DEP: Pressure Testing Confirms Casing/Cementing Failures In 3 Expand Operating LLC Shale Gas Wells In Bradford County, Including One New Violation

On August 27, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection found well integrity test confirmed three Expand Operating LLC shale gas wells at the Champluvier well pad in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County were suffering casing/cementing failures

Testing found gas in annuli of the Champluvier 21HC, Champluvier 24HC and Champluvier 122HC shale gas wells and gas samples were collected from each well.

Testing on the Champluvier 25HC well found no gas.

DEP originally found gas leaking from three of the wells on May 1, 2025-- 24HC, 25HC and 122HC-- and issued violations for casing/cementing failure.  Read more here.

A fifth well-- Champluvier 2H-- was also issued a violation on May 1, 2025, but not tested on August 27, 2026.  Read more here.

This follow-up testing was required to do a more indepth evaluation of well integrity issues.

All the wells were originally drilled in 2023, except 2H was drilled in 2010.

DEP continued violations for 24HC and 122HC and issued a new casing/cementing violation for 21HC, as a result of the testing.

DEP requested a response to the new violations for 21HC well by September 28 and sent copies of the inspection reports on each well to Expand Operating.

Expand Operating LLC holds 1,127 permits.

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.

Resource Links:

-- DEP: Well Tests Confirm Expand Operating LLC Had New Casing/Cementing Failures In 4 Shale Gas Wells, Continuing Failures In 4 Others In Susquehanna And Wyoming Counties [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Expand Operating Shale Gas Well Casing/Cementing Failure In Susquehanna County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Expand Operating Shale Gas Well Casing/Cementing Failures In Bradford County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Expand Operating Shale Gas Well Casing/Cementing Failures In Bradford County [PaEN] 

-- DEP Expand Operating/Chesapeake Appalachia 4 Shale Gas Well Casing/Cementing Failures In Bradford County [PaEN]

[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 Weekly Compliance Snapshot - September 5 to 11

     -- DEP: Thick Orange Fluid Leaking From Storage Tank At Conventional Gas & Gas Well Site In Monroeville, Allegheny County  [PaEN]

     -- DEP: Complaint Investigation Finds Conventional Well Venting Gas In A Manner Posing A Safety Risk To Nearby Residence In Mercer County  [PaEN]

     -- DEP: Pressure Testing Confirms Casing/Cementing Failures In 3 Expand Operating LLC Shale Gas Wells In Bradford County, Including One New Violation  [PaEN]

[Posted: September 8, 2026]  PA Environment Digest