The inspector conducted field conductivity testing that showed the wastewater seep along the slope of the well pad is continuing and “appears to be accelerating degradation in areas which are sloughing along the slope.”
“The northwestern slope appears to be lacking stability in several areas and should be addressed per site plan.”
“Remediation activities appear to be continuing for the release that occurred on the northwestern side of the pad.”
DEP also noted the bioretention basins and spillways are holding water due to the valves being in the closed position and the owner was advised to “monitor and conduct maintenance to ensure that the basins are not overtopped and impacted fluid is managed appropriately.”
The inspector notes the cleanup is being supervised by DEP’s Environmental Cleanup Program.
Click Here for April 7, 2026 inspection report.
Background
On August 5, 2025, the DEP inspected the NR-13 shale gas well pad in Great Bend Township, Susquehanna County in response to a notification of a wastewater spill by SWN Prod Co LLC [now Expand Operating LLC]. Read more here.
The spill of an unknown quantity of wastewater related to recent fracking operations at the well pad, according to the owner.
The well owner reported they first found an area of discolored soil with elevated conductivity on the well pad fill slope and followed a drainage channel into stormwater basins which also showed signs of contamination.
DEP’s initial inspection followed the path of contamination from the well pad, down the slope and to a pipe discharging fluid where it was pooling and flowing from a basin to a tree line 100 feet from the pipe. DEP said the ground was saturated.
The trail of contamination continued down slope into a small unnamed tributary to the Susquehanna River.
A remediation contractor was on site to document the areas of contamination and start the cleanup.
Multiple violations were issued in the August 5, 2025 inspection report.
DEP did a follow-up inspection at the well pad on August 11, 2025 in response to a notification by SWN Production Co that an additional wastewater seep was discovered at the toe of the same fill slope.
Since the August 5 inspection, an area at the bottom of the fill slope was excavated and [unlined] sumps built to collect the wastewater coming through the fill slope.
The collected fluid is being sent to frac tanks on site and water trucks then take it for disposal.
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: Discharge pipe from sediment basin; Seep areas up the hill from the basins; Slumps caused by the ongoing seeps of wastewater.)
[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 - April 25 to May 1: Violations For Conventional Well Abandonment Top 204; Cleaning Up Shale Gas Wastewater Release For 245 Days [PaEN]
-- DEP - Day 245: Expand Operating LLC Continuing Cleanup Of Ongoing Shale Gas Fracking Wastewater Release From Well Pad In Great Bend Twp., Susquehanna County [PaEN]
-- DEP Signs Consent Orders With CNX Gas, Leatherwood LLC Requiring The Plugging Of 5 Conventional Coal Bed Methane Wells Prior To Longwall Coal Mining In Center Twp., Greene County [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - May 2 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For 4.5 Mile EQT ARO Natural Gas Pipeline On State Forest Land In Lycoming County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In May 2 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- DEP Accepting Comments On 2nd Stormwater Permit For SNA North LLC/QTS A.I. Data Center Project In Salem Twp., Luzerne County [PaEN]
-- Public Utility Commission Sets July 10 Telephonic Hearing On PPL Condemnation Of 30 Properties For The Sugarloaf 500/230KV Transmission Line In Luzerne County To Serve Data Centers [PaEN]
-- DEP To Hold June 16 Hearing On Water Quality Permit For Rustic Ridge II Coal Mining Permit In Westmoreland County [PaEN]
-- DEP To Hold May 21 Informal Conference To Take Comments On The Proposed Addition Of 7,154 Acres To The Rosebud Mining Company Penfield Coal Mine In Clearfield County [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Environmental Health Project Calls On Gov. Shapiro To Address Health Hazards Of Fossil Fuels [PaEN]
-- DEP Receives Federal Funding To Study Human Health Impacts Of Leaking, Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells; Conventional Regulation Updates Delayed; Reports On Setback Petition By End Of 2026 [PaEN]
-- House Committee Approves Bill To Strengthen State Response To Spills Of Hazardous Substances After Energy Transfer/Sunoco Jet Fuel Pipeline Spill In Bucks County [PaEN]
-- Environmental Defense Fund: Rollback Of Federal Methane Emission Limits On Oil & Gas Facilities Have Wasted $4.8 Billion Worth Of Natural Gas That Could Have Served 22 Million Homes- And Counting [PaEN]
-- US Dept. Of Energy Cyber Threat Center Issues Another Warning To Oil & Gas Industry About Automatic Tank Gauge Manipulation By Malicious Cyber Threat Actors [PaEN]
-- PUC Adopts Voluntary Large Load, Data Center Tariff Framework To Help Protect Ratepayers [PaEN]
-- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Approves Extension Of PJM Capacity Auction Price Cap, Floor For Next 2 Auctions [PaEN]
-- Senate Committee Hears Electric Grid Issues Getting Worse; PJM Has Attracted 220 GW Of New Generation Proposals; PJM ‘Backstop’ Procurement Critical To Making Data Centers Pay For New Generation [PaEN]
-- PA House Energy Committee Sets May 4 Meeting To Act On More Bills To Address Electric Grid Reliability, Affordability Issues: Authorize Virtual Power Plants, More [PaEN]
-- PA House Passes Bill To Require A.I. Data Centers To Report Water Use, Discharges To DEP [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro Announces $267 Million Investment In 31 PA Industry Projects To Reduce Air Pollution, Cut Energy Costs, Create Jobs, And Combat Greenhouse Gas Emissions In 23 Counties; Next Grant Round Opens May 15 [PaEN]
-- Concerned Citizens Of Montour County: Data Center Developer Wants To Make It Harder For Citizens To Appeal Zoning, Permits; DCED Secretary Explains More On How They Want New GRID Principles To Work [PaEN]
-- Montour County: What A.I. Data Center Developers Don’t Like In Zoning Ordinances: Decommissioning Safeguards For When Their Tech Becomes Obsolete; No Noise Limits On Diesel Generators; No Property Value Impact Studies [PaEN]
-- Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Publishes Model A.I. Data Center Ordinance; Links To Other Model Ordinances [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro Appoints Mark Szybist New Special Counsel For Energy Affordability [PaEN]
-- Pittsburgh Gateways Flips The Switch On New Rooftop Solar Energy System On Energy Innovation Center [PaEN]
-- PA Technical Assistance Program July 16 Webinar On Funding, Incentives For Energy Efficiency Improvements For Manufacturers [PaEN]
-- DCNR: Grid-Scale Solar Energy Installations Are Not Permitted On Any DCNR Lands Or On Lands That Have Received DCNR Grant Funds [PaEN]
[Posted: May 3, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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