Source Of 19-Day-Old Oil Discharge Into Allegheny River In Venango County Still A Mystery; Recreators Asked To Avoid The Area

As of September 4, the source of a continuing oil discharge into the Allegheny River discovered August 16 in Sandycreek Township, Venango County is still a mystery, but efforts continue to contain the spill and investigate the source by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Environmental Protection.

On August 16, 2024, DEP notified EPA of oil discharging from an unknown source along the shore line of the Allegheny River. 

A rainbow sheen was visible for approximately half a mile and was reported as far down as the Fisherman’s Cove Boat Launch.   

The discharge is located near the Sandy Creek Trail.

Initial responders, including Venango County Emergencies Services, installed sorbent boom in the river, along the approximate 200 foot by 10 foot oil stained area of the shoreline.

The responders also dug 3 to 4 small test pits approximately 1 to 1.5 feet deep within the stained area which filled with an oil/water mix.  The mix appeared to be a weathered, dark oil, potentially crude oil, according to EPA.

According to inspection reports posted by DEP, the agency also inspected known oil wells near the site of the spill. Metal detectors were used to survey for any buried well casings.

EPA said while the source of the discharge has not yet been located, the steps taken to contain the discharge have been successful in recovering approximately 1,000 gallons of the oil/water which is being sent off-site for recycling.

EPA, its contractors, and DEP are continuing source investigation activities. 

A geophysical survey of the area will be performed to help locate potential oil wells, and the pathway of the oil to the Allegheny River. 

EPA will continue to maintain its containment measures and collect oil for off-site disposal.

Avoid The Area

EPA asks recreators using the bike trail to please be mindful of the active work area. EPA also asks boaters in the vicinity of the discharge to please minimize wake and maintain a safe distance from the booming location.

Click Here for an EPA fact sheet on the spill.

Visit EPA's Franklin PA Mystery Oil Discharge webpage for more information and updates.

(Photos: From EPA fact sheet.)

NewsClips:

-- The Derrick: Work Continues To Resolve Oil Seepage Into River In Sandycreek Township  [8.21.24]

-- The Derrick: Unknown Amount Of Oil Spilled In Allegheny River [8.20.24]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Aug. 31 to Sept. 6 - Mystery Oil Leak Into Allegheny River; Holes In Shale Gas Casing; 65 Days Late In Plugging Conventional Well  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 7 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 48 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 7 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

-- DEP Permitting Efficiency: 20,595 Permits Since 11/2023; Decisions On 16,745;  Zero  Currently Eligible For PAyback Did Not Meet Decision Deadlines; No Application Fees Refunded [9.6.24]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Abandoned Well Citizen Expert Laurie Barr, University Of Pennsylvania Prof. Jennifer Wilcox Recognized On The Grist 50 List [PaEN] 

-- Sen. Comitta: New PUC Pipeline Safety Regulations To Be Published As Final This Month For Public Utility Hazardous Liquid Pipelines  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Health Project: CNX Resources Claims Shale Gas Drilling Poses No Public Health Risks Are ‘Misleading, Irresponsible, Dangerous’  [PaEN] 

-- Cecil Township Proposes 2,500 Foot Setback Ordinance From Oil & Gas Infrastructure For Sept. 4 Hearing In Washington County  [PaEN]

-- Center For Coalfield Justice Hosts Sept. 24 Program In Washington County On Increasing Setbacks From Oil & Gas Infrastructure  [PaEN]

-- US Dept. Of Interior Approves $76.4 Million To Plug Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Pennsylvania; 1,234 Violations For Abandoning Conventional Wells In Last 20 Months  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Defense Fund, Moms Clean Air Force To Hold Public Meetings In 3 Northwest PA Counties On A Project To Test New Methods Of Locating Abandoned Conventional Oil, Gas Wells  [PaEN] 

-- Source Of 19-Day-Old Oil Discharge Into Allegheny River In Venango County Still A Mystery; Recreators Asked To Avoid The Area  [PaEN] 

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Dropped 2 More Last Week To 16; Nearly 25% Drop In 2 Weeks 

-- DEP’s Oil & Gas Workload Report shows during the week ending August 30, DEP received Zero new permit applications for conventional wells and Three new permit applications for shale gas wells. 

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports 2nd Quarter PA Natural Gas Production Dropped To Lowest Level Since 2020; Number Of PA Drilling Rigs Drop By Nearly 25% In 2 Weeks As A Result Of Drillers Trying To Raise The Price Of Gas  [PaEN] 

-- Center for Coalfield Justice Blog: Update On Underground Longwall Coal Mining In Greene, Washington Counties; Next DEP Report On Longwall Impacts Due… Soon  [PaEN]

-- PUC Invites Comments On Accelerated Removal, Replacement Of Older Plastic Pipe In Natural Gas Distribution Systems  [PaEN] 

NewsClips This Week:

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: PA To Receive $76 Million To Plug Hundreds Of Abandoned Conventional Oil, Gas Wells; DEP Holds Workshops On New Plugging Grants

-- Earthworks: Radically Misleading - Gov. Shapiro’s Dangerous Partnership With CNX Resources Nurts Communities, Ignores The Facts

-- Inquirer - Will Bunch: Everything You Know From TV About Pennsylvania And Fracking Is Wrong

-- Reuters: Anadarko, Other Natural Gas Companies Defeat Federal Lawsuit In PA Over Royalty Payments

-- Marcellus Drilling News: UGI Seeks To Temporarily Store LNG Gas In Trailers In Scranton Suburb During Winter  [PDF of Article] 

-- Scranton Times: UGI Claims Dickson City Boro Has No Jurisdiction Over Plan To Store LNG Gas In Trailers

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: Erie Manufacturer & Business Assn. Questions Biden’s Pause On Permits For New LNG Gas Export Facilities [Court Ended Pause July 1; PA Shale Gas Desperate To Sell Gas To Our Competitor China To Support Their Economy, Will That Help PA Manufacturing? ]

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Energy And Labor Are Both Needed To Power PA’s Future - By Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition & PA State Building Trades Union  PA Shale Gas Desperate To Sell Gas To Our Competitor China To Support Their Economy, Will That Help PA Manufacturing?]

-- US EIA: North America’s LNG Gas Export Capacity On Track To More Than Double By 2028

-- Utility Dive: Ratepayer Advocates Urge PJM To Include Power Plants With ‘Reliability-Must-Run’ Contracts In Next Electricity Auction; Would Have Lowered Overall Cost Of Last Auction By $5 Billion 

-- Utility Dive: Reregulation?  How Utilities And States Are Responding To PJM’s Record Electricity Capacity Prices [Part 1 of 3] 

-- Utility Dive: PJM Considers Fast-Track Review For Shovel-Ready Electric Generation Projects [Part 2 of 3] 

-- Utility Dive: Increasing Capacity Of Existing Generation, Batteries, Demand Response May Offer Near-Term Responses To Record PJM Electricity Auction Prices [Part 3 of 3] 

-- Bloomberg: High Natural Gas, Other Fossil Fuel Use Highlights US Challenge To Clean Energy Transition

-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Approach Oversold Zone After 3-Day Sell-Off 

-- Reuters: US LNG Gas Export Dominance Tested As Europe’s Demand Wilts

-- Reuters: US Regulators OK First Step To Start New Louisiana LNG Gas Export Facility

-- Bloomberg: DOE Approves New Fortress Energy LNG Gas Export Facility In Mexico 

-- US EIA: North America’s LNG Gas Export Capacity On Track To More Than Double By 2028 

-- The Guardian: How An LNG As Export Facility Project Along The Gulf Coast Is Upending Residents’ Lives

[Posted: September 4, 2024]  PA Environment Digest