So far this year-- as of August 18-- DEP issued 4,312 formal notices of violation to conventional operators (73 more since last week) and 871 to unconventional shale gas operators (26 more this week) based on 9,903 inspections of conventional facilities and 15,441 inspections of unconventional shale gas facilities.
More Abandoned Wells
On August 21, 2023, DEP inspected six conventional wells operated by Riverstone Farm in Richland Township, Clarion County and determined four of them were abandoned without plugging-- Riverstone Farm 2, CUB Fx85, CUB Fx86 and CUB Fx87.
Notices of violation were issued. The operator was asked to file a written report by September 10, 2023 on how they were going to bring the wells into compliance.
[DEP inspection report Riverstone Farm 2, as example.]
At a fifth well-- Riverstone Farm 1-- the landowner reported not being paid royalties and there was inoperable equipment at the site, but DEP could not yet determine the well was abandoned.
No violations issued for this well, according to DEP’s inspection report.
Conventional Well/Shale Gas Frack-Out
On August 21, 2023, DEP inspected conventional well Brownsdale 1 in Forward Township, Butler County in response to a citizen complaint of natural “gas bubbling and fluid spraying from a farm field.”
The well was also being investigated because it “possibly had a communication event with while fracking a well on their McElhinny [shale gas] pad located approx. 2200 [feet] to the northeast of this well.”
The operator of the Brownsdale well is unknown and was being plugged by the shale gas operator.
No violations were issued, according to the DEP inspection report.
DEP Finds 2 More Petro Erie Leaking Conventional Wastewater Tanks
On August 21, 2023, DEP did a detailed inspection of conventional oil well wastewater tanks near the Lower Reno 1 well operated by Petro Erie, Inc. in Sugarcreek Borough, Venango County and found a pipe running from wastewater tanks into a ditch with a visible impact area from past discharges. Read more here.
The Lower Reno 1 wastewater tanks are in the same area as the Lower Reno 6 wastewater tanks that discharged wastewater that contaminated the Village of Reno water supply. Read more here.
On August 18, Petro Erie, Inc. filed an appeal with the Environmental Hearing Board of the field order DEP issued on July 21, 2023 ordering the company to cleanup the conventional oil well wastewater spill that contaminated the Village of Reno’s water supply in Venango County near the Lower Leno 6 well. [Docket No. 2023063] Read more here.
Leaking Conventional Wastewater Tank Removed
On August 21, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection at the Musser 2 conventional well in East Mahoning Township, Indiana County operated by Madtick Development Corp and found the operator had removed the leaking wastewater tank and started to excavate the area of contaminated soil.
The leaking wastewater tank and related dead vegetation was discovered after a landowner complaint on August 10, 2023.
The DEP inspection report for August 21 recommended Madtick contact the Act 2 Land Recycling Program for information on cleanup standards and procedures.
Equitrans Report On Rager Mtn. Gas Storage Facility Leak
On August 24, Equitrans Midstream Corp. released the results of its root cause investigation into the uncontrolled leak of natural gas from the Rager Mountain Storage Facility in Cambria County in November of 2022, one of the largest natural gas leaks in the world in 2022. Read more here.
Equitrans confirmed that over 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas was vented into the atmosphere from the underground storage facility during the leak.
However, they also reported another 127 million cubic feet of natural gas "was diverted to and contained within the geologic formations located at approximately 1,800 and/or 3,000 feet below ground."
Equitrans said the direct cause of the venting from Rager well #2244 was due to water- and oxygen-induced corrosion on the outside diameter of the top joint of the well and the infiltration of organic/inorganic matter into the annulus, which resulted in a failure of the well casing.
The wells serving the Rager Mountain facility were originally drilled in the 1960s. Read more here.
Cleanup Efforts Continue At Rager Mtn.
On August 21, 22 and 23, DEP inspectors were again at the Equitrans Rager Mountain Natural Gas Storage Facility in Jackson Township, Cambria County continuing to take liquid samples from 10 monitoring wells. [DEP inspection report from August 21, as an example.]
On November 22, 2022, DEP’s inspection report identified a series of what appeared to be spill areas near the George Reade 1 conventional gas well Equitrans was working on after the 1.1 billion cubic foot leak of natural gas was stopped at the well on November 20.
DEP said in its report between 2,100 and 4,200 gallons of conventional gas well wastewater was released at the site.
DEP ordered Equitrans to submit a remediation plan for the site on December 7, 2023 and conditionally approved the Plan on January 27, 2023. [DEP May 10, 2023 inspection report.]
“The Department's analytical sample results detected, including but not limited to, petroleum products, unidentifiable organic compounds, and methylene blue active substance” at the site.
As recently as March 21, 2023, a consultant for Equitrans said groundwater had been impacted by the spill, according to sample results from the monitoring wells. [DEP May 10, 2023 inspection report.]
On March 25, 2023 another “sheen” was observed in a wetland near the site of the contamination and changes were requested to the remediation plan. [DEP May 10, 2023 inspection report.]
Remediation and sampling efforts are ongoing.
Conventional Wells Venting Gas
On August 22, 2023, DEP inspected State Forest conventional gas well 6261 in Jones Township, Elk County operated by Diversified Prod LLC and found natural gas leaking from around the production casing/cement bond.
The report noted “Subsurface gas was detected on a nearby unconventional [shale gas] well pad in low, but sustained concentrations. Early isotopic analysis results indicate a likely Devonian age source. All equipment on the unconventional pad has been pressure tested and found to be in mechanically sound condition.”
“It is recommended that attempts be made to vent the surface casing of [conventional] well API# 047-21195, to eliminate any potential source of subsurface gas migration.”
No violations were issued, according to DEP’s inspection report.
On August 24, 2023, DEP inspected the F. Berdine 1489 conventional gas well operated by EQT Prod Co. in Springhill Township, Greene County which is in the process of being plugged, but no plugging equipment was on site.
The inspection report noted natural gas was leaking from the well at various points, including a bucket sitting on the top of the well casing.
No violations were issued.
On August 24, 2023, DEP inspected Allegheny National Forest WT 2850 Lot 7/24 operated by PennHills Resources LLC in Howe Township, Forest County and found the newly drilled conventional gas well venting to the atmosphere, as is the usual practice.
Drill cuttings were disposed of in an unlined pit onsite, no violations were issued.
On August 24, 2023, DEP inspected Allegheny National Forest WT 2850 Lot 7/19 operated by PennHills Resources LLC in Howe Township, Forest County and found the newly drilled conventional gas well venting to the atmosphere, as is the usual practice.
Drill cuttings were disposed of in an unlined pit onsite, no violations were issued.
On-site Disposal Of Drill Cuttings
On August 25, 2023, DEP inspected the Allegheny National Forest conventional well 153 39 site operated by Wilmoth Interests, Inc. in Sheffield Township, Warren County and found no drilling equipment onsite.
The DEP inspection report noted drill cuttings will be disposed of in a temporary drill pit onsite.
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 and the Inspection Reports Viewer.
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.
(Photos: top- More leaking Petro Erie, Inc. conventional oil well wastewater tanks; bottom- Madtick Dev. Corp leaking conventional wastewater tank, tank removed; Diversified Prod Co. conventional State Forest 6261 well leaking gas; EQT Prod Co. gas leaking from conventional well F. Berdine 1489; Riverstone Farm abandoned conventional well Farm 2.)
[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 Dashboard- July 29 to August 4 [PaEN]
-- Petro Erie, Inc. Appeals DEP’s July Field Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill Contaminating Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County; 2nd Appeal May Be Coming [PaEN]
-- Equitrans Determined Leak Of Over 1.1 Billion Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas From Cambria County Storage Facility Was Caused By Corrosion In Conventional Gas Well Casing [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - August 26 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In August 26 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
NewsClips This Week - Natural Gas:
-- TribLive: Environmental Advocates Weight In On State Dept. Of Health, Pitt Study Of Natural Gas Development Health Impacts
-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: PA Residents Call For Action After Pitt Study Links Natural Gas Development To Asthma, Childhood Lymphoma
-- Inquirer - Will Bunch: Does Anyone Care About The Study Linking PA Natural Gas Development To Cancer In Kids?
-- Observer-Reporter: State, County Elected Leaders Take Proactive Steps To Ban Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Wells
-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: DEP Cites Petro Erie With 5 Additional Violations [For More Leaking Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Tanks In Sugarcreek Boro, Venango County, Near Contaminated Reno Water Supply] [PDF of article]
-- The Derrick: No Word Yet On When Do Not Consume Water Advisory Will Be Lifted For The Village Of Reno Water Supply Contaminated By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater In Venango County [PDF of article]
-- The Derrick - Letter To Editor: Disappointed In Lack Of Involvement In Sen. Hutchinson, Rep. James To Resolve Village Of Reno Water Contamination Issue In Venango County [Polluted By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill] [PDF of Article]
-- TribLive: DEP Examining ‘Pinhole Leak’ In A Penneco Natural Gas Gathering Line Behind Homes That Exploded In Plum Boro, Allegheny County [PUC, DEP Have No Statutory Authority To Regulate Safety Of Gathering Pipelines]
-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Proposed In Chester Draws Pushback: ‘We Suffer For Everybody Else’s Comfort’
-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: ‘We Suffer For Everybody’s Else’s Comfort’ Critics Of LNG Natural Gas Export Hub Say
-- PA Capital-Star: Advocates Vow To Fight LNG Natural Gas Export Facility In Delaware County’s Poorest community
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Business Advocates: Lack Of PA Permitting Reform Is Costing Jobs
-- City & State PA: Business Leaders, Lawmakers Hope For Bipartisan Action On Permitting Reform
-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Appalachian Economy Sees Few Gains From Natural Gas Development, Report Says
Related Articles This Week - Natural Gas:
-- Lawsuit Filed Against General Assembly, Governor Challenges Constitutionality Of Law Preventing DEP From Protecting Public Health, Environment From Harm Caused By Abandoning Conventional Oil & Gas Wells [PaEN]
-- 150+ Residents Of Chester Opposed To An LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Proposed In Their Community Let Their Feelings Be Known To The House Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force [PaEN]
-- Republican Herald Editorial: Health Depends On Regulation Of Oil & Gas Development [PaEN]
-- TribLive Editorial: Studies Of Natural Gas Development Point To Health Costs
-- Petro Erie, Inc. Appeals DEP’s July Field Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill Contaminating Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County; 2nd Appeal May Be Coming [PaEN]
-- Republican Rep. Krupa To Introduce Bill To Ban Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Wells To Protect The Public From Radioactive, Toxic Materials [PaEN]
-- Equitrans Determined Leak Of Over 1.1 Billion Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas From Cambria County Storage Facility Was Caused By Corrosion In Conventional Gas Well Casing [PaEN]
-- Shapiro Administration Secures Methane Detectors For Neighborhood In Plum Boro, Allegheny County Where Home Exploded [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission To Vote Sept. 14 On Budget, Climate Change Resolution, Water Withdrawal Requests, Including 8 Shale Gas Drilling Operations - 1 In Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves 25 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga Counties [PaEN]
-- On Demand: ReImagine Appalachia Faith In Action: Environmental Justice For All - Ensuring Equity And Benefits Across Our Most Climate-Impacted Communities [PaEN]
[Posted: August 26, 2023] PA Environment Digest
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