On November 11, 2021, Coterra notified DEP there was a change in the quality of a water supply well used by Acre Lake residents over 6,100 feet from the Housel pad.
The Housel well pad is one of six Coterra well pads in the general area of Acre Lake.
A second water supply complaint came to DEP on November 21, 2021 and from there other contaminated wells were identified.
Meanwhile on December 11, 2021, Coterra reported pressure and gas leakage problems in four of the nine shale gas wells. Coterra did diagnostic testing on the wells and said they fixed the wells.
By September 2023, Coterra put all the gas wells back into production and no gas was detected in the annuluses.
But, the water well investigations have continued and DEP, so far, has issued 13 letters confirming contamination in 2024 and 2025.
There are 125 total water supplies within the vicinity of the Housel Well Pad.
The contaminated wells had methane levels up to seven or eight times the recommended action level of 7 mg/L-- 28 mg/L is considered the "saturation level."
DEP told the well owners in its letters of determination methane levels could reach explosive concentrations in their homes and there was a threat of asphyxiation, although that is “extremely rare.”
DEP recommended the well owners put vents on the wells to vent the natural gas to the atmosphere.
DEP added, “Please note that it is not possible to completely eliminate the hazards of having natural gas in your water supply by simply venting your well.”
Most impacted wells also had high levels of manganese and aluminum, which are tell-tale indicators of contamination from oil and gas development.
The Order says Coterra has been providing interim water treatment and bottled water to “consenting landowners” to restore the affected water supplies related to the Order, except where the one well was already replaced by Coterra.
Problems Similar To Dimock Township
Lenox Township is located just a few miles from Dimock Township where Coterra Energy pleaded no contest to criminal charges by the Office of Attorney General for contaminating 21 water supplies and paid a penalty of $444,000 in December 2022. Read more here.
The homes in Dimock are just now being supplied with permanent replacement water by Coterra Energy 20 years after their wells were found to be contaminated. Read more here.
Although not linked to the Dimock water supply contamination, Patti Monahan, Regional Communications Manager in DEP's Wilkes-Barre Office said, "The folded, faulted, and fractured bedrock geology, along with the presence of shallow naturally occurring methane in northcentral and northeastern Pennsylvania, can create a challenging environment for stray gas migration. Therefore, proper gas well design, construction, and cementing procedures are essential."
Next Steps
In addition to paying at $299,000 penalty, Coterra has agreed to take these next steps--
-- Water Supply Restoration Or Replacement Plan: Within 90 days of the Order, submit a plan outlining proposed corrective actions to restore or replace each water supply. Each water supply is to be restored or replaced within 60 days of DEP's approval of the Plan. Coterra is required to pay any increased operating and maintenance costs for the restored or replaced water supplies.
-- Water Supply Monitoring: Coterra is required to continue water well screening for methane for the "remaining water supplies" on a quarterly basis. The water supply names were redacted. DEP has identified a total of 125 water supplies within the vicinity of Acre Lake and the Housel well pad. Screening can stop after eight consecutive quarters, if 75% of the water samples contain less than 7 milligrams per liter of methane, but no water sample must contain over 14 milligrams.
-- Investigation Of Gas Migration: Coterra will continue the vent flow monitoring of shale gas wells on the Housel Pad until water supply monitoring meets the requirements in the Order. A final gas well mitigation report must be submitted by March 31, 2026.
-- Stipulated Penalties: Coterra agreed to pay $1,000 a day in stipulated civil penalties if it does not comply with the terms and conditions of the Order.
Click Here for a copy of the Order.
Problems With The Housel R Gas Wells
The June 12 Consent Order and Agreement outlines the history of problems with the nine shale gas wells on the Housel R Well Pad starting in December 2021 when gas was discovered in the annuluses of four of the nine wells on the pad.
Beginning in July 2013, Coterra drilled and put into production the first four gas wells. The remaining five wells were completed in early 2021.
On December 11, 2021, Coterra self-reported elevated pressures in four of the wells and gas was detected in the annuluses of the wells.
From December 2021 through January 2023 completed various diagnostic tests and inspections of the wells to determine the cause and took steps to try to fix the wells.
By September 2023 all the gas wells were in production and no gas was detected in the annuluses.
Water Supply Problems
On November 11, 2021, Coterra notified DEP there was a change in the condition of a water supply well used by residents of Acre Lake more than 6,100 feet to the northeast of the Housel R well pad.
In response to the complaint, and based on water samples showing contamination in the first well, Coterra started a gas migration investigation on November 15, 2021.
There are a total of six Coterra shale gas well pads in the area of Acre Lake-- Forwood P1, J. Zick, Herbert, Stalter D and a little further way the Brazitis D well pad.
On November 21, 2021 a second contaminated water well was identified from the screening done by Coterra.
The methane readings in this well were 25% over the lower explosive limit and the water appeared to be "extremely effervescent and had a brownish tint."
The owner of the second well drilled a separate, new well to service their property in May 2022.
In October 2022, Coterra drilled a new water supply well to replace the first contaminated supply.
Between November 11, 2021 and September 19, 2024 DEP investigated and identified 125 unique drinking water supplies in the vicinity of Acre Lake and the Housel Pad and took more than 500 water samples.
DEP determined a total of 13 private drinking water supplies were impacted by oil and gas activity. Isotopic analysis of methane samples linked the contamination to the Housel Pad.
DEP redacted the names and addresses of the water supplies impacted in the Consent Order and Agreement and in the individual letters of determination posted on its website to protect the privacy of the well owners.
Click Here to read the DEP letters on contaminated water supplies-- search the page for “Lenox” Township. There are 12 letters in 2024 and 2025 related to the 13 water supplies mentioned in the Consent Order..
However, there are a total of 21 letters finding oil and gas development impacted private water supplies in Lenox Township since 2009--
-- 2009: 5.27.2009, 5.27.2009 [conventional oil & gas]
-- 2011: 9.21.2011, 10.11.2011, 11.7.2011 [conventional oil & gas]
-- 2012: 3.2.2012, 9.11.2012 [conventional oil & gas]
-- 2022: 9.14.2022, 11.9.2022 [Coterra, but not in COA]
-- 2024: 9.19.2024 (2 water supplies), 9.19.2024, 9.19.2024, 9.19.2024, 9.19.2024, 9.19.2024, 9.19.2024, 9.19.2024, 9.19.2024, 9.19.2024, 9.19.2024
-- 2025: 4.25.2025
The Order says Coterra has been providing interim water treatment and bottled water to consenting landowners to restore the affected water supplies related to the Order, except where the one well was replaced by Coterra.
Click Here for a copy of the Order.
Map/Photo - DEP Oil & Gas Mapping Application
-- Housel Well Pad highlighted with a 2,500 foot buffer
-- Blue line measures 6,100+ feet to area of Acre Lake with contaminated water wells
-- Other red dots are other Coterra shale gas well pads
-- Photo Insert is Housel Well Pad as of July 2025
Resource Links:
PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- Coterra Energy Fined $299,000 For Contaminating 13 Private Water Supplies In Lenox Twp., Susquehanna County - Just A Few Miles From Dimock [PaEN]
-- Pin Oak Energy Partners Signs Consent Order With DEP To Address Its Failure To Restore 16 Shale Gas Well Sites And An Impoundment In Beaver County Since 2023 [PaEN]
-- DEP: Second Spill From Horizontal Drilling At EQM Gathering Pipeline Construction Project In Washington County Contaminates Spring [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - August 2 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 69 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In August 2 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Coterra Energy Fined $299,000 For Contaminating 13 Private Water Supplies In Lenox Twp., Susquehanna County - Just A Few Miles From Dimock [PaEN]
-- PA Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition Applauds President For Overturning Basis For Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs-- Including Methane From Oil & Gas Operations [PaEN]
-- EPA Extends Oil & Gas Industry Compliance Deadlines For Federal Clean Air Act Methane Reduction Rule; Deadline Extended For States To Submit Compliance Plan To 2027 [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: Federal EPA Rollbacks Mean Pennsylvania Must Take The Lead On Cutting Methane Pollution From Oil & Gas Operations - By Melissa Ostroff, Earthworks [PaEN]
-- State And Federal Lawmakers Tour Facilities Extracting Lithium From Oil & Gas Wastewater In Susquehanna County [PaEN]
-- PUC Chairman DeFrank Leads National Effort To Strengthen Natural Gas Use Energy Efficiency, Reliability, And Sustainability [PaEN]
-- Spotlight PA: PA PUC Developing Model Tariff For A.I. Data Centers To Ensure PA Consumers Don’t Foot The Bill
-- PJM Electric Auction Impacts: 1 In 5 PA Households Report Problems Now Paying Energy Bills; Electric Utility Shutoffs Up 38.1% So Far This Year [PaEN]
-- PJM Electricity Auction: PJM Lost 2.8 Gigawatts Of Power Due To Reduced Reliability Rating Of Natural Gas Power Plants; Could Gain 12.2 Gigawatts By Increasing Reliability From Less Than 75% Now To An Achievable 90% [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: Three Proposals To Protect Consumers From A.I. Price Increases: Bring Your Own Generation; Data Centers Must Pay Their Fair Share; An 'All Of The Above' Energy Future, Including Renewables - By Kevin Walker, CEO, Duquesne Light [PaEN]
-- PJM Interconnection Again Extends Maximum Generation Alert & Load Management Alert To July 30; Demand Response Programs Implemented On July 28, 29 [PaEN]
-- 42 Organizations Call On DEP For More Transparency On Proposed A.I. Data Centers [PaEN]
-- PA Dept. Of Health Distributing Free Potassium Iodide Tablets To Residents Near PA’s 4 Operating Nuclear Power Plants Aug. 14 [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension: Sept. 9 Webinar On Growth Of A.I. Data Centers, Rising Electricity Prices, Lagging Energy Development [PaEN]
-- Food & Water Watch Hosts Aug. 5 Webinar On Protecting Your Pennsylvania Community With Local Zoning [PaEN]
-- Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance, EEA-NJ Hosts Sept. 10-11 Navigating Change Policy Conference [PaEN]
Related NewsClips This Week:
-- 8.4.25 - Natural Gas, Energy, A.I./Data Center NewsClips
[Posted: July 29, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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