PA Environment Digest Blog: DEP: Conventional Well Fracking By Cline Oil Inc. Causes Uncontrolled Release Of Crude Oil From 2nd Abandoned Conventional Well In The City Of Bradford, McKean County

On October 5, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection was notified of a sheen and strong crude oil odor in Tunungwant Creek at High and East Main Streets in Bradford, McKean County.

At about the same time, Cline Oil Inc. contacted DEP saying fracking of the Gibson Merry Miller J4 conventional well in Bradford resulted in “communication” with a second abandoned well about 500 feet downslope from the Gibson Merry well causing a discharge of crude oil.

DEP discovered the release from the abandoned well traveled about 400 feet down the dirt well access road and flowed into a storm sewer through a grate along Hillside Avenue.

The crude oil then traveled another 850 feet through the storm drains before discharging into the East Branch of Tunungwant Creek.

Cline Oil had placed absorbent peat at the abandoned well site and over the bank and was in the process of collecting pockets of accumulated oil.

A boom was placed at the storm sewer outfall to provide an area to collect the oil before it entered the creek.

Representatives of the Bradford Sanitary Authority were contacted and arrived onsite to develop a plan for recovering the crude oil from the storm sewer system.

Numerous pockets of accumulated drudge oil were observed downstream of the storm sewer outfall along the banks of the stream and Cline Oil crews had started to collect the oil by the end of the DEP inspection.

“The quantity of oil released is unknown. Given the lack of significant product in the Tunungwant Creek, it is evident that the majority of what was released was discharged onto the ground and/or was collected in the storm sewer.”

Multiple violations were issued. A written response was requested by October 23.

Click Here for DEP inspection report + photos.

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: Abandoned well source of crude oil release; Path of release down access road; Pockets of crude oil in Tunungwant Creek.)

[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 Snapshot- October 3 to 9 [PaEN]

-- DEP - Day 51: Multiple Contaminated Water Seeps Continuing From INR OPR LLC Cooper Shale Gas Well Pad In Indiana County After 336,000 Gallon Fracking Fluid Spill [PaEN]

-- DEP - Day 357: S.R. Star O&G LLC Still Fails To Comply With An Order To Plug At Least Some Of The 11 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells It Owns In Butler County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Conventional Well Fracking By Cline Oil Inc. Causes Uncontrolled Release Of Crude Oil From 2nd Abandoned Conventional Well In The City Of Bradford, McKean County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Large Release Of Contaminated Water Soaks Ground At DJR Well Services Conventional Oil & Gas Well Site In Mercer County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Routine Inspection Of Appalachia Midstream SVC Shale Gas Water Pipeline Construction Site Found Fertilizer Mixture Sprayed Directly Into A Stream In Lycoming County [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - October 10 [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Chapter 105 Permit For Expand Operating LLC 4 Mile Long 16-Inch Shale Gas Water Pipeline In Auburn Twp., Susquehanna County [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 73 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 10 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On A Chapter 105 Permit For Amazon Data Services Project Rosebud II In Luzerne County [PaEN]

-- DEP Sets Nov. 18 Hearing On Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission Line Project In Lehman And Delaware Townships, Pike County [PaEN]