The well owner said “the gathering line failed due to valves on the gathering lines at the tank battery unknowingly being closed by a suspected, unknown, third party prior to the lease being pumped on the afternoon of 7/8/26. It is estimated that the wells on the lease were pumping for 2-3 hours before the well tender drove towards this well and noticed the release at approximately 15:00.”
DEP found “crude oil had sprayed onto the road bank and lower limbs of nearby trees.”
“The majority of the crude oil migrated west/ northwest in a roadside ditch alongside Chappel Fork Road for approximately 400 [feet] before reaching a spring run that evolves into an unnamed tributary (UNT) of Chappel Fork [Creek].”
“Pockets of crude oil were observed in the spring run/UNT between where it intersects Chappel Fork Road and its confluence with Chappel Fork. Crude oil was also present in an approximate 750' stretch of Chappel Fork [a High Quality stream] downslope of the stream's confluence with the aforementioned spring run/UNT.”
“At the time of the inspection, "underflow dams, absorbent booms and pads have been placed throughout the impacted portions of the roadside ditch, spring run/UNT and Chappel Fork to contain the released product.
“Crews were in the process of recovering crude that was collecting behind the various containment measures and replacing saturated absorbents as needed.”
“After further progress is made with recovering the free crude, Chuck intends to excavate the contaminated soil at the origin of the release and replace the ruptured portion of the gathering line.”
“Upcoming inspections will be done throughout the remediation of this release to ensure suitable progress is being made.”
Multiple violations were issued and DEP requested a written response by July 31. 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.
(Photos: Site of pipeline rupture, crude oil spray on vegetation; Following path of the release; Contaminated Cappel Fork Creek with underflow dams, absorbent pads, booms.)
[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.]
Related Articles This Week:
-- DEP: Equitrans Water SVC LLC [EQT] Suffers Another Contaminated Water Release From Buried Shale Gas Wastewater Pipeline In Aleppo Twp., Greene County [PaEN]
-- DEP: INR Midstream LLC Failed To Prevent Accelerated Erosion, Sedimentation Along Cooper To Jost Van Dyke Gas & Water Pipelines Construction Right-Of-Way In Young Twp., Indiana County [PaEN]
-- DEP: Contaminated Water Storage Tank At Abandoned Conventional Oil Well Site Sat Broken Open For Nearly 3 Years With No Response From Owner In Clover Twp., Jefferson County [PaEN]
-- DEP: Crude Oil Gathering Pipeline Failure In Conventional Oil Well Field Contaminated 750 Feet Of Chappel Fork Creek In Hamilton Twp., McKean County [PaEN]
[Posted: July 22, 2026] PA Environment Digest
