Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between May 31 to June 6--
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 30--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 36 conventional, 5 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 2,500 conventional and 532 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 230 conventional and 66 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 230 conventional and 222 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 8,613 conventional and 10,706 unconventional
Shell Petrochemical Plant Fire May Have Released Carcinogens
On June 5, the Department of Environmental Protection issued a statement saying the June 4 fire at the Shell Petrochemical Plant in Beaver County resulted in the “possible release of an unknown amount of 1,3-butadiene and benzene into the atmosphere.”
DEP said it “expects Shell to calculate the amount of these emissions, if any, and report its findings to DEP.”
Both 1,3-butadiene and benzene are known carcinogens. Read more here.
Archaea Extends Carbon Sequestration Research Well To 20,000 Feet
Archaea CCS LLC - Carbon Sequestration Research Well
May 30, 2025 inspection of the Phoebe Snow 1 carbon sequestration research well in Throop Borough, Lackawanna County reported the well was at an MD [measured depth] of 15,951 feet and received approval from DEP to extend the depth of the well to a TVD [true vertical depth] of 20,000 feet. DEP inspection report.
12 Abandoned Conventional Wells
Penta Oil Corp. - Violations: Abandoned Conventional Well (8+ Years)
June 3, 2025 inspection of the Grancis Richards 1 conventional well located in Amity Township, Erie County as a result of a complaint found the well abandoned and not plugged. The owner also failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports since 2021. Original violation for abandonment issued March 8, 2017. Violations continued. Response requested by July 1. DEP inspection report. Penta holds 28 permits.
Dannic Energy Corp. - Violations: 3 Abandoned Conventional Wells
May 30, 2025 inspections of the L Berg 1, D.Waite Unit 1 and L.Paris Unit 1 conventional wells in Venango Township, Erie County found them abandoned and not plugged. There was no record of these wells being inspected before. Violations issued. Response requested by July 1. Dannic Energy holds 836 permits.
Ex-Treme Oil And Gas LLC - Violations: 7 Abandoned Conventional Wells
May 12, 2025 inspections of the Irma Forney 1, Earl Buterbaugh Jr 4F3033, Earl Buterbaugh Jr 5F3074, Earl Buterbaugh Jr 13022, Maseto 1, Earl Buterbaugh Jr 3F3032, Conn Unit 1 in Burnside Township, Clearfield County and found them abandoned and not plugged. The owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Some wells were also leaking gas. Violations issued. Response requested by June 23. Ex-Treme holds 26 permits.
Prosperity Oil Co. Inc. - Violations: Multiple Releases [Abandoned]
May 28, 2025 inspection of the J&RR Purdy 1 conventional well in Hanover Township, Washington County was done to confirm the status and location of a series of wells. The well is listed as “abandoned” on the inspection report. Multiple areas of “significant” contamination were found at the site. One area of heavily disturbed muddy soil “appears to be the result of sustained efforts by deer and other wildlife to access deposited salts” [from wastewater deposited on the site]. Multiple violations were issued related to the releases, but none for abandonment. Response requested by June 13. DEP inspection report. Prosperity holds 62 permits.
[Note: DEP has issued at least one well plugging order against Prosperity Oil and has taken other enforcement actions to try to bring the company into compliance. Read more here. Read more here.
[So far this year, DEP has issued a total of 22 violations for well abandonment against Prosperity Oil Co Inc.. Read more here. Read more here. Read more here.]
3 Abandoned Shale Gas Wells
EQT Prod Co. - Violations: 3 Abandoned Shale Gas Wells (3 Months)
June 3, 2025 follow-up inspections of the Pine Oaks 6H, 8H and 10H shale gas wells in Carroll Township, Washington County found the wells continued to be abandoned and not plugged. The owner did nothing to address the abandoned wells since the original violations were issued on March 4, 2025. Violations continued. No response requested from owner. DEP inspection report
228 Abandoned Conventional, 49 Abandoned Shale Gas Well Violations 2025
Abandoned Conventional Wells: So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 228 violations to 62 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; Dannic Energy Corp.; Paul H. Deeter; Developed Resources, Inc.; Randy A. Dietterich; Diversified Production LLC; Equitrans LP; EQT Production Co.; Exotic Oil & Gas LLC; Ex-Treme Oil And 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.; Penta Oil Corp.; 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 Wells: So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 49 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.; EQT Production Co.; Hilcorp Energy Co.; LPR Energy LLC; LPR Energy LLC; Rice Drilling B LLC [EQT]; Rice Drillling B LLC [EQT]; Roulette Oil & Gas LLC; Taft Operating LLC].
Horizontal Drilling Inadvertent Returns
Seneca Resources Co. LLC - Violations: Release Of Horizontal Drilling Fluids
May 29, 2025 inspection of a water pipeline construction project in Richmond Township, Tioga County as a result of incident notification involving an “inadvertent return” of horizontal drilling fluids. The project involves the installation of a 1.2 mile, 16-inch HDPE (plastic) pipeline from a water withdrawal along the Tioga River to the Bechtel 674 shale gas well pad.
Highland Field Services, a company related to Seneca that constructs and operates pipelines, was drilling a pilot hole for a 2,370 foot section of water pipeline under State Route 15 when the crew noticed the flow of return drilling fluids, that included bentonite, was slowing. Investigating, they discovered returns were coming out about 50 feet east of the bore entry pit and flowing into a wetland area.
During the inspection the crew was cleaning up the unknown amount of fluid released with a sump pump and vac trucks were transporting the wastewater off site. A silt fence was installed on the edge of the heaviest impacted area to help prevent it from spreading.
On May 30, Seneca reported the crew resumed horizontal drilling without a reoccurrence.
Violations were issued related to the spills. The inspector said photos provided by Highland Field Services [on or about June 2] supplied photos to DEP “demonstrating that the spill was cleaned up.”
As a result, DEP closed the violations. DEP inspection report.
Spills & Release
CNX Gas Co LLC - Violations: Failure To Timely Notify DEP Of Spill
June 3, 2025 inspection of the NV55HS shale gas well site in Morris Township, Washington County as a result of a notification of a spill. The spill occurred at 7:30 a.m. June 2 when wastewater sprayed from a valve on a GPU unit onto the pad. CNX notified DEP of the spill at 10:58 a.m. June 2. At the time of the inspection remediation was underway, but a seep was still present behind the GPU equipment. Violations were issued for the spill and for failing to notify DEP in a timely fashion of the release. Response requested by June 16. DEP inspection report.
Chesapeake Appalachia, Inc. - Violations: Shale Gas Wastewater Release (3 Months)
June 5, 2025 follow-up inspection of the Them shale gas well pad in Wysox Township, Bradford County still contained areas of pooled contaminated water in locations first discovered on April 17, 2025. Violations continued. No response requested of owner. DEP inspection report.
Chesapeake Appalachia, Inc. - Violations: Shale Gas Wastewater Release
June 5, 2025 inspection of the Kerrick shale gas well pad in Asylum Township, Bradford County in response to a notification of a release found evidence of a release of stormwater and wastewater that overtopped a containment area and possibly a hole in containment. Remediation was underway at the time of the inspection. Violations issued. Response requested by June 27. DEP inspection report.
PA General Energy Co LLC - Violations: Shale Gas Wastewater Release
June 3, 2025 inspection of the DCNR Tract 726 Pad B shale gas well site in Plunketts Creek Township, Lycoming County in response to a spill notification found evidence of wastewater leaking from all sides of a storage tank containment area. Puddles of fluid were also found at various locations, including a pipeline construction area at the eastern edge of the pad. Violations issued. Response requested by June 25. DEP inspection report.
INR OPR LLC - Violations: Shale Gas Wastewater Release
June 2, 2025 inspection of the Tortola shale gas well pad in Young Township, Indiana County in response to a May 29 notification of a spill found a release of wastewater outside of containment when a water transfer truck departed with a load without disconnecting the hose. Most of the spill was contained within secondary containment. Remediation had been completed by the time of the inspection. Violations were issued, but immediately closed. DEP inspection report.
Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC - Violations: Blowing Drill Mud Out Flare Stack
May 27, 2025 inspection of the Broadleaf Holding shale gas well pad in Troy Township, Bradford County in response to a notification of a spill on May 23 found while drilling a future Marcellus Shale well “there was a control issue, so they lit the flare stack to burn off natural gas.” “Some drilling mud blew out of the flare stack” onto the pad. Remediation was done at the site before the inspection. No mention of what the “control issue” was with drilling the new shale gas well or whether that presented any threat. Violations were issued, but immediately closed. No request made of well owner. DEP inspection report.
Diversified Prod LLC - Violations: Shale Gas Fluid Leak From Wellhead
June 4, 2025 routine inspection of the Pevarnick 8 shale gas well in Cumberland Township, Greene County found evidence of a fluid leak around the wellhead, most likely from the annulus valve. Violations issued. Response requested by June 20. DEP inspection report.
Diversified Prod LLC - Violations: Conventional Wastewater Release
June 6, 2025 inspection of the Harriet C. McClure et al 603 conventional well in Gaskill Township, Jefferson County in response to a notification of a spill on June 5 found an estimated 504 gallons of wastewater was released from a storage tank due to a hole in the connector. Violations issued. Response requested by June 23. DEP inspection report.
Frank L. Washabaugh Oil Producers - Violations: Multiple Spills (6 Months)
May 20, 2025 follow-up inspection of the William M. Johnson 1 conventional well in Cross Creek Township, Washington County found no work had been done to remediate multiple spills sites at the well. The original violations were issued on November 13, 2024. No response was received from the owner on the violations. Violations continued. Requested a response by May 27. DEP inspection report.
Apollo Resources LLC - Violations: Multiple Conventional Spills (3 Months)
May 29, 2025 follow-up inspection of the James E. Powers 1 conventional well in Washington Township, Westmoreland County found the site unchanged from an inspection on February 26, 2025. Multiple areas of contamination remain and there is still an active leak from a wastewater tank with holes in it. Violations continued. No requests made of owner. DEP inspection report.
Northeast Natural Energy LLC - Violations: Fluid Release (2 Months)
June 3, 2025 follow-up inspection of the 1 Gornick 2 conventional well in Penn Township, Westmoreland County found no evidence of any remediation of a fluid leak discovered on March 28, 2025. No response from owner to violations issued previously. Violations continued. No response requested from owner. DEP inspection report.
Diversified Prod LLC - Violations: Wastewater Release
June 5, 2025 routine inspection of the Emma S. Mikesell 829 conventional well in Bell Township, Clearfield County found a hole the size of a dime in the rusted pipe leading to the release valve to a wastewater storage tank and evidence of soil contamination. Violations issued. Response requested by June 26. DEP inspection report.
2025 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups
So far in 2025, DEP received or acted on 79 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.
Leaking Gas
David A. Lindstrom - No Violations Issued
June 5, 2025 inspection of the SUPPA 2 conventional gas well in Pleasant Township, Warren County in response to a complaint of “a leaking gas well across from their residence.” The inspection found the complainant’s “neighbors had moved an old 70 mobile home within two feet of the well.” “The well leaks once in a while and the complainant is concerned if the well leaks in the future that it could catch on fire and then spread to their home.” The well appeared shut in and no gas was detected at the wellhead. Production and well integrity reports were up-to-date. No violations issued, however, the well owner was requested to have the well label updated with owner information. DEP inspection report.
Defective Casing/Cement
Chesapeake Appalachia LLC (Shale Gas)
May 29, 2025 inspection of the Schlapfer 2H shale gas well in Albany Township, Bradford County is part of a regular gas pressure monitoring program put in place since defective casing/cement violations were issued on August 31, 2012. DEP inspection report.
Danken-Sammar LLC (Conventional)
May 27, 2025 inspection of the Green Glen Corp 4 conventional observation well in Huston Township, Clearfield County that is associated with the Povik #1 oil and gas wastewater injection well. This well has had a continuing violation for defective well casing/cementing since October 7, 2024. DEP inspection report. An inspection of the Povik #1 well on the same day by DEP found no violations. The well is currently shut in. Gas is vented from the well through a poly tank where combustible gas was detected. DEP inspection report.
Erosion & Sedimentation
EQM Gathering OPCO LLC - Violations: Erosion BMP Problems At Pipeline Site
June 3, 2025 follow-up inspection of the NIMCS005 Pipelines right-of-way in Union Township, Washington County found multiple erosion and sedimentation violations, improperly installed BMPs. Violations issued. Response requested by June 27. DEP inspection report.
Equitrans Water SVC (PA) LLC - Violations: Land Slip, BMP Failures At Pipeline Site
June 2, 2025 inspection of the NIDBH016 Water Pipeline in Gilmore Township, Greene County in response to a notification of a land slip and BMP failure found evidence of multiple erosion and sedimentation BMP failures and a land slip. The slip did not appear to pose any threat to the operation of the pipeline. There was also evidence of damage to BMPs from livestock. Multiple violations issued for BMP failures. Response requested by June 20. 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-- 500+ gallons of wastewater leaked from a Diversified Prod LLC conventional storage tank; Diversified Prod LLC shale gas wellhead leaking fluid; Multiple erosion & sedimentation violations at EQM Gathering OPCO LLC pipeline construction site; A compliant investigation found a mobile home was moved within 2 feet of a conventional gas well that periodically leaks gas; Row 2-- One of 3 abandoned shale gas wells owned by EQT Prod Co.; PA General Energy Co LLC shale gas storage tank containment area leak; Half full conventional wastewater tank at an abandoned Penta Oil Corp. well; Apollo Resources LLC conventional wastewater tank leaking for 3 months; Row 3-- Pooling shale gas wastewater from a seep at a CNX Gas Co LLC well pad; Equitrans Water SVC (PA) LLC pipeline BMP failures, land slip; Prosperity Oil Co. Inc. multiple spills on conventional well site; Row 4-- Seneca Resources Co. LLC wetland contaminated by inadvertent return from horizontal pipeline drilling for a water withdrawal pipeline; Frank L. Washabaugh Oil Producers conventional spills not cleaned up for 6 months; One of Ex-Treme Oil And Gas LLC’s 7 abandoned conventional wells.)
[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 31 to June 6 - Horizontal Drilling Spill; ‘Control Issue’ Blows Drilling Mud Out A Flare; Failure To Notify DEP Of Spills; More Abandoned Wells [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 7 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 73 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 7 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- PIOGA: DEP’s Plan To Reduce Methane Pollution From Oil & Gas Facilities An ‘Existential Threat’ To The Oil & Gas Industry [PaEN]
-- PA Senate Republicans Move Bills To Roll Back Any State Regulations, Laws, Guidance At The Request Of Industry [PaEN]
-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports First Quarter PA Natural Gas Production Increased 2.9% Over 1st Quarter 2024; Price Of Natural Gas Increased 218% Over 1st Quarter 2024 [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Renews 2 Shale Gas Water Withdrawal Projects [PaEN]
-- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA Hosts June 17 Webinar On Exploring Knowledge Gaps In Environmental And Occupational Health Issues Affecting Communities [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Shell Petrochemical Plant Still Investigating Fire At Beaver County Ethane Furnace
-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Explosion, Smoke Reported At Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County
-- Reuters: Shell Reports June 4 Fire At Ethylene Cracker Plant In Pennsylvania
-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: Pennsylvania Has Failed Environmental Justice Communities For Years; A New Bill Could Change That
-- E&ENews/Politico: Pennsylvania Lawmakers Go After Local Shale Gas Drilling Restrictions [Cecil Twp., Washington County]
-- Marcellus Drilling News: 2 Congressional Bills Target States, Municipalities For Bans On Fracking [PDF of Article]
-- Inside Climate News - Kiley Bense: Fearing Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste, A Mercer County Community Fights To Stop A Landfill’s Re-Opening
-- Erie Times: Nonprofit, Pittsburgh Students, Millcreek Twp. Work To Plug Oil & Gas Well Abandoned By Its Owner In Erie County
-- TribLive: PennEnergy Shale Gas Driller Abandons Plans To Take Water From Big Sewickley Creek In Beaver County
-- PennLive Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Failing To Properly Regulate Its Oil & Gas Industry - By Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware), Chair, House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee
-- Erie Times Guest Essay: Understaffed DEP Can’t Uphold Law And Protect Public Health - By Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware), Chair House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee
-- Marcellus Drilling News: PA Independent Oil & Gas Assn. Responds To Rep. Vitali’s Call For Better Regulation Of Oil & Gas Industry [PDF of Article]
-- Marcellus Drilling News: PA Supreme Court Decision On ‘Title Washing’ And Oil & Gas Rights [PDF of Article]
-- Reuters: Energy Transfer Seeking US Government Permission To Continue Exporting Ethane To China, Our Economic And Military Competitor [Major Ethane Pipeline Operator In PA]
-- Bloomberg: A.I.’s Urgent Need For Power Spurs Return Of Dirtier Gas Turbines
-- Utility Dive: US DOE Orders Constellation To Delay Retiring 760 MW Eddystone Peaking Natural Gas Power Plant In PA To Ease PJM ‘Emergency’ [PJM Had Earlier Approved The Plant Shutdown Saying There Was No Grid Reliability Risk]
-- AP: US DOE Keeps Aging PA Power Plant Online Through Summer
-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Aging PA Power Plant Ordered To Keep Running On Eve Of Shutdown; Environmentalists Say There Is No Energy ‘Emergency’
[Posted: June 7, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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