DEP arrived onsite about 9:00 a.m. and found crude oil was released from a AR Trucking tank truck loading oil after the operator “errantly opened’ a value on the trucks resulting in the release of crude oil to a paved parking area.
DEP said the owner estimated approximately one barrel (42 gallons) of crude oil was released before the valve was closed.
The crude oil flowed into a nearby storm drain and discharged into the Allegheny River approximately 400 feet southwest of the tank facility.
DEP said absorbent booms were placed just below the storm sewer outfall and another series approximately 900 feet downstream.
An oil sheen was observed by DEP migrating beyond the booms and pockets of crude oil were observed along the northern bank of the river.
DEP observed an oil sheen of “varying intensities” in the Allegheny River for approximately seven miles downriver from the point the crude oil entered the river.
“Curtis & Son employees along with other local oil and gas producers were collecting free oil near the storm sewer outfall.”
“Representatives of Warren County EMA, Warren City Fire Department, Warren DPW and United Refining assumed command of the cleanup until AR Trucking could mobilize a qualified cleanup contractor onsite.”
“Boats were used by the aforementioned agencies during the late morning and early afternoon to deploy additional absorbent booms and a containment boom between Point Park and the storm sewer outfall.”
“Free crude was collected from the water by boat along the northern bank of the river within this same area.”
Cleanup crews were onsite working until dark.
Multiple violations were issued to Curtis & Son Oil, Inc. and a written response requested by November 24.
Click Here for the DEP inspection report + photos.
Curtis & Son Oil, Inc. holds 323 conventional oil and gas well 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.
(Photos: Row 1-- Spill site next to storm drain; Storm sewer outfall into Allegheny River; Row 2-- Crude oil accumulated along river bank; River booms installed down river from storm sewer outfall. )
[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- Oct. 31 to Nov. 6 [PaEN]
-- DEP: Routine Inspections Find 6 More Anderson Energy SVC LLC Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned, Not Plugged In Venango County [PaEN]
-- DEP - Day 72: INR OPR LLC Still Collecting Contaminated Water, Building Structures To Recover Water At Cooper Shale Gas Pad From August Spill Of 336,000 Gallons Of Fracking Water In Indiana County [PaEN]
-- DEP - Day 135: Contaminated Water Discharges Continue, Still Fails To Comply With Cleanup Order At Equitrans Water SVC [EQT] Richter Shale Gas Water Impoundment In Greene County [PaEN]
-- DEP - Day 609: Oil & Gas MGMT Inc. Failed To Take Actions Or Respond To Violations At 2 Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Westmoreland County [PaEN]
-- DEP - Day 740: Seneca Resources Continues Shale Gas Well Development At Taft Pad While Problems With Contaminated Water Persist At The Tioga County Site [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Reports Low-Flow Stream Conditions Trigger Stop To 51 Shale Gas Water Withdrawals, 13 More Put On Watch Status [PaEN]
-- PUC Approves $150,000 Penalty Settlement With UGI For Faulty Plastic Natural Gas Pipe Installation Practices [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - November 7 [PaEN]
-- DEP To Hold Dec. 17 Meeting, January 7 Hearing On First Title V Air Quality Permit For The Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County [PaEN]
-- DEP Restarts Comment Period On Chapter 105 Permit For NFG Midstream Covington Double Natural Gas Pipelines Thru Farmington, Deerfield, Chatham Twps. In Tioga County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For CNX Midstream Operating Company Daylighting Project To Protect 3 Pipeline From Longwall Coal Mining Damage In Greene County [PaEN]
-- DEP To Hold Dec. 8 In-Person Community Update On Energy Transfer/Sunoco Jet Fuel Pipeline Rupture Cleanup In Upper Makefield Twp., Bucks County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 56 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In November 7 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- DEP Issues Air Quality Permit To Amazon Data Services For Installation Of 76 Diesel-Fired Backup Generators At New Data Center Project In Falls Twp., Bucks County [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- PA Election Results: Democrats Now Control PA Senate, Retain PA House, Governor’s Office [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: All Brine From Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Contains Hazardous Pollutants, Why Are We Still Dumping It On Our Roads? - By David E. Hess, Former Secretary, PA Department Of Environmental Protection [PaEN]
-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - November 9 [PaEN]
-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council, Environmental Justice Advisory Board Meet Nov. 10 On Fossil Fuel Impacts On Communities, Mapping PA’s Energy Infrastructure [PaEN]
-- Lehigh University Joins PA Team To Turn Aging Shale Gas Well Into Geothermal Power Source In Indiana County; Studies Show Geothermal Could Meet 100% Of PA Electricity, Heating, Most Industrial Needs [PaEN]
-- PJM Interconnection Winter Outlook: Power Supplies Should Be Available To Meet Expected Cold Weather Conditions [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- MonValley Independent: Pennsylvania Opens New Loophole For Conventional Oil And Gas Wastewater Disposal On Roads
-- TheDerrick.com Guest Essay: Fossil Fuel Industry Follows Big Tobacco’s Disinformation - By Kathy Mulvey, InsideSources.com
-- KYW: Jet Fuel Pipeline Struck During Construction In Bridgeport Boro, Montgomery County
-- Rolling Stone - Justin Nobel: Ohio Denies Evidence Of Fracking Waste In Drinking Water, Its Own Records Show Otherwise
-- Inquirer: A Hard Winter Is Coming For PA Homes That Heat With Oil
-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: How Will EQT’s Plan To Buy Range Resources Affect Natural Gas Market? [Data Centers, Price Shaped By Global Events]
-- Financial Times: President’s Diesel Fuel Deal With Russia Falters As 2 Tanks Change Course Away From US
-- Wall Street Journal: President Pushes To Restore Russian Natural Gas Sales To Europe Via Ukraine
-- Financial Times: Petrol Prices Set To Hit Record High Under President’s Administration
[Posted: November 7, 2026 ] PA Environment Digest
