Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between May 24 to 31--
Click Here for violations issued. Click Here for inspection entries.
Enforcement Actions Taken Last Week
So far this year, DEP took these actions as of May 23--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 18 conventional, 7 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 2,302 conventional and 495 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 220 conventional and 65 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 237 conventional and 210 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 8,222 conventional and 10,273 unconventional
XTO Energy Fails To Restore 5 Water Impoundments In One County
XTO Energy Inc. [Exxon] - Violations: Failure To Restore Impoundment
May 20, 2025 inspection of the Kozik Centralized Freshwater Impoundment in Summit Township, Butler County found the owner failed to restore the impoundment after its last recorded use on November 14, 2022. It should have been restored within 9 months of this date by August of 2023. The impoundment was fenced and retaining water at the time of the inspection. Violation issued. Response requested by June 12. DEP inspection report.
XTO Energy Inc.[Exxon] - Violations: Failure to Restore Impoundment
May 20, 2025 inspection of the Ambrose Freshwater Impoundment in Summit Township, Butler County found the owner failed to restore the impoundment after its last recorded use on November 13, 2022. It should have been restored within 9 months of this date by August of 2023. The impoundment was fenced and retaining water at the time of the inspection. Violation issued. Response requested by June 12. DEP inspection report.
XTO Energy Inc. [Exxon] - Violations: Failure To Restore Impoundment
May 20, 2025 inspection of the Hinch Smith Unit Centralized Freshwater Impoundment in Butler Township, Butler County found the owner failed to restore the impoundment. No record of the last use of the impoundment could be found. The impoundment was fenced and retaining water at the time of the inspection. Violation issued. Response requested by June 12. DEP inspection report.
XTO Energy Inc. [Exxon] - Violations: Failure To Restore Impoundment
May 20, 2025 inspection of the Spang Freshwater Impoundment in Penn Township, Butler County found the owner failed to restore the impoundment after its last recorded use on October 26, 2018. It should have been restored within 9 months of this date by July of 2019. The impoundment was fenced and retaining water at the time of the inspection. Violation issued. Response requested by June 12. DEP inspection report.
XTO Energy Inc. [Exxon] - Violations: Failure To Restore Impoundment
May 20, 2025 inspection of the Guiher Centralized Freshwater Impoundment in Connoquenessing Township, Butler County found the owner failed to restore the impoundment after its last recorded use on November 13, 2022. It should have been restored within 9 months of this date by August of 2023. The impoundment was fenced and retaining water at the time of the inspection. Violation issued. Response requested by June 12. DEP inspection report.
PennEnergy Surrenders Water Withdrawal Approval/Permit
On May 29, Inside Climate News reported PennEnergy Resources surrendered a 1.5 million gallon per day DEP water withdrawal plan approval and a related permit saying Big Sewickley Creek in Beaver County could not provide enough water to support its shale gas drilling operations. Read more here.
10 Abandoned Conventional Wells
Paul H. Deeter - Violations: 2 Abandoned Conventional Wells
May 14, 2025 inspections of the Paul Johnson 1D and Paul Johnson 2D conventional wells in Cherrytree Township, Venango County found the wells unplugged and abandoned. The owner also failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. These wells were never inspected by DEP. The children of the owner said he died in 1990 and there is no evidence the wells had been produced after that. Violations issued. No response requested from current owners. Twenty-nine wells are registered in the Deeter name.
Note: On April 9, 2025, DEP issued notices of violations to 11 other conventional wells registered to Paul H. Deeter in Jackson Township, Venango County. Read more here.
Vessels Coal Gas Inc. - Violations: Abandoned Conventional Well
May 13, 2025 inspection of the Hervert C. Smith 184B conventional well in Munster Township, Cambria County found the well unplugged and abandoned. The owner also failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Original violations for these infractions issued on July 26, 2024. No action taken to address violations. Violations continued. Response requested by June 13. DEP inspection report. Vessels holds 14 permits.
Three other Vessels conventional wells were inspected in the same area and the owner failed to submit annual reports for any of them.
Ohio Kentucky Oil Corp. - Violations: Abandoned Conventional Well
May 14, 2025 inspection of the Torok 1 conventional well in Ulysses Township, Potter County found the well unplugged, abandoned and the owner failed to submit any production, waste generation or well integrity reports. Attempts to contact the owner have been unsuccessful. Violations issued. Response requested by June 23. DEP inspection report. Ohio Kentucky Oil holds 17 permits.
Diversified Prod LLC - Violations: Abandoned Conventional Well
May 27, 2025 inspected the G. Flowers 1 conventional well in Spring Creek Township, Warren County based on a complaint found the well abandoned and not plugged. The well had no production from 2022 to 2024. Violation issued. Response requested by June 16. DEP inspection report.
Andrew F. Suchko - Violations: Abandoned Conventional Well (31 Months)
May 28, 2025 follow-up inspection of the Andrew Suchko Tract 2 conventional well in South Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County found the well unplugged, abandoned and venting gas. Annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports have never been submitted. Failed to provide plugging bond. Violations for all these infractions originally issued on October 18, 2022. Owner did nothing to respond. Violations continued. Response requested by June 27. DEP inspection report. Suchko holds 3 conventional well permits.
Apollo Resources LLC - Violations: Abandoned Conventional Well (3+ Months)
May 29, 2025 follow-up inspection of the Kovalish 1 conventional well in Derry Township, Westmoreland County found the well continues to be unplugged and abandoned and the owner took no actions to address the violations originally issued on March 14, 2025. Violations continued. Response again requested from owner by June 15. DEP inspection report. Apollo Resources holds 1,896 permits.
No Violations Issued For 3 Abandoned Conventional Wells
ARG Resources Inc. - 3 Abandoned Conventional Wells, No Violations Issued
May 29, 2025 inspection of the Weaver 021, Weaver 022 and Weaver 023 conventional wells in Highland Township, Elk County was done as a result of a complaint. The inspection reports on each of the wells described the wells as “abandoned.” Weaver 021 was found to have corrosion, but no fluid leak or previous leak was detected. The last time DEP inspected this well was in September 1997. Weaver 022 had evidence of a previous fluid leak that did not reach a waterway. This well was declared abandoned in November 2018 and was previously inspected on May 13, 2025. Weaver 023 had some corrious, but no fluid leak or previous leak. This well was last inspected in September 1997. No violations issued. No response requested from owner. ARG Resources holds 1,860 permits with at least 31 listed as abandoned wells, but not these three wells.
[Note: ARG Resources is or was a company related to the American Refining Group which owns and operates the Bradford Oil Refinery in Bradford, PA.
[On April 3, 2020, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported DEP signed an agreement with a Canadian company-- AquaPower Chemicals-- to take over or plug 1,600 conventional wells owned by ARG Resources after the company “shut down in 2019." Read more here.
[A follow-up article by the Post-Gazette in May 2021 described how the deal fell apart and the Canadian businessman involved was facing a federal arrest warrant. Read more here.
[In June 2023, EPA forfeited bonds held by ARG Resources to plug 10 oil and gas wastewater injection wells in the Allegheny National Forest. Read more here.
[In September 2023 DEP inspected 3 wells owned by ARG Resources in response to a notice of an intent to plug the wells, found them to be abandoned and not plugged. No previous violations were issued. Read more here.
[In July 2024 there was another instance where DEP inspected an ARG Resources abandoned conventional well leaking gas and did not issue a violation. Read more here.]
2 Abandoned Shale Gas Wells
Hilcorp Energy Co. - Violations: Abandoned Shale Gas Well (41 Months)
May 28, 2025 inspection of the Pulaski Whiting 1 shale gas well in Pulaski Township, Lawrence County found the well unplugged and abandoned. The well never produced gas and its inactive status expired on April 26, 2021. The well was drilled in 2012. Violations issued. Response requested by June 28. DEP inspection report. Hilcorp holds 179 permits.
LPR Energy LLC - Violations: Abandoned Shale Gas Well (17 Months)
May 28, 2025 compliance evaluation of PMG Baird 1H shale gas well in Lower Turkeyfoot Township, Somerset County found the owner failed to comply with an August 31, 2021 order to plug this well. Last week DEP inspected the Humberston Unit 1H shale gas well in Fayette County owned by LPR Energy and said the same thing [Read more here]. Both shale gas wells were declared abandoned on December 7, 2023. Both wells were drilled in 2011. Violations continued. No response requested. DEP inspection report. LPR Energy holds 42 permits.
216 Abandoned Conventional, 46 Abandoned Shale Gas Well Violations 2025
Abandoned Conventional: So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 216 violations to 59 conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells- [3D Resources LLC ; Amer Natural Resources LLC; WB Anderson; Apex Energy (PA), LLC; Apollo Resources LLC; ARG Resources Inc.; Baird Oil Co.; Bialy Gas Production LLC; Chris E. Burke; Edward E. & Frederick J. Craig; Crude A Co - Randy L. Larkin; Paul H. Deeter; Developed Resources, Inc.; Randy A. Dietterich; Diversified Production LLC; Equitrans LP; EQT Production Co.; Exotic Oil & Gas LLC; Harry L. King; Iron Pennsylvania Land LLC; Keystone Crude LLC; Kiski Valley Gas Co.; Leechburg Gas Co.; Manufacturers Light & Heat Co; Mid East Oil Co.; MTN Energy; MTN V Oil & Gas Inc.; Charles E. Myers; Myers Gas; Niche Energy LLC; Ohio Kentucky Oil Corp. ; Oil & Gas MGMT Co. LLC; OneXXX Prod & Exploration Corp.; Ows Acquisition Co. LLC; PA Mineral SVCS LLC; PBS Coals Inc; Raymond J. Patten; Pencan Explorations Inc.; Robert F. Phipps; Pillar Energy PA, LLC; Pin Oak Energy Partners, LLC; Prosperity Oil Co. Inc.; Red Lion Gas Coop Assn; Reel Resources, Inc; Raymond Sawyer; Fred C. Scheel; SK Opr Inc.; Larry A. Shaffer Jr.; FM Sloan Inc.; Andrew F. Suchko; S R Star O&G LLC ; Stockman LLC; Stonehaven Energy MGT Co. LLC; Andrew F. Suchko; Thomas Thurma Jean; Timberline Energy, Inc.; Vessels Coal Gas Inc.; Washington Energy Co LLC; Ronald Wise; Mary A. Woodring].
Abandoned Shale Gas: So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 46 violations to 22 shale gas drilling companies for abandoning and not plugging their wells-- [Anegada Energy LLC; Apex Energy (PA) LLC; Big Dog Energy LLC; Blackhill Energy LLC; Diversified Prod LLC; Diversified Production LLC; Diversified Production LLC; EQT ARO LLC; EQT Chap LLC; EQT Production Co.; Hilcorp Energy Co.; LPR Energy LLC; Rice Drilling B LLC [EQT]; Rice Drillling B LLC [EQT]; Roulette Oil & Gas LLC; Taft Operating LLC].
Spills & Releases
Seneca Resource Co LLC - Violations: Large Shale Gas Wastewater Release
May 13, 2025 inspection of the Vandergrift 290 shale gas well pad in Charleston Township, Tioga County in response to a complaint describing erosion and dead vegetation on the slope of the well pad. The inspection discovered two areas of distressed vegetation with evidence of a wastewater release in one area 50 feet wide extending downslope about 120 feet and another area 20 feet wide and stretching 65-70 feet down slope. There were areas of running liquid and puddles of liquid were found in several areas and liquid was found running off site. No estimate was made of the amount of wastewater released. Seneca said the cause was leaking values and fluid flowing from an open pipe. Violations were issued. Response requested by June 9. DEP inspection report.
BB Mulvaney - Violations: Failed To Comply With Cleanup Order (12 Months)
May 19, 2025 inspection of the Wilford M. Chambers 1 conventional well in Richhill Township, Greene County found the owner continues to fail to comply with a May 17, 2024 order to clean up multiple releases of fluids and wastewater at the site and stop gas from venting from the well. Multiple inspections of the site found it in much the same condition since the order was issued. Original violations issued during a routine inspection on April 23, 2024. Violations continued. No response requested from owner. DEP inspection report.
2025 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups
So far in 2025, DEP received or acted on 78 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups. Read more here.
Defective Casing/Cementing
Chesapeake Appalachia LLC - Violations: Defective Shale Gas Casing/Cementing
May 22, 2025 inspection of the Markaker 103HC shale gas well in Auburn Township, Susquehanna County found the presence of gas in the 103HC indicating defective cementing. Gas was first detected during a routine inspection on April 11, 2025. The purpose of the May 22 inspection was to witness pressure testing of wells 5HC, 22 HC and 103HC at this well pad. DEP said the owner is required to continue venting the annuli and monitor the wells quarterly as indicated in a January 31, 2025 well integrity evaluation submitted by the owner. The well was drilled in 2023. Violation issued. Response requested by July 4. DEP inspection report.
Chesapeake Appalachia LLC - Violations: 4 Defective Shale Gas Wells
May 1, 2025 routine inspection of the Champluvier 2H, Champluvier 24HC, Champluvier 25HC, Champluvier 122HC shale gas wells in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County found all the wells leaking gas. The wells were drilled in 2023. Violations issued for defective casing/cementing. Response requested by June 21.
Venting Gas
Rice Drilling B LLC [EQT] - Violations: Shale Gas Well Leaking Gas
May 20, 2025 routine inspection of the MJO 2HA shale gas well in Amwell Township, Washington County found the well leaking gas in the form of two steady streams of bubbles in the cellar of the well. The well was drilled in 2011. Violation issued. Response requested by June 11. DEP inspection report.
Onexxx Prod & Exploration Corp - Violations: 2 Conventional Wells Leaking Gas
May 20 & 21, 2025 inspections of two conventional wells in Washington County-- Miller-Brigich W22 in Chartiers Township and Sickles W5 conventional wells in Mount Pleasant Township found them both leaking gas. Violations issued. Response requested by June 9.
Zama Petro Inc. - Violations: Conventional Well Venting Gas
May 15, 2025 inspection of the G. Hoskinson 1 conventional well in Springhill Township, Greene County found gas was venting from a bar hole six inches from the wellhead. Original violation issued January 16, 2025. Violation continued. Response requested by May 30. DEP inspection report.
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 and Inspection Reports Viewer webpages to search their compliance records by date and owner.
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 Prod LLC abandoned conventional well; BB Mulvaney failed to comply with conventional cleanup order; Apollo Resources LLC abandoned conventional well; Row 2-- Hilcorp Energy Co. abandoned shale gas well: LPR Energy LLC abandoned shale gas well; One of three abandoned ARG Resources Inc. conventional wells, but not cited; One of two Onexxx Prod & Exploration Corp conventional wells leaking gas; Rice Drilling B LLC [EQT] shale gas well leaking gas; Row 3-- Seneca Resource Co LLC dead vegetation shows path of shale gas wastewater releases from well pad; 2 of 5 water impoundments XTO Energy, Inc.-- an ExxonMobil Company-- failed to restore in Butler 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:
-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 24 to 31 -- Failed To Restore 5 Shale Gas Water Impoundments In One County; 5 New Cases Of Defective Shale Well Cement; More Abandoned Shale, Conventional Wells [PaEN]
-- DEP: XTO Energy Failed To Restore 5 Multi-Million Gallon Shale Gas Water Impoundments In Butler County [PaEN]
-- Inside Climate News: PennEnergy Surrenders Water Withdrawal Approval/Permit Saying Big Sewickley Creek In Beaver County Could Not Provide Enough Water For Shale Gas Operations [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - May 31 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On State Plan To Implement Federal Rule Requiring Methane Emissions Reductions From Conventional Oil & Gas, Shale Gas Facilities; 7 Hearings Set [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved 45 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In April; 187 In 2025 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 67 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In May 31 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Gov. Shapiro Provides Update On The Fight To Lower Energy Prices, Calls On General Assembly To Move His Commonsense Lightning Energy Plan [PaEN]
-- PA Elected Officials, Consumer, Clean Energy Advocates Demand Electric Grid Operator PJM Act To Hold Down Electricity Costs [PaEN]
-- Bloomberg: US DOE Orders 760 MW Eddystone Peaking Power Plant In Delaware County To Remain Open Due To The Energy ‘Emergency’ Declared By The President [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: Doubling Down On Pennsylvania's Fossil Fuel Extraction Is A Direct Threat To Public Health And Ecological Stability - By Pamela Darville, Co-Chairperson of Climate Justice and Jobs Team at POWER Interfaith [PaEN]
-- PA Solar Center Hosts June 5 Lodestar Awards To Recognize 20 Business, School, Farm, Church Solar Energy Projects; Featuring DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn [PaEN]
-- DEP Begins Accepting Applications For Grid Resilience Grants June 2 [PaEN]
-- DEP Seeking Qualified Contractors To Deliver Energy-Saving Upgrades Across PA As Part Of Penn Energy Savers Program [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Electric Bills In PA Are Going Up Next Month, Your Utility Can’t Help It
-- WVIA: Bradford, Northumberland, Tioga And Union Utility Customers Face Rate Hikes
-- PUC Reminder Of June Hearings On Proposed 11% Columbia Gas Rate Increase
-- PennFuture: PJM Interconnection Admits Its Bias For Fossil Fuel Power Plants, Rather Than New, Cheaper Shovel-Ready Clean Energy Projects
-- Erie Times: Nearly 15,000 Penelec Customers In Erie, Millcreek Without Power For A Time
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Watt Home System Starts Offering No Combustion Fuel Cell Backup Power Solutions In Peoples Natural Gas Territory
-- WHYY Wins Edward R. Murrow Award For Reporting On Shale Gas Drilling In PA - Fracking In Pennsylvania Hasn’t Gone As Well As Some May Think
-- Martins Ferry Times Leader: PA’s Austin Master Services Abandoned Frack Waste Plant Cleanup In Martins Ferry, OH Slated For Completion
-- AP: Oil And Gas Have Boomed In New Mexico, Its Schools Are Contending With Pollution’s Effects
-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Natural Gas Isn’t Southwest Pennsylvania’s Future - By Lou Tierno III, PA & Appalachian Sustainable Business Networks
-- Warren Times: Instead Of ‘Drill, Baby, Drill,’ US Rig Counts Falling, Layoffs Increasing [Due To Falling Oil/Gas Prices]
-- Financial Times: US Shale Oil/Gas Companies Cut Spending, Idle Drilling Rigs Due To Falling Prices
-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: Solar Energy Savings For Clairton, Other PA Schools At Risk From Proposed Federal Cuts
-- Inquirer: These 26 Philly-Area Schools Getting State-Paid Solar Energy Facilities And Taxpayers Could Benefit
-- Reuters: Clean Power Produces More Electricity Than Fossil Fuels In US For 3rd Month In A Row [Not In PA Or PJM ]
-- MCall Letter: Republican Cong. Mackenzie Needs To Fight For Federal Clean Energy Tax Credits
-- MCall Guest Essay: Congress Can’t Protect Us Without Protecting Clean Energy - By Tinku Khanwalkar
-- Reuters: US Electricity Generation Capacity Additions To Slow Sharply If Federal Clean Energy Tax Incentives Repealed
-- Scranton Times: Jessup Borough To Hold Hearing For Stricter Data Center Rules
-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA’s Potential Data Center Mirage And Your Electric Bill - By Athan Koutsiouroumbas, Long Nyquist And Associates [Lobbying Firm]
-- Protect PT June 11 Webinar - Is Pennsylvania Ready For Data Centers? 7:00 p.m.
-- AP: States Are Rolling Out Red Carpets For Data Centers, But Some Lawmakers Are Pushing Back [PA Included]
-- MCall Guest Essay: Congress Can’t Protect Us Without Protecting Clean Energy - By Tinku Khanwalkar
-- Inside Climate News: Alabamians Want Answers About A 4 Million Square Foot A.I. Data Center Coming To Their Backyards
-- YaleEnvironment360: The ‘Green’ Aviation Fuel That Would Increase Carbon Emissions
-- Reuters: Williams Working With Federal, State Regulators To Revive Pennsylvania To NY Natural Gas Pipelines
-- Bloomberg: Williams To Revive Disputed Natural Gas Pipeline Projects In New York
-- Martins Ferry Times Leader: PA’s Austin Master Services Abandoned Frack Waste Plant Cleanup In Martins Ferry, OH Slated For Completion
-- AP: Oil And Gas Have Boomed In New Mexico, Its Schools Are Contending With Pollution’s Effects
-- Detroit Free Press: Michigan Public Service Commission Chair Says There Is No Energy Emergency To Justify US DOE Order To Keep Coal-Fired Michigan Power Plant Open, Will Only Increase Customer Costs
-- Utility Dive: President Aims For 400 GW Of Nuclear Power By 2050, 10 Large Reactors Under Construction By 2030
-- AP: Lawsuits Aim To Hold Fossil Fuel Companies Responsible For Climate Change, Here’s A Look At Some
-- AP: Get Ready For Several Years Of Killer Heat, Top Weather Forecasters Warn
[Posted: May 31, 2025] PA Environment Digest
