PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 14

The following notices were published in the September 14 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - D.Lewis Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with an oil-based drilling mud to meet the Statewide Health and Background Standards at the pad located in Bridgewater Twp., Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5902)

-- Norfolk Southern Railroad - Lucknow Fueling Station: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with diesel fuel to meet the Statewide Health Standard for the facility located in the City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County. (PA Bulletin, page 5902)

2024 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 201 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.

Air Quality Permit

-- Sandy Run Landfill, LLC - Renewable Landfill Gas Refinery: DEP invites comments on an Air Quality Plan Approval for the facility located in Broad Top Twp., Bedford County. (PA Bulletin, page 5876)

-- Buckeye Pipeline - Malvern Station: DEP invites comments on a modification to the Title V Air Quality Permit for the facility located in East Whiteland Twp., Chester County. (PA Bulletin, page 5877)

-- Markwest Liberty - Bluestone - Sarsen Gas Plant: DEP invites comments on a State Only Air Quality Operating Permit for the natural gas gathering and processing facility located in Forward Twp., Butler County. (PA Bulletin, page 5877)

-- NFG Midstream Covington, LLC - Compressor Station: DEP issued an GP-5 Air Quality General Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the facility located in Middlebury Twp., Tioga County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5905)

-- NFG Midstream Covington, LLC - Compressor Station: DEP issued an GP-5 Air Quality General Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the facility located in Chatham Twp., Tioga County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5905)

-- SWN Production Company, LLC - Shale Gas Well Pad Compressor Station: DEP issued a GP-5 Air Quality General Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the facility located in New Milford Twp., Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5905)

-- Greylock Production, LLC - Wildcat Shale Gas Well Pad Compressor Station: DEP issued a GP-5A Air Quality General Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the pad located in Whiteley Twp., Greene County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5905)

-- Greylock Midstream, LLC - Kuhl Skib Compressor Station: DEP issued a GP-5 Air Quality General Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the facility located in Jefferson Twp., Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 5906)

-- EQM Gathering OPCO, LLC - Blue Moon Compressor Station: DEP issued an Air Quality Plan Approval extension to allow for the temporary operation of 6 compressor engines at the facility located in West Pike Run Twp., Washington County. (PA Bulletin, page 5906)

-- Terreva Renewable Energy, LLC - Renewable Gas Facility: DEP issued an Air Quality Plan Approval extension until compliance testing is complete at the facility located in Wayne Twp., Clinton County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5906)

Chapter 105 Encroachment Permits

-- NFG Midstream Covington LLC - 8-Inch, 12-Inch Natural Gas Pipelines: DEP invites comments on a permit application for the pipeline project impacting Baldwin Run (High Quality) and Exceptional Value wetlands located in Delmar Twp., Tioga County.   (PA Bulletin, page 5886)  [Note: This is a republication of a previous notice on June 8, 2024.]

-- People’s Natural Gas Company - Compressor Station Flood Protection: DEP invites comments on a permit application to construct flood protection measures around a compressor station that will impact Abers Creek located in Plum Borough, Allegheny County. (PA Bulletin, page 5887) 

-- Highland Field Services, Inc. - 16-Inch Freshwater Pipeline: DEP issued a Chapter 105 permit for a pipeline project impacting Baldwin Run (High Quality), Crooked Creek, Norris Brook (Exceptional Value) and Exceptional Value wetlands located in Delmar and Middlebury Townships, Tioga County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5910) 

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - Pipeline Project: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a pipeline project impacting Tunkhannock Creek located in Lathrop and Springville Townships, Susquehanna County and Nicholson Twp., Wyoming County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5913) 

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - Unknown Project: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting a tributary to West Branch Meshoppen Creek located in Dimock Twp., Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5913) 

NOTE: DEP Permitting Efficiency: 21,006 Permits Since 11/2023; Decisions On 17,152;  2 Currently Eligible For PAyback Did Not Meet Decision Deadlines; ZERO Application Fees Refunded [9.13.24]

NOTE: For the week ending September 6, DEP’s Oil & Gas Permit Workload Report Shows: 7 Shale Gas Well Permits Came In The Door, 13 Were Issued; ZERO Conventional Well Permits Came In, 7 Permits Issued; 2 Shale Gas Wells Were Drilled; 3 Conventional Wells Drilled. Permit Fee Revenue Is The Primary Financial Support For DEP’s Oil & Gas Program, And It Is Down Significantly.  Revenue from 2,000 shale gas permits is needed to support the program at current fees, 359 were received so far this year. At this rate, just over 613 shale gas permits may come in this year.

NOTE: Baker Hughes Reports: PA Shale Gas Drilling Rigs Drop Another 2 From Last Week To 14 - On Aug. 23 There Were 21 - 33% Drop [Effort To Raise Natural Gas Prices Continues]

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [9.6.24]*

-- Last Week - Permits: DEP issued 7 conventional and 13 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 159 conventional and 366 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 114  conventional and 215 unconventional

*Weekly Workload Report - 9.6.24

*DEP’s Weekly Oil & Gas Program Workload Report - Most Recent

DEP Issued These New Oil & Gas Permits *

*Click Here to find oil and gas well permits recently issued near you

Sign Up! DEP eNotice: The Only Way You’ll Know When Applications Come In To DEP

Did you know DEP can send you email notices when permit applications are submitted to DEP in your community?  

This is the only way you can get notified of when oil and gas-related permits are submitted to DEP.   

You’ll also get notice of new technical guidance documents and regulations.

Click Here to sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE today!

Act 14 Notices To Municipalities

Many communities and citizens are not aware that a state law passed in 1984 gives them the first chance to comment on Department of Environmental Protection permit applications even before they are submitted to the agency.   Read more here.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - September 7 to 13 - 12,600+ Gallon Shale Gas Wastewater Pipeline Release; 1,000 Gallon+ Subsurface Conventional Wastewater Spill; 28+ Abandoned Wells; Stray Gas Investigation In Elk Viewing Area  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Finds Shale Gas Wastewater Pipeline Sprayed & Leaked 12,600+ Gallons For Nearly 3 Hours In Gilmore Twp., Greene County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Reports Subsurface Release Of An Estimated 1,000 Gallons Of Wastewater At Hebron Gas Storage Field Conventional Well In Hebron Twp., Potter County; Water Supplies Impacted, Report Well Problems To DEP Near This Facility  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Issues Violation To Apex Energy (PA) LLC For Failure To Submit List Of Fracking Chemicals For 37 Shale Gas Wells Over 6 Years In Westmoreland County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Declares 21 Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Owned By Schreiner Oil & Gas Inc. Abandoned, Not Plugged In Erie, McKean Counties; 747 Violations For Conventional Well Abandonment This Year  [PaEN]  

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 14 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 82 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 14 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]  

Related Articles This Week:

-- Cecil Township Supervisors Direct Solicitor To Prepare Ordinance Increasing Setbacks From Shale Gas Well Pads By At Least 2,500 Feet; Another Hearing, Vote Expected Nov. 4   [PaEN] 

-- WESA: New Freeport, Greene County Residents File Lawsuit Against EQT Gas Drilling Company Over Contaminated Water Supplies  [PaEN]

-- Southwestern PA Community, Health Organizations To Hold Sept. 17 Online Press Event - One Year After Pitt Shale Gas Health Impacts Studies And The Failure To Fulfill Essential Promises Made To Residents  [PaEN]  

-- Susquehanna River Basin Conditions Trigger Low-Flow Water Use Restrictions At 7 Shale Gas Water Withdrawals In Bradford, Susquehanna, Tioga Counties  [PaEN] 

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves Water Withdrawal Requests - Including 8 For Shale Gas Development; Total Of 23 In 2024  [PaEN] 

-- Senate Hearing: Landowner Concerns About Liability For Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells May Be Impediment To Plugging Leaking Wells; Need To Make Plugging Programs More Effective To Deal With ‘Growing Problem’  [PaEN] 

-- Groundbreaking Initiative Using Drones To Locate Orphan, Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Pennsylvania Kicks Off  [PaEN] 

-- Baker Hughes: PA Shale Gas Drilling Rigs Drop Another 2 From Last Week To 14 - On Aug. 23 There Were 21 - 33% Drop [Effort To Raise Natural Gas Prices Continues]

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Coterra Energy Pulling All Active Marcellus Drilling Rigs From Susquehanna County Until Natural Gas Price Recovers  [PDF of Article]  [Dimock Is In This County] 

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Shale Gas Drilling Slowed In 2024, Prices Expected To Rise This Winter

-- US DOE Now Accepting Applications For $15 Million In Funding To Reduce  Methane Emissions From Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells

-- House Committee Sets Sept. 17 Hearing On PA One Call Underground Utility Notification Program Reauthorization; Almost All Conventional Gas/Oil Pipelines Specifically Excluded  [PaEN]

-- PUC Publishes Final Public Utility Owned Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards In Sept. 14 PA Bulletin  [Read background here ]

-- Ohio River Valley Institute: $55 Million Federally-Funded Tenaska Carbon Geologic Sequestration Project Expected To Permanently Employ 4 People, According To A WV University Study  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- WESA: New Freeport, Greene County Residents File Lawsuit Against EQT Gas Drilling Company Over Contaminated Water Supplies 

-- PublicSource.org: New Freeport, Greene County Residents In Federal Court Demanding Clean Water From EQT Natural Gas Company After Frack-Out  

-- Natural Resources Defense Council Blog: Fracking Loopholes Remain, With More Sick Families In Communities [Includes Pennsylvania Examples] 

-- TheDailyClimate.org: PA’s CNX Resources Gas Drilling Company With More Than 2,000 Environmental Violations Selected For Federal Hydrogen Hub Environmental Justice Funding 

-- TribLive Letter: Between 2016-2023 PA Households Paid 51% More For Natural Gas As LNG Gas Exports Surged; Shale Gas Drillers Accumulate 81,289 Environmental Violations - By Jan Milburn, Westmoreland County

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Coterra Energy Pulling All Active Marcellus Drilling Rigs From Susquehanna County Until Natural Gas Price Recovers  [PDF of Article]

-- The Derrick - John Barlett: An Eye In The Sky Will Seek Old Oil, Gas Wells  [PDF of Article]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: State’s $100,000+ Cost To Plug Abandoned/Orphan Wells ‘Outrageously Enormous;’ Taking Care Of Problem No Simple Task  

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Shale Gas Drilling Slowed In 2024, Prices Expected To Rise This Winter

-- RealClearEnergy.org: EQT Gas CEO Says Gas Reserves Could Sustain A 50% Increase In Production, Leaving ‘Enough Resources For Over 30 Years Of Supply;’ [Natural Gas Prices Would Be Lower If We Had More Pipelines, Storage] 

-- Governing Magazine: Oil & Gas Towns Don’t Need Help Now, But They Will As World Shifts To Clean Energy 

-- Bloomberg: Europe At Peak LNG Gas Consumption; LNG Overcapacity Heightens Risk Of Stranded Assets, IEEFA Says

-- Bloomberg: China’s LNG Gas Imports May Suffer As Caverns Are Filled To The Brim

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Markets Point To Steep Price Rise In 2025; Prices Drop In Anticipation Of Latest Hurricane Hitting LNG Gas Export Facilities In Louisiana    

-- Reuters: Transco Applies For FERC Emergency Certification To Keep Operating Regional Energy Access Expansion Natural Gas Pipeline Project After Court Threw Out Permit 

-- Bloomberg: NextDecade LNG Gas Export Project Paying Price For ‘Wrist Slap” Putting Thousands Of Jobs At Risk [Federal Court Ruling Striking Down FERC Permit Sending It Back For Required Environmental Review] 

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Methane Emissions Much Higher Than Gas Industry Targets, EDF Study Says  

-- AP: Pollution Of The Potent Climate Warming Gas Methane Soars, People Mostly To Blame

-- US DOE Now Accepting Applications For $15 Million In Funding To Reduce  Methane Emissions From Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells

[Posted: September 13, 2024]  PA Environment Digest