Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between May 30 to June 5--
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 May 29--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 45 conventional, 5 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 2,334 conventional and 484 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 195 conventional and 90 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 306 conventional and 260 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 8,552 conventional and 11,100 unconventional
Shale Gas Water Pipeline Holes, Failure To Comply With E&S Permit
A May 29, 2026 DEP inspection of the Expand Operating LLC Brigham to Gregerson aboveground shale gas water pipeline construction site found multiple tears in the pipeline liner and a general failure to comply with erosion and sedimentation permit requirements.
Two dozen photos in the DEP inspection report document the violations along the entire route located in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County. Read more here.
9 Conventional Abandoned Well Violations
Allegheny County - EQT ARO LLC
June 2, 2026 inspections of the Haskell & Dupont F9 (Jefferson Hills Boro) and James W. Stewart 3521 (South Park Township) found the wells abandoned and not plugged. The Dupont F9 well was leaking gas and discharging fluids to the soil. Violations issued. Response requested by June 19.
Allegheny County - Marco Drilling Inc
June 2, 2026 inspection of the Ernest B. Markitell 1A conventional well in Harmar Township was found to be abandoned and not plugged. Violations issued. Response requested by June 18. DEP inspection report. Marco Drilling holds 35 permits.
Butler County - Darrel B. Blauser [297 Days]
June 4, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Blair 1 and Blair 2 conventional wells in Allegheny Township found the wells were still abandoned and not plugged. The owner failed to submit annual well production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Original violations issued on Aug. 11, 2025. Violations continued. Response requested by June 23. Blauser holds 2 permits.
Erie County - Penta Oil Corp [1,883 Days]
May 18, 2026 routine inspection of the Andrew Krol 2 conventional well in Amity Township found the well abandoned and not plugged. The owner failed to submit annual well production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Original violations issued March 22, 2021. Violations continued. Inspection report sent to owner. DEP inspection report. Penta Oil holds 28 permits, including one abandoned well (not this one).
Warren County - Delta Inland Oil Res LLC
June 3, 2026 inspection of the Ballard 7 and Ballard 9 conventional wells in Sugar Grove Township found the wells abandoned and not plugged. Written violation notices were sent. Response requested by June 19. DEP issued 20 other abandoned well violations to Delta during May. Delta Inland holds 363 permits.
Washington County - EQT Production Co.
May 28, 2026 routine inspection of WM Evans 1026 conventional well in Amwell Township found the well abandoned and not plugged. Violations issued. Response requested by June 17. DEP inspection report.
103 - Abandoned Well Inspections
DEP inspected 103 abandoned conventional wells in Allegheny, Butler, Elk, Jefferson, McKean and Warren counties to monitor ongoing plugging operations and evaluate the wells for future plugging.
21 - Unknown Owner Inspections
DEP inspected 21 conventional oil and gas wells with Unknown Owners in Allegheny, Beaver, Venango and Washington counties and found them abandoned and not plugged.
258 Violations For Conventional Abandoned Well Violations In 2026
So far in 2026, DEP issued or continued 258 notices of violation for conventional oil and gas well abandonment.
1 Shale Gas Abandoned Well Violation
Allegheny County - EQT ARO LLC
June 4, 2026 inspection of the Fetchen H16 shale gas well in Forward Township found the well abandoned and not plugged. Violations issued. Response requested by June 18. DEP inspection report.
13 Violations For Abandoned Shale Gas Wells In 2026
So far in 2026, DEP issued or continued 13 notices of violation for shale gas well abandonment.
Shale Gas Wastewater Spills/Releases
Lycoming County - EQT ARO LLC
June 2, 2026 inspection of the Wallis Run Hunting Club shale gas well pad in Cascade Township in response to a notification of a wastewater spill found an unknown amount of wastewater was released from storage tanks into containment then escaped containment through three holes in the containment liner. Violations issued. Response requested by June 16. DEP inspection report.
Conventional Well Wastewater Spills/Releases
Armstrong County - Diversified Production LLC
June 4, 2026 inspection of Susan Kepple 1 conventional well in Parks Township in response to a notification of wastewater coming out of the wellhead. A People’s Gas pipeline depressurization apparently caused the well to pressurize and force wastewater to the surface. Excavation of contaminated soil was underway at the site. Violations issued. Response requested by June 22. DEP inspection report.
Somerset County - Oil & Gas MGMT [78 Days]
May 27, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Neilan 1 conventional well in Somerset Township failed to do anything to address or respond to March 10, 2026 violations related to multiple spills, corroded pipes. Violations continued. Response requested by June 15. DEP inspection report. Oil & Gas MGMT holds 163 permits.
Westmoreland County - Oil & Gas MGMT [1,204 Days]
May 29, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Kiskiminetas Springs Sch Well 6 conventional well in Loyalhanna Township still was not in compliance with a Feb. 10, 2023 order to remove contaminated soil, remediate and restore the site. Violation continued for failing to comply with the order. Copy of inspection sent to owner. DEP inspection report. Oil & Gas MGMT holds 163 permits.
Westmoreland County - Winfall Energy Inc NV
May 27, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Municipal Authority 1 conventional well in Oklahoma Borough found no steps to remediate contaminated soil or fix piping, tank and other issues at the site since the owner said on Oct. 2, 2025 he would have problems corrected at the site in 90 days-- Dec. 31, 2025. Jan. 13, 2026 violations continued. Response requested by June 15. DEP inspection report. Windfall Energy holds 44 permits.
Shale Gas Casing/Cement Failures
Bradford County - Expand Operating LLC
June 1, 2026 routine inspection of the Kenyon 5H shale gas well in Overton Township found methane was present in the annulus vent to the atmosphere indicating a new cement/casing well failure. Violations issued. Response requested by July 1. DEP inspection report.
Bradford County - Expand Operating LLC [3,935 Days]
May 14, 2026 inspection of the Folta 1H shale gas well in Tuscarora Township as part of routine monitoring for casing/cement failure involving a pressure build-up test. Methane detected. Original Aug. 5, 2015 violations continued. DEP inspection report.
Susquehanna County - BKV OPR LLC [160 Days]
May 21, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Baker shale gas well pad in Forest Lake Township as part of monitoring for cement/casing failures found the owner making alterations to the well for a pressure build up test. Dec. 12, 2025 violations continued. DEP inspection report. BKV OPR holds 91 permits.
Well Transfer Inspection Finds Venting Gas
Westmoreland County - Snyder Bros Inc.
May 27, 2026 inspection of the Gregory-Vozar-Letterine Unit 1 conventional well in Washington Township prompted by a request to transfer the well to VEC Energy LLC found the well venting gas. Violations issued. Response requested by June 20. DEP inspection report. Snyder Bros holds 1,951 permits, including 2 abandoned wells.
Failure To Restore Shale Gas Pipeline Route
Susquehanna County - Keystone Clearwater Solutions LLC
May 20, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Clark to Westholme shale gas water pipeline in Springville Township found multiple erosion and sedimentation violations, including construction off the permitted area, premature removal of E&S control measures, route of pipeline does not comply with permit and others. Violations issued. Response requested by June 16. DEP inspection report.
Failure To Restore Shale Gas Well Pad
Fayette County - M4 Energy LLC [205 Days]
May 27, 2026 compliance evaluation of the MAWC 7020 shale gas well pad restoration in Springfield Township found the owner has made progress in pad restoration but has failed to fully comply with a Dec. 16, 2021 order to restore the pad by Oct. 30, 2025. Violations for failing to comply with the order originally issued on Nov. 3, 2025 and are continued. DEP 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 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.
[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 - May 30 to June 5: Abandoned Conventional Wells Top 258; Holes In Shale Gas Water Pipeline; New Shale Well Casing/Cement Failure [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 6 [PaEN]
-- DEP Issues Chapter 105 Permit For 8 Mile, 24-Inch EQT ARO LLC Water Pipeline To Support Shale Gas Development In State Forest Land In Lycoming County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Proposed Termination Of NPDES Water Quality Permit For Mercatoris Oil Co. Inc. For Failure To Comply With Permit In Crawford County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 75 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 6 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- House Committee To Consider Bills To Prohibit Road Dumping Oil & Gas Wastewater, Set Minimum Standards For Power Plant Community Benefit Agreements, Encourage Monarch, Native Insect Habitats On June 8 [PaEN]
-- Independent Fiscal Office Reported First Quarter PA Natural Gas Production Declined Slightly From 4th Quarter, Lowest In Any Quarter Of 2025 [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- WPXI: Peoples Natural Gas Customers In Western PA Push Back On 13.8% Rate Hike Calling It ‘Blatant Theft’
-- Sen. Lindsey Williams Urges Peoples Gas To Withdraw Proposed 13.8% Natural Gas Rate Increase
-- PUC Reminds Consumers Of Hearings In Westmoreland County On Proposed 13.8% Peoples Natural Gas Rate Increase
-- WTAE: Residents, Businesses Voice Concern As Energy Costs Spike Throughout Pennsylvania
-- PUC Consumer Reminder: Summer Electric Price Changes Begin June 1
-- Utility Dive: Electric Generators Need More Reliable Natural Gas Supply To Protect Grid Reliability During Extreme Weather Events
-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA’s Shale Gas Drilling Impact Fee Proves Energy Development and Community Investment Can Coexist - By Stephanie Catarino Wissman, American Petroleum Institute PA [An Unreliable Source Of Funding For Communities, No Way Makes Up For The Damage, Pollution Caused By This Industry, It’s Silly To Think Otherwise]
[Posted: June 6, 2026 ] PA Environment Digest
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