PA Environment Digest Blog: DEP: Cleanup Continues At Repsol Shale Gas Well Pad After A Well Control Incident In July Caused A 34-Hour Uncontrolled Wastewater Release In Bradford County

An August 28 follow-up DEP inspection of the cleanup efforts at the Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC Broadleaf Holdings shale gas well pad in Troy Township, Bradford County found fluids were still being collected and removed offsite from a well control incident that resulted in a 34-hour uncontrolled wastewater release at the pad on July 13.

Fluids continue to be diverted from the well pad and a seep on the western corner fill slope of the pad into a lined drainage basin for removal.

Contaminated materials from remediation of areas around the pad had been removed from the site and the storage area was empty at the time of the inspection.

Contaminated areas around the well pad were hydroseeded for vegetative growth and temporary stabilization.

A borehole discovered under the former stormwater basin had a pipe installed to allow continued purging of contaminated water and sampling.

Work continued on drilling another groundwater monitoring well on the western corner of the pad. Four additional wells are planned downslope of the well pad.

The original violations issued on July 14, 2025 were continued.

Click Here for DEP’s August 28 inspection report with photos.

Well Control Incident

At 6:30 p.m on July 13, 2025, Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC reported a well control incident at the 7H shale gas well on the Broadleaf Holdings pad that caused the “uncontrolled release” of wastewater up the well casing to the pad surface. Read more here.

Efforts to control the pressure and prevent fluids from escaping all three well annuli failed for more than 34 hours until a second temporary plug was put in the well.

DEP’s Emergency Response Team arrived onsite at 6:30 a.m. on July 14 in response to a report at 7:45 p.m. on July 13 of a well control incident “halfway through the frac” of the 7H well and found wastewater had overtopped secondary containments.

Temporary berms were constructed along the edge of the well pad and down the pad slope to collect fluids.

“Numerous gravel berms were constructed on the pad surface to help prevent fluids from escaping the pad surface” but they failed in numerous spots.

Wastewater was also collected in a stormwater control basin on the western corner of the pad.

A second and third bench/trench were constructed below the first corner berm below the well pad fill slope the next day that directed wastewater into a stormwater control basin onsite.

DEP was onsite again July 15 at 10:00 a.m. for a follow-up inspection that found a temporary plug installed in the 7H well at 9:00 p.m. on July 14 failed to prevent the fluids from reaching the pad surface and “surging” was reported. July 15 DEP inspection report.

A second temporary plug was set in the 7H well at 5:00 a.m. on July 15 which stopped all fluids Read more here.

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 and Inspection Reports Viewer webpages to search their compliance records by date and owner.

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-- Fluids still being collected from the pad and a seep on the fill slope side of the pad; Distressed vegetation on the fill slope side of the pad; Row 2-- Hydroseeded areas where contaminated soil removed; Borehole configured to allow for purging of contaminated water and sampling.)

Resource Links:

-- DEP: Day 38 Of Cleanup: Borehole Found Under Stormwater Basin During Continuing Cleanup Of Repsol Shale Gas Well Pad After A 34-Hour Uncontrolled Wastewater Release In Bradford County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Cleanup Efforts Continue At Repsol Shale Gas Well Pad Where A Well Control Problem Caused An Uncontrolled Release Of Wastewater For 34 Hours In Bradford County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Shale Gas Well Control Problem Caused Uncontrolled Release Of Wastewater For Over 34 Hours At Repsol’s Broadleaf Holdings Well Pad In Troy Twp., Bradford County [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 6 to 12 - Disposing Of 4.6 Million Gallons Of Oil & Gas Wastewater; 18,000 Gallon Drilling Spill; Failure To Restore Pipeline Right-Of-Way - Again [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 13 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 82 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 13 PA Bulletin [PaEN]