shale Gas Abandoned Well Violations In 2024

So far in 2024, DEP issued 480 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging wells; and 8 violations were issued to five shale gas well owners [Repsol OIl & Gas, EQT Chap LLC, M4 Energy, EQT (Rice Drilling B LLC) and Roulette Oil & Gas LLC)] for abandoning wells and not plugging wells.

Conventional Well Spills

On May 23, 2024, DEP did an inspection of the Gaydos 5 conventional well in Cumberland Township, Greene County owned by Diversified Prod LLC and found evidence of multiple spills around the well site.

The largest area of concern was around what appeared to be a leaking wastewater tank.

DEP noted Diversified was notified of the spills at 1:45 and Diversified reported the spills to DEP at 2:50 p.m.

DEP’s inspection report included multiple violations and requested the well owner to submit a written report by June 24, 2024 on how the well site will be brought into compliance.

On May 21, 2024, DEP reported it did an inspection of a conventional well owned by Bald Hill Oil. No well name was listed or location.

DEP reported it issued multiple violations for this well, including drilling, altering or operating a well without a permit and failure to comply with oil and gas regulations and failure to submit production, waste generation and well integrity reports.

The DEP eFACTS database shows Bald Hill Oil has permits for 96 conventional wells.

Shale Gas Well Pad Spills

On May 23, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection on the Mallory Shale Gas Well Pad in Plunketts Creek Township, Lycoming County owned by EQT ARO LLC and found wastewater spills found by DEP on March 1 and May 8 are not yet completely cleaned up.

Meanwhile, two well workover rigs are in operation on the well pad.

DEP’s inspection shows the violations remain outstanding. No follow-up actions required of the well owner.

On May 23, 2024, DEP did an inspection of the Bauer 849 Shale Gas Well Pad in Middlebury Township, Tioga County owned by Seneca Resources Co. LLC in response to a company notification of a spill.

A broken pipe fitting allowed production wastewater from a truck to spray wastewater over an unprotected part of the well pad from one of the 28 fracking water tanks on the pad. A partial cleanup of the area was underway.

DEP said the well driller was fracking seven wells on the pad at the time using the “zippering” method.

DEP’s inspection report included violations for the spill and suggested screening the impacted area for the additional contamination. No follow-up written report was requested.

2024 Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 131 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.

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: One of two EQT Chap LLC owned shale gas wells plugged, but still venting gas; Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC plugged shale gas well venting gas; Diversified Prod LLC leaking conventional wastewater tank)

[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 - May 18 to 24 - 3 Abandoned, Plugged Shale Gas Wells Still Leaking Gas; 480 Abandoned Conventional Well NOVs [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - May 25 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 81 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In May 25 PA Bulletin [PaEN]