So far this year, DEP took these actions as of September 6--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 62 conventional, 7 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 5,857 conventional and 721 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2024: 361 conventional and 91 unconventional (orders, COAs, other actions)
-- Inspections Last Week: 254 conventional and 242 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 11,713 conventional and 16,733 unconventional
-- Wells Drilled Last Week: 3 conventional and 2 unconventional
-- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 114 conventional and 215 unconventional
28 + 13 Abandoned Conventional Wells
On September 9, 2024, DEP declared 21 conventional wells owned by Schreiner Oil & Gas Inc. In Erie and McKean counties abandoned and not plugged. The wells include--
Erie County
-- Conneaut Twp.: Harrington 1; Harrington 2;
McKean County
-- Bradford Twp.: Gilbert Lot 13 21; Gilbert Lot 9 22; Gilbert Lot 9 24; Gilbert Lot 6 25; Filbert Lot 9 23; Hedgehog Lot 15 35;
-- Hamilton Twp.: Peroil LTD 73;
-- Lafayette Twp.: Cherokee 1113; Cherokee 1119; Cherokee 1120; Arrowhead 1117; Arrowhead 1118; Wedco V 1712; Wedco V 1715; Wise Beta 1713; Bishop Gates S11; Bishop Gates S12; Eagle 1224; Eagle 1225;
DEP’s eFACTS database shows Schreiner Oil & Gas Inc. holds 156 conventional well permits, including five abandoned wells.
Schreiner was also issued violations by DEP for abandoning and not plugging five other wells in McKean County in February 2023. Read more here.
In 2010, DEP issued Schreiner Oil & Gas an order to restore water supplies to two homes in McKean County impacted by their drilling operations. Read more here.
On September 3, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the AG Miller 963 conventional well in Luzerne Township, Fayette County owned by Fortress Energy Corp. and found the well abandoned and not plugged.
DEP issued the original violation for abandonment on March 17, 2021.
DEP said “the operator’s previous attempts to plug the well were unsuccessful.” The well owner submitted a notice of intent to plug the well on September 23, 2020, but took no action, according to DEP’s well record.
“The operator is working with the department to obtain compliance and plug the well. Operator will also submit a notice of intent to plug within 30 days of commencing plugging activities.”
DEP’s eFACTS database shows Fortress Energy holds 23 permits for conventional wells, none are listed as abandoned.
DEP’s inspection report continued the abandonment violation and requested the owner to submit a plan-- again-- by September 17, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.
Six Abandoned Conventional Wells - Owner Defunct
On September 12, 2024 DEP received a response to violations for not plugging abandoned conventional wells from the Charlemagne Investment Corporation.
The response said, in part-- ‘Charlemagne Investment Corporation is inactive and filed its final tax return as of 12-31-16. It had $64 in cash as of its final filing and has no other assets.”
“It was originally formed in 1968 by my father who passed away in 2011. My mother inherited the shares and passed away in 2016. The corporation was valued at zero on her estate return.
“My sister and I have no knowledge of these wells. We don’t know who the operator would be, if there is any production or even where the wells are located.”
The wells included Thomas Robinson 1 & 2 in Cranberry Township, Butler County [Read more here] and the WE Meggs 1 conventional well in Jefferson Township, Washington County [Read more here]
DEP’s eFACTS database shows Charlemagne holds six conventional oil and gas well permits, none abandoned. Permits were issued starting in 1978 through 1997.
Abandoned Well Surveys
On September 9 to 13, 2024, DEP inspected at least 13 conventional wells to confirm their location and condition for future plugging projects--
-- Allegheny County, Plum Boro: BJ Greer; JS Seamon; McJunkin; EB Davidson; CB Mallisee
-- Allegheny County, Forward Twp.: Joseph Hutcheson; Pete Vairi
-- Allegheny County, Monroeville Boro: JC Seaman
-- Erie County, Greene Twp.: 8175 Morehouse Road 1
-- Potter County, Hebron Twp. Sayer L 1; Leauber L 8; Lauber L 9;
-- Westmoreland County, Murrysville Boro: Jacob C Hall
So far in 2024, DEP issued 753 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging wells.
So far in 2024, 19 violations were issued or continued to 10 shale gas well owners [Big Dog Energy LLC; EQT Production Co.; Diversified Prod LLC; Chesapeake Appalachia LLC, Atlas Resources, LLC; Atlas Resources, LLC (follow-up inspection)’ Repsol Oil & Gas, EQT Chap LLC; M4 Energy; M4 Energy (follow-up inspection); EQT (Rice Drilling B LLC); and Roulette Oil & Gas LLC; Roulette Oil & Gas LLC (follow-up inspection)] for abandoning wells and not plugging wells.
Wastewater Pipeline Leaked 12,600+ Gallons For Nearly 3 Hours
On September 11, 2024, DEP did an inspection of the NITMH023 shale gas wastewater pipeline in Gilmore Township, Greene County in response to a notification by EQM Gathering OPCO LLC of a spill from the pipeline at the Trust Well Site owned by EQT Production Company.
The inspection found the pipeline still leaking at the time of arrival. The pipeline had been leaking and spraying shale gas wastewater for nearly three hours before being stopped.
An estimated 12,600 gallons of wastewater was released from the leak in the pipeline. This estimate is based on the fact that three vac tank trucks were able to recover 12,600 gallons of wastewater from the start of the spill.
DEP’s inspector said it wasn’t clear what caused the pipeline to leak and spray wastewater.
The owner said the pipeline was new, having only been installed at the site for the past month and a half without issues.
A follow-up contact from the owner to DEP later in the day said contamination has also been found below the pipeline on the Trust Well Site.
There was no indication in the inspection report where the 12,600 gallons of wastewater went or whether it posed a threat to any drinking water wells nearby.
The Trust Well Pad, owned by EQT Production Company, is located at 212 Hoy Hill Road, Holbrook-- Latitude: 39.76133 Longitude: -80.28292, according to DEP’s Oil & Gas Mapping Tool.
Typically neither DEP nor the site owner notifies neighboring well owners of spills that could impact their private water supplies.
If you live near this location and could be affected, contact DEP’s Southwest District Oil and Gas Office in Pittsburgh at 412-442-4000 or New Stanton Office 724-925-5500.
DEP’s inspection report included multiple violations related to the release and requested the owner to submit a plan by October 3, 2024 on how the site will be cleaned up and brought into compliance.
Subsurface 1,000 Gallon Spill At Gas Storage Well Impacts Water Supplies
On September 11, 2024, DEP reported sample results showed a subsurface release of approximately 1,000 gallons of drilling wastewater from the conventional Phelps 4861 gas injection well at the Hebron Gas Storage Field in Hebron Township, Potter County owned by Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co LLC impacted two nearby water supplies.
DEP’s September 4, 2024 inspection report said the release came from a hole in the well casing about 195 down from the surface.
The wastewater was being used during a maintenance operation at the storage well that began on July 11, 2024 [DEP inspection report].
DEP described the status of the well in an August 19, 2024 DEP inspection report and the release is described in a September 4, 2024 DEP inspection report.
DEP’s September 11, 2024 report said, “Review of those results indicates a temporary impact to groundwater.
“A number of constituents indicative of a brine release were initially elevated above expected background conditions including: chlorides, sodium, TDS, calcium, bromide, barium and lithium.
“None of the constituents were detected above drinking water standards during the sampling events.”
“The presence of elevated constituents indicates an impact to the Waters of the Commonwealth and constitutes violations of the PA Clean Streams Law and Chapter 78”
There was no indication where the water supplies were that were impacted by this release.
The Phelps 4861 conventional well can be located by its-- Latitude: 41.870043 and Longitude: -77.973495-- using DEP’s Oil & Gas Mapping Tool.
If the water well owners are experiencing problems with their water supplies they should immediately report it to DEP’s Eastern District Oil and Gas Office in Williamsport at 570-321-6550.
DEP’s inspection report included violations for the release and a request to submit a plan by September 27, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.
Wastewater Filling Up Soft Spot Near Plugged Shale Gas Well
On September 9, 2024, DEP did an inspection of the Kentor Inc. Shale Gas Well Pad in Center Township, Greene County in response to a notification from the owner Leatherwood LLC of a produced wastewater spill at the plugged Kentor 8H well.
The owner said the Kentor 8H well was plugged to allow for an underground mine-through.
DEP found the spill area around the plugged well was in the process of being excavated for removal.
However, the cleanup contractor said, “they had discovered a soft spot in the aggregate on the well pad during initial remediation approximately 75-100 feet from the plugged well. Upon excavating this soft spot, produced [wastewater] fluid began filling up the hole.”
No estimate of the amount of wastewater spill was available or whether the spill had the potential to impact nearby private water supplies.
DEP’s inspection report included multiple violations related to the spill and requested the owner to submit a plan by September 30, 2024 on how the pad will be brought into compliance.
Samples Results Confirm Shale Gas Wastewater Spill
On September 4, 2024, DEP received sample results from an August 6, 2024 investigation of a spill at the Hillis BRA shale gas well pad in Herrick Township, Bradford County owned by Chesapeake Appalachia LLC that confirmed a spill of wastewater on the pad.
DEP’s inspection report included violations related to the spill and the improper storage of chemicals and waste on the site and requested the owner to submit a plan by September 27, 2024 on how the pad will be brought into compliance.
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. Read more here.
Failure To Submit Fracking Chemicals List For 37 Shale Gas Wells For 6 Years
On September 9, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to Apex Energy (PA) LLC for failing to submit a list of fracking chemicals used to frack 37 shale gas wells in Salem and Hempfield Townships, Westmoreland County between March 20, 2018 and February 17, 2024.
DEP’s notice of violation includes the list of 37 wells violating these requirements by well numbers on these pads, according to DEP’s Oil & Gas Mapping Tool--
-- Salam Twp.: McIlvaine Central Pad
-- Hempfield Twp.: Graham Pad; Norah Pad; Potts Pad; Eisaman South Pad; and Wiseman South Pad
DEP’s regulations-- 25 Pa. Code § 78a.122(b)(6)(iv)-- requires Apex to provide a list of the chemicals intentionally added to the stimulation [fracking] fluid, by name and chemical abstract service number (by either directly providing this information or by providing a registered code that would allow the Department to determine the chemical name and CAS#), in its Completion Report.
“Instead, Apex listed “Proprietary” or “Trade Secret” in the CAS# field.
“Apex may designate proprietary information, as allowed by regulation, but in that case, the chemical information, though under a confidential cover, must still be submitted.”
DEP’s notice of violation requires Apex to submit a reply to the notice within 10 business days.
DEP’s eFACTs database shows Apex holds 98 permits for shale gas wells, pads and associated pipelines.
Storage Area Conventional Well Leaking Gas For 44 Months
On September 9, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the CL Staley 4488 conventional gas well serving the Donegal Gas Storage Reservoir in Donegal Township, Washington County owned by Columbia Gas Transmission LLC and found the well was still leaking gas.
The original violation for improper well construction causing the leak was issued on January 27, 2021 and a follow-up violation for defective casing and cementing was issued on September 13, 2022.
The well owner took no steps to address the violations or fix the well.
DEP’s inspection report continued these violations and requested the owner-- again-- to submit a plan by October 9, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.
Other inspections by DEP in August at the Donegal Gas Storage Reservoir found abandoned and leaking wells and nothing done to correct the violations. [Read more here] [Read more here]
No Progress Cleaning Up Conventional Well Spill For 4 Months
On September 12, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection on the Wheeler W12 conventional well site in Washington Township, Jefferson County owned by Farrington & Hepler Gas & Oil Inc. and found the site was still contaminated from an earlier spill.
DEP found the spill on the site May 16, 2024 and violation notices issued to the owner on August 19, 2024. Some remediation work was done, but it was not completed.
The owner also failed to provide manifests on where the contaminated soil that was removed was taken for safe disposal.
DEP’s inspection report continued the earlier violations, but no follow-up actions were requested of the well owner.
Investigation Of Water Supply Contamination In Armstrong County
On September 12, 2024, DEP inspected the Barker 1 conventional gas well in Valley Township, Armstrong County owned by Diversified Prod LLC as part of an ongoing water supply contamination investigation.
DEP said the conventional well is located approximately 600 feet Northeast of the complainant’s water well. [Complainant names are kept confidential.]
DEP’s inspection report said no leaking gas was found around the well.
Water well owners within the area of investigation can find the location of the Baker 1 well using DEP’s Oil & Gas Mapping Tool and the latitude and longitude coordinates from the inspection report-- Latitude: 40.812661 Longitude -79.411095.
If you live near this location and could be affected, contact DEP’s Southwest District Oil and Gas Office in Pittsburgh at 412-442-4000
DEP also inspected the J Miller 1 conventional well as part of this same investigation owned by US Energy Exploration Corp and found no leaking gas.
DEP’s inspection report said this well was located 500 feet South of the complaint’s water well.
Investigation Of Stray Gas Migration In Elk County
On September 11, 2024, DEP inspected the DCNR Tract 31 7 conventional gas well in Benezette Township, Elk County owned by Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage Inc. as part of a stray gas investigation in this popular Elk viewing area.
DEP said the conventional well is located approximately 1,400 feet from the complainant’s water well. [Complainant names are kept confidential.]
DEP said this well was plugged in 1995 and replugged in 1996.
DEP’s inspection report said no leaking gas was found around the well.
Water well owners within the area of investigation can find the location of the DCNR Tract 31 7 well using DEP’s Oil & Gas Mapping Tool and the latitude and longitude coordinates from the inspection report-- Latitude: 41.272660 Longitude - 78.400330.
If you live near this location and could be affected, contact DEP’s Eastern District Oil and Gas Office in Williamsport at 570-321-6650.
Investigation Into Natural Gas Odor In Venango County
On September 12, 2024, DEP inspected two conventional gas wells-- Frawley AWI 1 & 2-- in Rockland Township, Venango County with Unknown owners as part of an investigation of natural gas odors in the area.
DEP’s inspections found a number of sources of natural gas and methane leaks, at least one that “registered alarm for combustible gas” from a separated plastic pipeline leading to abandoned conventional wells.
DEP’s inspection report for AWI 2 said, “Due to the remote area of the leaking pipeline and no structures nearby, no safety or environmental concerns were observed at time of inspection. Other wells and pipelines are being inspected as part of this complaint.”
Anyone in this area can locate these wells using DEP’s Oil & Gas Mapping Tool and the latitude and longitude coordinates from the inspection report-- AWI 2 - Latitude: 41.277112 Longitude -79.708672-- and report any helpful information on possible sources to DEP’s Northwest District Oil and Gas Office in Meadville at 814-332-6860.
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 webpage to search their compliance records by date and owner 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: Row 1-- EQM Gathering OPCO LLC spill of 12,600+ gallons from shale gas wastewater pipeline in Greene County; Leatherwood LLC plugged shale gas well - holes filling up with wastewater; Row 2-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC shale gas well pad spill confirmed; Fortress Energy Corp. took no action on abandoned well for 3 years; Columbia Gas Transmission LLC gas well leaking 44 months without being fixed; Farrington & Hepler Gas & Oil Inc. conventional well site still contaminated after 4 months; Row 3-- Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co LLC area potentially impacted by 1,000+ gallon subsurface release of wastewater from gas storage area well in Potter County.)
[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:
-- DEP Finds Shale Gas Wastewater Pipeline Sprayed & Leaked 12,600+ Gallons For Nearly 3 Hours In Gilmore Twp., Greene County [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
-- 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:
-- 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
-- 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
[Posted: September 14, 2024] PA Environment Digest
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