So far this year, DEP took these actions as of September 20--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 75 conventional, 8 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 6,076 conventional and 758 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2024: 381 conventional and 96 unconventional
-- Inspections Last Week: 233 conventional and 433 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 12,357 conventional and 17,817 unconventional
-- Wells Drilled Last Week: 7 conventional and 2 unconventional
-- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 123 conventional and 221 unconventional
6 + 33 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations
On September 25, 2024, DEP inspected three conventional wells-- Cunningham 1, 6 and 7-- owned by Baron Crest Energy Co. in Pinegrove Township, Venango County and found the well plugging contractor was suspending preliminary plugging operations and removing its rig from these abandoned and unplugged wells.
The contractor said he was informed that notice of intent to plug the wells must be re-submitted before plugging resumes, possibly within a month.
Baron Crest is now 86 days before the date the company said it would start plugging these wells.
DEP originally issued the violation for abandonment on January 17, 2024, along with violations for failure to submit production, waste generation and mechanical integrity reports.
DEP’s inspection reports [Cunningham 6 as example] continued violations for abandonment and failure to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports.
No follow-up actions were requested of the well owner.
Gas Bubbling Out Of Abandoned Conventional Well Pipeline
On September 17, 2024, DEP inspected the Bickel 4 conventional gas well owned by Stonehaven Energy MGT Co Inc. in Bloom Township, Clearfield County in response to a call received on September 12, 2024 “regarding a bubbling hole” in the vicinity of the well.
DEP found what turned out to be a leaking pipeline believed to be associated with the Bickle 4 gas well. It was located along the right of way for power lines and was described as “continuously bubbling.”
DEP inspected this same well on August 8, 2024 and found it to be abandoned and unplugged, but the well itself was not leaking gas.
DEP’s inspection report then included violations for those offenses, as well as failing to submit annual production, waste generation and mechanical integrity reports, but did not request the well owner to do anything further.
DEP also inspected the Bickel 2 and John Mathews 5 conventional wells owned by Stonehaven Energy in the same township on August 8, 2024 and also found them to be abandoned and unplugged. Read more here.
DEP’s eFACTS database shows Stonehaven holds 727 conventional well permits, six wells are listed as abandoned.
DEP’s September 17 inspection report, continued the earlier violations for abandonment and failure to submit report, but contained no new violations related to the leaking gas pipeline.
DEP said, “Stonehaven will be contacted to address the bubbling along the right of way and the leaks at the fittings that were identified during this inspection. The requested written response should include what measures have been or need to be taken to fix the leak on the pipeline associated with this well by October 4, 2024.”
Emergency Well Plugging Continues In McKean County
On September 26, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the Lewis Run Hudson Lease 2 OP 2 conventional well plugging emergency contract site in Lafayette Township, McKean County and found the plugging contactor had reached a depth of 680 feet.
DEP started plugging the Penn Resources, Inc. well on September 9. Read more here.
DEP’s inspection report said the contractor plans to seal the well with a solid column of cement 260 feet long.
Inspecting Abandoned, Orphan Wells
DEP completed abandoned and orphan inspections of at least 33 wells with Unknown owners, except where noted--
-- Allegheny County, South Fayette Twp: Sinkhole 1
-- Allegheny County, McDonald Borough: Dan 1
-- Clarion County, Perry Twp: Turkey Run RD 4, Lime Plant Rd 1, 980 Lime Plant RD 1, 81 Lime Plant RD 1, Lime Plant RD 2
-- Clarion County, Richland Twp: Turkey Run RD 3,
-- McKean County, Bradford City: Harps 010, Harps 011, Jessie C. Edgitt 23
-- McKean County, Foster Twp: Wiltsie Lease 1, Wiltsie Lease 6, Wiltsie Lease 7, Wiltsie Lease 11 (orphan)
-- McKean County, Otto Twp: Wiltsie Lease 2 (orphan), Wiltsie Lease 17, Wiltsie Lease 18 (orphan), Wiltsie Lease 20 (orphan), Wiltsie Lease 21 (orphan), Wiltsie Lease 23 (orphan), Wiltsie Lease 24, Wiltsie Lease 25, Wiltsie Lease 28, Wiltsie Lease 29 (orphan), Wiltsie Lease 30 (orphan), Wiltsie Lease 30 (orphan), Wiltsie Lease 32 (orphan), Wiltsie Lease 33
-- Potter County, Hebron Twp: Leauber L3
-- Washington County, South Franklin Twp: GE Krupp 1 (Preston Oil Co)
-- Westmoreland County, North Huntingdon Twp: Old Painter Farm 1
-- Westmoreland County, Youngwood Borough: Newill Street 1
763 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations In 2024
So far in 2024, DEP issued 763 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging wells.
So far in 2024, 21 violations were issued or continued to 10 shale gas well owners [Big Dog Energy LLC follow-up; 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.
Stray Gas Investigation Finds Leaking Well In Jefferson County
On September 24, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the James T. Burns 3074 conventional gas well in Rose Township, Jefferson County owned by Diversified Production LLC as part of a stray gas investigation causing contamination of a private water well.
DEP issued violations on July 18, 2024 for failure of well casing and/or cementing to prevent gas from leaking from the well, failure to take corrective actions to fix the leaking well and failure to notify DEP of the problem.
DEP said this conventional well is located 2,700 feet northeast of the complainant’s water well.
DEP said during this inspection it found gas continuing to leak from the well, specifically a slam bar hole on the north side of the well.
“Due to continued detection of methane in the soil around the well-bore it appears the well has compromised mechanical integrity.”
DEP’s inspection report continued the violations issued in July and requested the well owner to submit a plan by October 10, 2024 on whether the well will be repaired or plugged.
Use DEP’s Oil & Gas Mapping Tool to locate this well using latitude and longitude on the inspection report.
Gas Leaks Detected At Gas Storage Reservoir Wells
On September 18, 2024, DEP did follow-up inspections of three conventional gas wells serving the Columbia Gas Transmission LLC Donegal Gas Storage Reservoir in Blaine and Donegal Townships, Washington County and found they continued to leak gas or were abandoned and not plugged.
The wells included--
-- Blaine Twp: AR Greig L4836, original violations issued August 27, 2024 failure to plug or recondition the well within 2,000 feet of Tunnel Ridge underground mining. DEP inspection report adds violations for abandoning and failing to plug the well and requests the owner to submit a plan by October 18, 2024 to correct the violations.
-- Donegal Twp: WM Patterson L4112, original violations issued May 30, 2024 because “multiple strings of casing were uncemented” DEP inspection report continues the violations and requests owner to submit a plan to correct violations by October 18, 2024.
-- Donegal Twp: Gene Sheller (Frank Craig) L4111, original violations issued May 30, 2023 for abandoning, not plugging well and for uncemented casing strings. DEP inspection report continues those violations, noting the well area is being prepped for plugging operations, but still requests the owner to submit a plan by October 18, 2024 on how the violations will be corrected.
Since September 9, 2024, DEP has been inspecting conventional wells serving the Donegal Gas Storage Reservoir and found other Columbia Gas wells leaking gas [Read more here] and five other abandoned, unplugged wells [Read more here] [Read more here].
On September 25, 2024, DEP did a routine inspection of the EJ Klingensmith 1 conventional gas well serving the Oakford Gas Storage Reservoir in Penn Township, Westmoreland County owned by Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage Inc. and found the well leaking gas.
DEP’s inspection report requested the owner to provide a summary of how the leak would be corrected, but no violations were issued.
Stray Gas Investigation Continues In Elk County
DEP’s stray gas investigation of methane contamination of a private water supply in Benezette Township, Elk County continued with the September 23, 2024 inspection of a DCNR conventional well-- Tract 37-3-- owned by Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage Inc., but no gas leaks were found in this prime elk viewing area.
This well was located 1,900 feet northwest of the complainant’s water supply. [DEP inspection report]
Use DEP’s Oil & Gas Mapping Tool to locate this well using latitude and longitude on the inspection report to see if this well is near a drinking water well you own.
Conventional Well Leaking Gas Thru Casing Holes
On September 17, 2024, DEP did a routine inspection of the O&M Scherich Etall 603146 conventional gas well in Morris Township, Washington County owned by Lola Energy Resources, LLC and found it was leaking gas through multiple holes in the rusted out well casing.
DEP’s eFACTS database shows Lola Energy holds two conventional oil and gas well permits, both active.
DEP’s inspection report included violations for leaking gas, failure to submit a well integrity report and requested the owner to submit a plan by October 7, 2024 to correct the violations.
Violations During Big Cleanup Of Shale Gas Well Pad In Greene County
On September 23, 2024, DEP inspected the Hoge/Noce shale gas well pad in Cumberland Township, Greene County owned by Greylock Production LLC for compliance with a Consent Order and Agreement requiring cleanup of a large area of contamination at the well pad.
While cleanup was underway, no work was being done on the site during the inspection.
DEP found multiple areas of failure of secondary containment around storage containers for contaminated soils, including holes and contaminated water leaks.
DEP’s inspection report included multiple violations related to these issues and requested the owner to submit a plan by October 7, 2024 on how the problems with the cleanup will be brought into compliance.
Use DEP’s Oil & Gas Mapping Tool to locate this well pad by name.
Conventional Well Crude Oil Leak Travels 450 Feet Down Hill
On September 25, 2024, DEP inspected the Madison 17 conventional oil well in Howe Township, Forest County owned by Bull Run Resources LLC and found crude oil had been leaking from the well, ran down a hill for 450 feet and accumulated on a gravel road at the bottom of the hill.
Bull Run was notified by DEP and responded to the site, repaired the well leak and used absorbent diapers to clean up the crude oil. An estimated 42 gallons of crude oil spilled. No waterways were impacted.
There was no mention if the 450 foot path the oil traveled to get to the road was also cleaned up.
DEP’s inspection report included violations for the leaking crude oil, but those violations were immediately closed as a result of Bull Run’s cleanup response.
DEP’s eFACTS database shows Bull Run Resources holds 1,496 conventional oil and gas well permits, one listed as abandoned
Failure To Correct Months-Old Violations On Multiple Conventional Wells
On September 16 & 19, 2024, DEP did inspections of four conventional wells owned by Mountain View Oil & Gas Inc. in Westmoreland County and found a lack of progress in correcting spill violations that are months old.
The wells include--
-- Salem Twp: Mawco-Bailey Unit 1: DEP inspection report includes new violation for holes in wastewater storage tank and requests the owner to submit a plan for correcting the violation by October 16, 2024.
-- South Huntingdon Twp: George A. Williams 4, original violations issued on June 21, 2024 for a spill from a wastewater storage tank. DEP inspection report continues those violations and notes a lack of progress on cleaning up the site, but requests no follow-up actions by the well owner.
-- South Huntingdon Twp: Williams 1, original violations issued February 22, 2024 and June 21, 2024 for spill from leaking wastewater tank. DEP inspection report continues these violations, after noting lack of progress on cleaning up the site, but requests no follow-up actions by the well owner.
-- West Huntingdon Twp: Rossey 1, original violations issued July 15, 2024 for failure to fill pits containing produced fluids and industrial wastes. DEP inspection report continues that violation and adds violations for newly discovered spills and failure to collect wastewater and requests the well owner to submit a plan by October 8, 2024 for correcting these violations.
DEP’s eFACTS database shows Mountain View Oil & Gas Inc. holds 1,015 permits for conventional oil and gas wells, almost all are active.
2024 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups
So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 209 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups. Read more here.
3 Shale Gas Drillers Fail To Report Fracking Chemicals
The Department of Environmental Protection issued notices of violation to EQT Production Company in Greene County, Range Resources-Appalachia, LLC in Washington County and Greylock Production LLC (unknown location) last week for failing to report chemicals used in fracking shale gas wells. Read more here.
All three violations involved situations where the companies listed chemicals as “proprietary,” but failed to submit those chemicals under separate, confidential cover to DEP as required by law.
These violations follow violations DEP issued on September 8, 2024, 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. Read more here.
The new violations include--
-- On September 26, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to EQT Production Company for failing to submit the list of chemicals used in fracking eight shale gas wells at the Lumber Shale Gas Well Pad in Springhill Township, Greene County.
DEP said the violations occurred on April 22, 2024.
The well owner was asked to submit a response to the violation by October 10, 2024.
-- On September 26, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to Range Resources-Appalachia, LLC for failing to submit the list of chemicals used in fracking one shale gas well at the Brownlee Kelley 12333 Unit Shale Gas Well Pad in Hopewell Township, Washington County.
DEP said the violations occurred on March 19, 2024.
The well owner was asked to submit a response to the violation by October 10, 2024.
-- On September 26, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to Greylock Production LLC for failing to submit the list of chemicals used in fracking.
Since this notice of violation was not available online, the location and the name of the shale gas wells cited were not available. Read more here.
Shale Gas Driller Fails To Comply With Order To Restore Well Pad
On September 16, 2024, DEP inspected the Sproul 7005 shale gas well pad in Stewart Township, Fayette County owned by M4 Energy LLC to determine compliance with a December 16, 2021 consent order and agreement.
DEP found the owner did not comply with a September 1, 2024 deadline to restore the well pad as required by its erosion and sedimentation control permit.
DEP’s inspection report includes a violation for failing to comply with the consent order and requests the owner to submit a plan by October 3, 2024 on how the pad will be brought into compliance.
DEP has also issued violations to M4 Energy in May for abandoning and not plugging three shale gas wells in Potter County [Read more here] and continued those violations in July after nothing was done to address the violations [Read more here].
Failure To Correct Shale Well Pad Restoration E&S Problems From 2023
On September 24, 2024, DEP did follow-up inspections on two shale gas well pads owned by Geopetro, LLC in Beaver County and found erosion and sedimentation violations issued in March and April and some dating back to December 2023 had still not been corrected.
Violations at the PA Game Commission shale gas well pad in South Beaver Township were issued on March 28, 2024 for failure to maintain erosion and sedimentation practices and failure to properly manage stormwater on the pad.
DEP noted-- “sedimentation into channel 3 was observed in the Department's previous inspections of the well site on 12/11/23, 3/28/2024, and 7/30/2024 and appears to be unchanged since.”
DEP’s inspection report continued earlier violations and recommended the owner “assess the well site for areas lacking 70% uniform vegetative growth and seed and mulch the areas.”
Violations at the Fedorchak shale gas well pad in Ohioville Borough were issued on April 30, 2024 for failure to maintain erosion and sedimentation practices, and failure to properly manage stormwater accumulating on the pad.
DEP noted, however, as a result of an earlier inspection, the owner said in a response to DEP on February 12, 2024 they would take care of the issues.
DEP’s inspection report continued these violations and asked the owner for clarification on actions being taken.
Failure To Correct Month-Old E&S Violations At 2 Shale Gas Well Pads
On September 26, 2024, DEP did follow-up inspections at two shale gas well pads owned by Olympus Energy, LLC in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties and found violations issued in August were not corrected.
The Athena shale gas well pad in Washington Township, Westmoreland County was issued a series of violations for erosion and sediment violations, slumping soils and channelized flows on August 14, 2024.
DEP’s inspection report continued the violations, but made no other requests of the pad owner.
The Hermes shale gas well pad in Plum Borough, Allegheny County was issued multiple violations for erosion and sedimentation failures on August 20, 2024, including land slumping, removal of sediment controls and erosion rills.
DEP’s inspection report continued the violations, but made no other requests of the pad owner.
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.
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-- Diversified Production LLC gas leaking from conventional well possibly contaminating water well; Crude oil leak from Bull Run Resources LLC conventional well; failure of Geopetro, LLC to correct E&S violations at shale gas well pads dating from 2023; Leaking conventional gas well serving Columbia Gas Transmission LLC Donegal Gas Storage Reservoir; Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage Inc. conventional gas well leak at gas storage reservoir; Row 2-- Big Greylock Production LLC shale gas well pad cleanup in Greene County; Row 3-- Olympus Energy, LLC failure to correct month-old E&S violations; Gas bubbling out of abandoned conventional well pipeline owned by Stonehaven Energy MGT Co Inc.; Gas leaking out holes in Lola Energy Resources, LLC conventional well rusted out casing; One of four Mountain View Oil & Gas Inc. conventional wells with uncorrected violations.)
[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 Issues Violations To 3 Shale Gas Drillers For Failing To Report Fracking Chemicals, Including At EQT’s Lumber Well Pad In Greene County [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 28 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 73 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 28 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
20 Years Of Shale Gas
-- Observer-Reporter: Local Officials Have Had To Grapple With Fracking Since It’s Arrival - Cecil Township, Washington County [Part II] [PDF of Article]
-- Observer-Reporter: ‘Shale Revolution:’ A Look Back At 20 Years Of Gas Drilling In Southwest PA [Part I] [PDF of Article]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA’s Dr. Ned Ketyer Shares Summary Of Studies Of Shale Gas Development Impacts On Human Health [PaEN]
-- US DOE: China Is Biggest Destination For US LNG Gas Exports; PA Shale Gas Industry Says We Have ‘Duty’ To Export Gas To China, Our Military, Economic Competitor [PaEN]
-- House Committee Meets Oct. 1 To Consider Bill To Diversify Energy Generation, Improve Grid Reliability, Lower Consumer Energy Costs [PaEN]
-- PA House Republicans Introduce Bill Creating An Energy Advocate With Power To Veto Any Action By Any State Agency That Harms Energy Reliability, Affordability [PaEN]
-- Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community, Partners Release New Disability-Centered Guidance For Transportation Accidents, Petrochemical Plant Spills, Releases [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Marcellus Drilling News: EQT Gas Driller Says Natural Gas Price Spikes Coming Next Year Moving From $2 to $3 Range Up To As High As $9 [PDF of Article] [PA Is 59% Dependent On Gas To Generate Electricity]
-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs At 14, Same As Last Week - Down 33% Since Aug. 23 [Industry Efforts To Increase Natural Gas Prices Continue]
-- Marcellus Drilling News: EQT Gas To Begin Reversing Curtailed Production Starting In October [PDF of Article]
-- The Energy Age Blog: Doctor Summarizes Health Studies On Shale Gas Development Health Impacts
-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: CNX Resources: Our Operations Pose No Health Risk; You Can’t Be Serious, Activists Say
-- Inquirer/Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: CNX Resources: Our Operations Pose No Health Risk; You Can’t Be Serious, Activists Respond
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: CNX Resources Tells Gas Industry - Public Health Issues Won’t Just Go Away Without Transparency
-- Marcellus Drilling News: PA Lawsuit Over Radioactive Drill Cuttings At Mercer County Landfill Heads To Commonwealth Court Hearing Oct. 8 [PDF of Article]
-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Expand Energy Corp New Name For Merged Chesapeake Energy- Southwestern Energy Gas Producers; Will Be Largest In US
-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Propane Involved In Crescent Twp. House Explosion, Investigation Shows
-- TribLive: PUC: Natural Gas Service Not To Blame For Fatal Crescent Township House Explosion
-- The Allegheny Front: Study: Colleges With Fossil Fuel Funding Can Become ‘Vehicle Of Climate Obstruction’
[Posted: September 28, 2024] PA Environment Digest
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