Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between December 20 to 26--
Click Here for violations issued. Click Here for inspection entries.
[Note: There were many more violations issued by DEP than PA Environment Digest can highlight here.]
Enforcement Actions Taken Last Week
So far this year, DEP took these actions as of December 19--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 65 conventional, 14 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 5,702 conventional and 1,258 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 405 conventional and 166 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 322 conventional and 583 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 20,140 conventional and 25,433 unconventional
Monroe Energy Reported 378,000 Gasoline Spill In Delaware County
On December 23, the Department of Environmental Protection issued an administrative order to Monroe Energy’s MIPC, LLC to develop an interim cleanup plan and start a thorough investigation at its Chelsea Pipeline Station and Tank Farm in Aston, Bethel, and Upper Chichester townships, Delaware County, as a result of a gasoline leak reported from the tank farm.
In addition, MIPC must provide bottled water to residents within 1,000 feet of the facility who utilize private drinking water wells until the extent of contamination is determined.
DEP learned from MIPC on December 17, 2025, that gasoline that leaked from a tank within its property in August 2025 may have released up to 378,000 gallons of fuel.
MIPC is currently reporting no known offsite impacts and has been inspecting the unnamed tributary to Marcus Hook Creek. Read more here.
MarkWest Midstream Reports 2 More Pipeline Construction Fluid Releases Into Mine Voids
On December 19 and 22, the Department of Environmental Protection was notified by MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC that horizontal drilling operations on the construction of the shale gas-related Chiarelli to Imperial pipeline resulted in losses in 45,000 gallons of drilling fluids into coal mine voids under Mount Pleasant Township, Washington County.
MarkWest reported at least 10 incidents with a total of 521,600 gallons of drilling fluids lost to abandoned mines since this project began since the first losses on October 27. Read more here.
Allegheny National Forest Doing Superfund Assessment Of American Refining Group Oil & Gas Properties
On December 26, the Warren Times Observer reported the US Forest Service is conducting a federal Superfund environmental assessment of the pollution left behind at oil and gas facilities abandoned by American Refining Group [ARG Resources, Inc.] in Highland Township, Elk County.
The Warren Times said the Forest Service is coordinating with the US Environmental protection and the Department of Environmental protection on the assessment and possible cleanup work. Read more here.
10 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations
Diversified Prod LLC [2,478 Days]
December 18, 2025 compliance violation of the Thompason/Bloniarz 1 and Yasenosky 2 conventional wells in Georges and Nicholson Townships, Fayette County and found them in violation of a March 7, 2019 DEP Consent Order requiring the wells to be plugged and site site fully restored by November 17, 2025. New violation issued for failure to comply with a DEP order. Response requested by January 7.
Amer Natural Resources LLC [2,202 Days]
December 22, 2025 compliance evaluation of the Grove/Crambo 1 (Ohio Twp.), Grove/Crambo 2 (Ohio Twp.), Merle Minick 1 (Aleppo Twp.), Merle Minick 2 (Aleppo Twp.), John Lenzner 1 (Ohio Twp.) and John Straka 2 (Glenfield Boro) conventional wells in Allegheny County found the wells continued to be abandoned and not plugged. The owner remains in violation of a plugging order issued on December 12, 2019 and again on March 27, 2025.. Original violation for failing to comply with order issued on September 24, 2025. Violations continued. No response requested of the owner. DEP inspection report example. Amer Natural Resources holds 49 permits.
Bemorich Inc. [684 Days]
December 16, 2025 follow-up inspection of the American Window 1 conventional well in Washington Township, Fayette County found the well still abandoned, not plugged and venting gas. Owner did not submit annual production (most recent report 2015), waste generation or well integrity (most recent report 2018) reports. Original abandonment violation issued February 1, 2024. Violations continued. Response requested by January 2. DEP inspection report Bemorich holds 2 permits.
Tombuco Inc.
December 22, 2025 inspection of the McCalmont 69 conventional oil and gas well in Butler Township, Butler County found the well abandoned and not plugged. Owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Well was never inspected. Violations issued. Response requested by January 12. DEP inspection report. Tombuco holds 4 permits, including one other abandoned well.
685 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations In 2025
So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 685 violations to 131 conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells.
In 2024, DEP issued 860 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells.
The violations were issued to these conventional owners in 2025: 3D Resources LLC ; All American Energy Inc.; Allegany Resource Dev LLC; Amer Natural Resources LLC; WB Anderson; Apex Energy (PA), LLC; Apollo Resources LLC; ARG Resources Inc.; Baird Oil Co.; Carol A. Morrison Baker; Baron Crest Energy Co.; Bemorich Inc.; Bialy Gas Production LLC; Blackrock Enterprises LLC; Darrel B. Blauser; JJ Bucher Producing Corp; Chris E. Burke; Timothy Cignetti; Cobra Resources LLC; Cohen IND Inc.; Consolidated Coal Co.; Dorothy Craft; Edward E. & Frederick J. Craig; Edward E. Craig; Norbert J. Cross; Crude A Co - Randy L. Larkin; Dannic Energy Corp.; Harold H. Davis; Lewis E. Davis; Paul H. Deeter; Delong Oil Inc.; Developed Resources, Inc.; Randy A. Dietterich; Diversified Production LLC; East Resources Inc.; Eastern Gas Trans & Storage Inc.; Eastern Natural Resources LLC; Elder Oil & Gas Co; Equitrans LP; EQT Production Co.; Exotic Oil & Gas LLC; Ex-Treme Oil And Gas LLC; Five Star Investment Group Inc.; Lee Ghere; Glade Resource Developers; Greenway Energy LLC; Harvey E. Gutmo; H & S Gas & Oil; Michael Harju; Donald S. Kelly; Harry L. King; Hyde Park Foundry & Mach Co; Thomas A. Hodge; Horizontal Exploration LLC; Howard Drilling Inc.; Robert L. Hunter; Iron Pennsylvania Land LLC; Donald Jeannerett; JPS Lawncare & Landscaping; K Petroleum Inc.; Mary Jane Katchmark; Keystone Crude LLC; Raymond J. Kaufman; Kiski Valley Gas Co.; Kriebel Natural Gas Co LLC; Claudia A. & John P. Lampman; Raymond D. Langer; Lazy Oil Company; Leechburg Gas Co.; Manufacturers Light & Heat Co; Calvin & Julia McCutcheon; Marco Drilling Inc.; Medina Res Dev. Co LLC; David H. Melat Co; Mid East Oil Co.; MTN Energy; MTN V Oil & Gas Inc.; Ronald D. Meyer; Charles E. Myers; Myers Gas; James J. & Wendelin H. Neff; Charles F. & Rita M. Niederriter; Niche Energy LLC; Northwestern Well SVC Inc.; Nucomer Energy LLC; Ohio Kentucky Oil Corp. ; Oil & Gas MGMT Co. LLC; Old MTN Gas Co. Inc.; OneXXX Prod & Exploration Corp.; Ows Acquisition Co. LLC; PPP Future Dev Inc.; PA Mineral SVCS LLC; Robert Lee Pennington; PBS Coals Inc; Raymond J. Patten; Pecora Enterprises; Pencan Explorations Inc.; Penta Oil Corp.; Robert F. Phipps; Pillar Energy PA, LLC; Pin Oak Energy Partners, LLC; The Production Co. LLC; Prosperity Oil Co. Inc.; Red Lion Gas Coop Assn; Reel Resources, Inc; Riyan Farm & Gas LLC; Raymond Sawyer; Rock Oil Resources, LLC; Rocksauce OPR LLC; Rocky Valley Gas & Oil Corp; Fred C. Scheel; SK Opr Inc.; Larry A. Shaffer Jr.; FM Sloan Inc.; Lyle D. Smith; Andrew F. Suchko; S R Star O&G LLC ; Steele Molar Holdings LLC; Stockman LLC; Stonehaven Energy MGT Co. LLC; Stone Ridge Energy LLC; Andrew F. Suchko; Griffin Summit Oil Company; Thomas Thurma Jean; TI Brook Inc.; Timberline Energy, Inc.; Tombuco Inc.; Mervin Troyer; Valley Green Golf & Country Club, Inc.; Vessels Coal Gas Inc.; Walker Oil Prod Inc.; Washington Energy Co LLC; West Silas; Ronald Wise; Mary A. Woodring; Woodward Inc.; and Zurn IND LLC.
Conventional Well Spill/Releases
Minard Run Oil Co
December 22, 2025 inspection of Allegheny National Forest Warrant 5107 25P conventional well in Jenks Township, Forest County in response to a notification of a crude oil release from a pipeline rupture. The crude oil traveled down a road ditch for 20 feet, across the road through a culvert and flowed downhill into a spring ultimately entering Guiton Run (High Quality) after traveling 150 feet. Pockets of crude oil were found in Guiton Run for about 1,400 feet. Remediation measures were installed at various locations in the path of the release to stop the flow. A repair crew was onsite to fix the pipeline. Violations issued. Response requested by January 14. DEP inspection report. Minard holds 4,610 permits, including 390 abandoned wells.
2025 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups
So far in 2025, DEP received or acted on 177 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups. Read more here.
Shale Gas Casing/Cement Failures
Chesapeake Appalachia LLC [2,335 Days]
December 19, 2025 administrative review of the McGraw WYO 1H shale gas well, 5H shale gas wells in Washington Township, Wyoming County as part of a monitoring program for casing/cementing failures found the presence of gas was still detected. Original violations issued on July 29, 2019. Wells drilled in 2014 and 2010. Violations and monitoring will continue.
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.
(Photo: Row 1-- Monroe Energy’s MIPC, LLC tank farm gasoline spill area; MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC pipeline construction loses into mine voids now totals 521,600 gallons; Row 2-- US Forest Service assessing American Refining Group oil and gas sites under Superfund; Tombuco Inc. abandoned conventional well; Minard Run Oil Co crude oil spill from ruptured conventional pipeline, Minard owns 390 abandoned wells; Bemorich Inc. did not plug abandoned conventional well for 684 days.)
[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:
-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard- Dec. 20 to 26 [PaEN]
-- DEP: MarkWest Liberty Midstream Shale Gas Pipeline Drilling Fluid Losses To Mine Voids Climbs To Over 521,600 Gallons In Washington County [PaEN]
-- Warren Times: US Forest Service Conducting Federal Superfund Pollution Assessment Of Abandoned American Refining Group Oil & Gas Facilities In Allegheny National Forest [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - December 27 [PaEN]
-- DEP To Host Jan. 6 Public Information Meeting On Water Quality Permits For The A.I. Data Center Proposal In Archbald Boro, Lackawanna County [Some Of The 84 Data Center Buildings Proposed In NE PA] [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For Daylighting 3 CNX Midstream Natural Gas Pipelines To Prevent Damage From Longwall Coal Mining In Washington County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage Water Quality Permits For 13.1 Mile Natural Gas Pipeline Replacement Project In Armstrong, Westmoreland Counties [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Renewal Of Title V Air Quality Permit For 750 MW Marcus Hook Energy Natural Gas Power Plant, Delaware County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 58 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In December 27 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Guest Essay: Lessons from A.I. Data Centers And Shale Gas Fracking Tours - By Scott Cannon, Luzerne County [PaEN]
-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - December 29 [PaEN]
-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs-- 18-- Same For 5 Weeks
-- AAA Average Gasoline Prices: National- $2.84 Ohio- $2.78 PA- $3.07
NewsClips:
-- Inquirer: Bucks County Explosion: 2 Dead, 20 Hurt In Nursing Home Blast; Shapiro Says There Are ‘A Lot Of Unanswered Questions’
-- AP: Rescuers Rushed Into Flames To Save Nursing Home Residents In Bucks County After Deadly Explosion
-- Farm & Dairy: Two Workers Die From Injuries Months After Ohio Abandoned Oil & Gas Well Explosion In Wayne National Forest
-- Post-Gazette/Inside Climate News: Tracking Oil & Gas Waste In Pennsylvania Is Still A ‘Logistical Mess’ [Part I]
-- WESA/Inside Climate News: 25 Years Into Shale Gas Fracking, Pennsylvania Has Yet To Reckon With Oil & Gas Industry’s Radioactive Waste [Part II]
-- The Allegheny Front/Inside Climate News: The ‘Toxic Cocktail’ Brewing In Pennsylvania’s Waterways: Abandoned Mine Drainage, Oil & Gas Industry Waste [Part III]
-- Delco Times: Monroe Energy Fuel Tank Farm Reports Major Leak Of 378,000 Gallons Of Gasoline In Delaware County
-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Delaware County Residents Could Be Given Bottled Water After Major Gasoline Leak At Monroe Energy Tank Farm
-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Environmental Groups Appeal DEP Permit For Massive Natural Gas Power Plant Meant To Power Homer Center A.I. Data Center Campus
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Homer City A.I. Data Center 4.5 GW Natural Gas Power Plant Permit Faces Appeals From Environmental Groups, 13 Children [PDF of Article]
-- The Center Square: Don’t Count On Lower Electricity Prices In 2026; Driven By A.I. Data Center Demand In PJM
-- The Center Square: 2025 - The ‘First’ Year Of A.I. - Higher Electricity Prices; More Shale Gas Fracking; Community Controversy
-- TribLive - Jack Troy: PJM’s Power Auction Shortfall Could Lead To Increased Blackout Risks In PA, Other States In Face Of A.I. Data Center Power Demands
-- Warren Times/AP: President’s Return Brought Stiff Headwinds For Clean Energy, So Why Are Advocates Optimistic In 2026? [PDF of Article]
-- Williamsport Sun Guest Essay: Energy Future Shouldn’t Be Held Hostage To Fossil Fuel Myths; Renewables Aren’t The Reason For Soaring Energy Prices, Grid Fragility - By Douglas Webster, Monroeville [PDF of Article]
-- Reuters: A.I. Data Centers Are Forcing Dirty ‘Peaker’ Power Plants Back Into Service
-- Utility Dive: President Tries To Halt Construction Of Just Over 7 Gigawatts Of Much-Needed Electrical Generation From East Coast Wind Farms
-- Reuters Commentary: Renewables With Batteries Produce Cheaper Energy Than Natural Gas; LNG Gas Exports Glut Turning Into A Sinkhole
-- Appalachian Voices: FERC Approves Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate Natural Gas Pipeline Expansion For VA, PA To North Carolina Over Objections, No Environmental Impact Statement
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: FERC Approves Major Changes To Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate Route And Capacity
-- Financial Times: EU Spent Less On US Energy After $750 Billion Trade Deal With President
[Posted: December 28, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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