The well-- Lewis Run Hudson Lease 2 OP 2-- is owned by Penn Resources, Inc. with a business address in the wealthy Philadelphia Main Line community of Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County.
DEP’s eFACTS database shows Penn Resources holds 13 permits for conventional oil and gas wells, all but three are listed as “inactive,” including the well being plugged.
Conventional well owners often put their wells in “inactive” status on the road to abandoning them.
DEP records show none of the 13 conventional wells were issued permits by DEP and that this well was not inspected prior to April 26, 2024.
Only one other well owned by Penn Resources-- Dent 215-- was inspected by DEP-- on August 22, 1995 (violations for unpermitted discharge of wastewater, drill cuttings, oil spills) and January 2, 1997 (violation for improperly drill cutting disposal).
The well problems at Lewis Run Hudson Lease 2 OP 2 were first identified on April 26, 2024 when DEP did an inspection of the Lewis Run conventional well in response to a homeowner complaint of oil and gas leaking from the well. [DEP 4/26/24 inspection report]
DEP confirmed the well was leaking oil and water around in the casing in the front yard of the complainant’s home and “stressing” the vegetation.
On June 6, 2024, DEP returned to the property at the landowner’s request to discuss the condition of the well. [DEP 6/6/24 inspection report]
DEP noted the area of distressed vegetation had expanded noticeably and the well was “actively leaking” gas, oil and wastewater.
“The landowner also expressed concerns over the effects this well will have on the neighbor's yard. The smell of oil and gas is present inside the landowner's home.”
At some point after the June inspection, DEP made the decision that the problems with the well were serious enough to plug it using taxpayer funds.
On September 9, 2024, DEP began the emergency plugging operation with Cline Plugging and Well Services LLC to plug the well. [DEP 9.9.24 inspection report]
As of September 17, 2024, DEP’s contractor is still drilling through the concrete plug in the well and is at a depth of 30 feet. [DEP 9/17/24 inspection report]
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.
Use DEP’s Oil and Gas Mapping Tool to find if there are oil and gas wells near or on your property and to find wells using latitude and longitude on well inspection reports.
(Photos: Row 1-- Well as it looked on initial inspection; Well impact area expanded six weeks later; Row 2-- Emergency well plugging begins with digging out around the well (2); Drill cuttings shown in hand; Drill rig and equipment on the site.)
Upcoming Events
-- September 24-- Center For Coalfield Justice Hosts Program In Washington County On Increasing Setbacks From Oil & Gas Infrastructure
PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- Homeowner Complaint Results In DEP Emergency Plugging Of A Penn Resources, Inc. Conventional Oil Well Leaking Gas, Oil, Wastewater In McKean County [PaEN]
-- DEP Discovers Wastewater Spill From Conventional Oil/Gas Well That Could Be Seen From Google Earth In Armstrong County As A Result Of A Complaint [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 21 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 77 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 21 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week - Gas:
-- Exploding Water Well Shed Triggers DEP Investigation Of 59+ Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Cyclone, McKean County; Highlights Limits On Providing Temporary Water For Well Owners Impacted [PaEN]
-- Cecil Township, Washington County Posts Proposed Ordinance Increasing Setbacks From Shale Gas Well Pads Of 2,500 Feet From Homes, Businesses; 5,000 Feet From Schools, Hospitals; Nov. 4 Hearing, Meeting Set [PaEN]
-- Environmental Health Project: State Dept. Of Health Progress On Implementing Recommendations After Pitt Health Studies Show Impacts From Shale Gas Development ‘Extremely Limited’ [PaEN]
-- Protect PT: Westmoreland Landfill Surrenders Air Quality Permit For An Evaporator System To Dispose Of Leachate Wastewater Impacted By Shale Gas Drilling Waste [PaEN]
-- Del-Chesco United For Pipeline Safety: Texas Explosion Shows Communities In PA With Energy Transfer's Mariner East Pipeline And Other Pipelines Are Vulnerable To The Same Unmitigated Risk From Unsecured Pipeline Valves [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved, Renewed 24 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In August; 212 General Permits So Far In 2024 [PaEN]
-- Allegheny Institute For Public Policy: Counties, Municipalities Need To ‘Begin Lowering Their Expectations’ On The Support From Shale Gas Industry Drilling Impact Fee [PaEN]
-- Utility Dive: North American Electric Reliability Corp Sounds Alarm Over Maintaining Sufficient Winter Natural Gas Supplies To Address Extreme Winter Conditions; PA Gas Producers Cutting Production, Pulling Drill Rigs [PaEN]
-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs At 14, Same As Last Week - Down 33% Since Aug. 23 [Industry Efforts To Increase Natural Gas Prices Continue]
NewsClips:
-- The Energy Age Blog: North Fayette Residents Raise Concerns About Proposed Range Resources Fracking Site In Allegheny County
-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Scientists Skeptical Of CNX Claim Its Fracking ‘Poses No Public Health Risks’
-- TheDailyClimate.org: Residents Say Pennsylvania Has Failed Communities After State Studies Linked Shale Gas Fracking To Child Cancer
-- Inside Climate News - Kiley Bense: Eureka Resources Oil/Gas Wastewater Treatment Company Struggles Raise Questions About The Future Of Lithium Extraction From Oil/Gas Wastewater
-- Sierra Club Magazine: Plants & Goodwin Racing To Fix Pennsylvania’s Leaking Conventional Oil & Gas Wells
-- Warren Times Editorial: There Isn’t Enough Money To Plug All Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned By Conventional Well Owners, Must Use Funds In A Cost-Effective Way
-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Peoples Natural Gas Customers To See 12% Rate Increase This Month, With More Increases On The Way
-- The Energy Age Blog: Peoples Natural Gas Customers Will See 12% Rate Increase This Month - More Increases On The Way!
-- New York Times: Big Energy Issue In Pennsylvania Is Low Natural Gas Prices, Not Fracking; PA Has Gas Glut; Drillers Throttling Production [PDF of Article]
-- Bloomberg: AI Boom Is Driving A Surprise Resurgence Of US Gas-Fired Power Plants [Not In PA]
-- Food & Water Watch: Explosion Of Energy Transfer Natural Gas Liquids Pipeline In Texas Highlights Company’s Terrible Safety Record In Pennsylvania
-- WFMJ/AP: Energy Transfer Natural Gas Liquids Pipeline Fire That Burned For 4 Days Now Out In Houston
-- Bloomberg: Human Remains Found In Vehicle Involved In Energy Transfer Natural Gas Liquids Pipeline Fire In Houston
[Posted: September 19, 2024] PA Environment Digest
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