PA Environment Digest Blog: Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 22 - 28; Conventional Wells Venting Gas; Shale Gas Well Pad Spills

From April 22 to 28, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 729 inspection entries that resulted in reporting 48 violations of environmental regulations-- 32 violations by the conventional oil and gas industry and 16 violations by the unconventional shale natural gas industry.

So far this year-- as of April 21-- DEP issued 1,519 formal notices of violation to conventional operators and 811 to unconventional shale gas operators based on 4,937 inspections of conventional facilities and 7,980 inspections of unconventional shale gas facilities.

Abandoned Wells

DEP issued five notices of violation for failure to plug a well upon abandoning it this week to Pennfield Energy LLC (3 in Venango County, company intends to plug the wells) and Prosperity Oil Co. Inc. (2 in Washington County - see below).

Prosperity Oil Co.

On April 24, DEP inspectors, responding to a citizen complaint, found two conventional wells owned by the Prosperity Oil Co. Inc. continuing to vent natural gas in Hanover Township, Washington County.

The wells are known as SB Donaldson 2 (see DEP inspection report) and SB Donaldson 3 (see DEP inspection report). Read more here about DEP followup.

Chesapeake Appalachia

Last week DEP inspectors again found continuing violations of spills and releases as well as defective well casing and cementing at three shale gas well pads in two counties by Chesapeake Appalachia.

At the Grippo Well Pad well 24HC in Terry Township, Bradford County DEP found continuing violations from a spill that was not reported to DEP by the company before an inspection in March.

At the Kerr B Well Pad in Lathrop Township, Susquehanna County DEP found petroleum contamination on the well pad the company said was the result of a mechanical malfunction of an onsite natural gas compressor.

At the Delhagen Well Pad and wells 2H and 5H in Rush Township, Susquehanna County DEP found continuing violations related to defective well casing and cementing that first began on June 16, 2016.

The good news is, on this April 24 inspection, no combustible gas was found but DEP did not clear the failed to notify DEP of defective well casing or cementing violations at this well pad. Read more here about these well pad violations.

Report Violations

To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.

Check These Resources

Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database webpage to search their compliance records by date and operator.

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.

Violation Details

Violations Reported - Conventional

5 -- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It

2-- Operator Vented Natural Gas Into The Atmosphere

1-- Drilling, altering or operating a well without a permit

2-- Failed to construct and operate the well in accordance with regulations

1-- Failed To Properly Dispose Of Fluids, Wastes, Drill Cuttings

1-- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

1-- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

1-- Failed to design, construct, operate facilities in a manner that did not adversely affect, endanger public

1-- Failed to remove production equipment

2-- Failed to design, implement, maintain erosion & sedimentation BMPs

1-- Failed to stabilize the site to protect it from accelerated erosion

2-- Failed To Submit Well Integrity Report

2 -- Failed To Submit Well Production & Waste Management Report

Company/Location/Violations - Conventional

Fayette County

-- The Production Co, LLC - Jefferson Twp. - F Nutt 1

-- Drilling, altering or operating a well without a permit (continuing)

-- Failed to design, implement, maintain erosion & sedimentation BMPs (continuing)

-- Failed to stabilize the site to protect it from accelerated erosion (continuing)

-- Failed to remove production equipment (continuing)

[Note: DEP issued an order for this well to be plugged and it was on October 7, 2021 and the site was to be restored by July 7, 2022. It was not. Read DEP inspection report]

Greene County

-- Diversified Prod LLC - Monongahela Twp. - CONSOL/USX 44

-- Failed To Properly Dispose Of Fluids, Wastes, Drill Cuttings

-- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

-- Diversified Prod LLC - Cumberland Twp. - Headlee 2

-- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

-- Failed to design, construct, operate facilities in a manner that did not adversely affect, endanger public

Jefferson County

-- Diversified Prod LLC - Young Twp. - Fetterman TWPG&O 1

-- Failed to design, implement, maintain erosion & sedimentation BMPs (continuing)

Venango County

-- Pennfield Energy LLC - Mineral Twp. - H.McDowell 742-8

-- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It (continuing, intention to plug)

-- Pennfield Energy LLC - Mineral Twp. - H.McDowell 742-17

-- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It (continuing, intention to plug)

-- Timberline Energy Inc. - Cranberry Twp. - Ostroske 7

-- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It (continuing, intention to plug)

Washington County

-- Prosperity Oil Co. Inc. - Hanover Twp. - SB Donaldson 2

-- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It

-- Operator Vented Natural Gas Into The Atmosphere

-- Failed to construct and operate the well in accordance with regulations

-- Failed To Submit Well Integrity Report

-- Failed To Submit Well Production & Waste Management Report

-- Prosperity Oil Co. Inc. - Hanover Twp. - SB Donaldson 3

-- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It

-- Operator Vented Natural Gas Into The Atmosphere

-- Failed to construct and operate the well in accordance with regulations

-- Failed To Submit Well Integrity Report

-- Failed To Submit Well Production & Waste Management Report

Violations Reported - Unconventional Shale Gas

1 -- Discharged Waste Into Waters Of Commonwealth

1 -- Failure To Report A Release That Caused Or Threatens To Cause Pollution

2 -- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth

4 -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

3 -- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

1 -- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

1 -- Failed to control, dispose of fluids, residual waste or drill cuttings properly

2 -- Failed to notify DEP of defective well casing or cementing

Company/Location/Violations - Unconventional Shale Gas

Bradford County

-- Blackhill Energy LLC - Springfield Twp. - Jackson 2H

-- Discharged Waste Into Waters Of Commonwealth (continuing)

-- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

-- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

-- Chesapeake Appalachia - Terry Twp. - Grippo 24HC

-- Failure To Report A Release That Caused Or Threatens To Cause Pollution (continuing)

-- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth

-- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

-- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

-- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC - Columbia Twp. - Haralambous G 10H

-- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures (continuing)

-- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

Susquehanna County

-- Chesapeake Appalachia - Rush Twp. - Delhagen Wells 2H, 5H

-- Failed to notify DEP of defective well casing or cementing (continuing)

-- Chesapeake Appalachia - Lathrop Twp. - Kerr B Well Pad

-- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth

-- Failed to control, dispose of fluids, residual waste or drill cuttings properly

-- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

[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 Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 22 - 28; Conventional Wells Venting Gas; Shale Gas Well Pad Spills [PaEN]

-- Citizen Complaint Results In Finding 2 Abandoned Conventional Wells Owned By Prosperity Oil Co. Continuing To Vent Natural Gas In Washington County [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Appalachia: DEP Inspections Find Violations For Spills, Releases, Continuing Defective Casing/Cementing At Shale Gas Well Pads In Bradford, Susquehanna Counties [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - April 29 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posts 61 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 29 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Compliance Reports

-- Feature: 60 Years Of Fracking, 20 Years Of Shale Gas: Pennsylvania’s Oil & Gas Industrial Infrastructure Is Hiding In Plain Sight [PaEN]

-- Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners Failed To File Annual Production/Waste Generation Reports For 61,655 Wells; Attorney General Continues Investigation Of Road Dumping Wastewater [PaEN]

-- DEP Issued 754 Notices Of Violation For Defective Oil & Gas Well Casing, Cementing, The Fundamental Protection Needed To Prevent Gas Migration, Groundwater & Air Contamination, Explosions [PaEN]

-- DEP Report Finds: Conventional Oil & Gas Drillers Routinely Abandon Wells; Fail To Report How Millions Of Gallons Of Waste Is Disposed; And Non-Compliance Is An ‘Acceptable Norm’ [PaEN]

-- DEP 2021 Oil & Gas Program Annual Report Shows Conventional Oil & Gas Operators Received A Record 610 Notices Of Violation For Abandoning Wells Without Plugging Them [PaEN]