Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between July 12 to 18--
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 July 11--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 11 conventional, 25 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 3,209 conventional and 742 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 265 conventional and 88 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 194 conventional and 266 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 10,331 conventional and 13,276 unconventional
Shale Gas Well Uncontrolled Wastewater Release For Over 34 Hours
At 6:30 p.m on July 13, 2025, Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC reported a well control incident at the 7H shale gas well on the Broadleaf Holdings pad in Columbia, Springfield and Troy Townships, Bradford County caused the “uncontrolled release” of wastewater up the well casing to the pad surface. Read more here.
Efforts to control the pressure and prevent fluids from escaping all three well annuli failed for more than 34 hours until a second temporary plug was put in the well.
Energy Transfer/Sunoco Not Doing Enough To Cleanup Pipeline Contamination
The Courier Times reported on July 16, 2025, Upper Makefield Township residents and Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks) said the Department of Environmental Protection is not doing enough to make Energy Transfer/Sunoco define the extent of a petroleum products pipeline leak and clean it up.
DEP officials agreed the pipeline company was not doing enough fast enough.
"They need to do better,” said David Brown, DEP Environmental Cleanup Manager. "The rate of work has been unsatisfying." Read more here.
9 Abandoned Conventional Wells
Howard Drilling Inc. [16 Months]
July 14, 2025 inspection of six conventional wells in Cranberry Township, Venango County found them all abandoned and not plugged and were not set up for production. The wells include Myers V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, V6 and V7. The well owner said in an email dated March 25, 2024 he would plug the wells by March 2025, but did not. The inspection was prompted by an application for inactive well status. Violations issued for abandonment. Response requested by August 1. DEP inspection report - Myers V1. Howard Drilling, Inc. holds 617 permits, including 5 abandoned wells, but not these.
David H. Melat Co
July 7, 2025 inspection of the Melat 1 conventional well in Cranberry Township, Venango County found the well abandoned and not plugged. The owner failed to submit production, waste generation and well integrity reports. This well was never inspected before. Violations issued. Response requested by August 1. DEP inspection report. Melat holds 18 permits.
Baron Crest Energy Co. [13 Months]
July 3, 2025 inspection of the Penn Park Dev & Crest 1 conventional well in Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County found the well abandoned and not plugged. Owner signed a Consent Order & Agreement with the owner May 21, 2024 to plug the well and the owner failed to comply. Original violations issued June 9, 2025. New violation issued for failure to comply with order. No requests made of well owner. DEP inspection report. Baron Crest holds 72 permits. Baron was issued violations July 1 for failing to comply with the same order for not plugging an abandoned will in Venango County. Read more here.
MTN V Oil & Gas Inc. [12 Months]
June 26, 2025 inspection of the Calvin & Evelyn Miller 1 conventional well in East Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County found it abandoned and not plugged. Original violations issued June 4, 2024. Response requested by July 14. DEP inspection report. MTN V holds 1,011 permits.
Melvin W. Kapp
July 15, 2025 inspection of the 127 Veterans RD 1 conventional well in Brady Township, Clarion County found some work had been done to bring the well back into production. The owner was told on July 2 by DEP the well needs to be producing or plugged by the end of July or violations for abandonment would be issued. Violations were issued for failure to submit production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Response requested by August 8. DEP inspection report. Kapp holds 10 permits.
304 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations 2025
Abandoned Conventional Wells: So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 304 violations to 71 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.; Baron Crest Energy Co.; Bialy Gas Production LLC; Chris E. Burke; David H. Melat Co; Edward E. & Frederick J. Craig; Crude A Co - Randy L. Larkin; Dannic Energy Corp.; Paul H. Deeter; Delong Oil Inc.; Developed Resources, Inc.; Randy A. Dietterich; Diversified Production LLC; East Resources Inc.; Eastern Natural Resources LLC; Equitrans LP; EQT Production Co.; Exotic Oil & Gas LLC; Ex-Treme Oil And Gas LLC; Harry L. King; Howard Drilling Inc.; 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; Old MTN Gas Co. Inc.; 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.; Valley Green Golf & Country Club, Inc.; Vessels Coal Gas Inc.; Washington Energy Co LLC; Ronald Wise; Mary A. Woodring; Woodward Inc.].
Abandoned Shale Gas Wells: So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 58 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; Big Dog Energy LLC; Blackhill Energy LLC; Diversified Prod LLC; Diversified Production LLC; Diversified Production LLC; EQT ARO LLC; EQT Chap LLC; EQT Chap LLC; EQT Production Co.; EQT Production Co.; Frontier Natural Resources; Hilcorp Energy Co.; LPR Energy LLC; LPR Energy LLC; Rice Drilling B LLC [EQT]; Rice Drilling B LLC [EQT]; Roulette Oil & Gas LLC; STL Resources LLC; Taft Operating LLC].
Spills And Releases - Shale Gas
Monona LLC
July 10, 2025 inspection of the Stickle 1H shale gas well pad in Fairfield Township, Westmoreland County found multiple violations. Storage tanks were heavily corroded and had holes in them, stained areas on the pad containing oily substances and an Emergency Response Plan with a different well owner’s name on it. The 1H well on the pad was plugged. Violations issued. Response requested by July 31. DEP inspection report. Monona holds 3 permits.
Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC [72 Months]
July 3, 2025 inspection of the Ingalls 710 shale gas well pad in Liberty Township, Tioga County found “elevated barium, strontium, and chlorides indicates a release of pollutional substance” [production wastewater]. The inspection report does not identify where on the pad. Original violations for a spill on the pad issued on June 10, 2019. Violations were continued. No response requested of well owner. DEP inspection report. Repsol holds 733 permits.
Chesapeake Appalachia LLC [4 Months]
June 26, 2025 follow-up inspection of the Stethers shale gas well pad in Wyalusing Township, Bradford County continued to find pooled water outside of secondary containment areas with elevated conductivity. Violations originally issued February 17, 2025. Violations continued and case referred to DEP’s Environmental Cleanup Program. No response requested of well owner. DEP inspection report.
Big Dog Energy LLC
June 23, 2025 inspection of the Schimizzi S&M 1 shale gas well pad in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County found there was no action taken to address violations issued on May 15, 2025. Storage tanks lacked required secondary containment, no Emergency Response Plan, and no response to May 15 violations. Violations continued. No response requested of well owner. DEP inspection report. Big Dog holds 25 permits.
2025 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups
So far in 2025, DEP received or acted on 107 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups. Read more here.
Water Supply Contamination Investigations
McKean County, Keating Township
July 15, 2025 DEP inspected the AMOCO WITC 1 conventional well owned by Catalyst Energy Inc. as part of an ongoing water supply contamination investigation and found no indication of loss of well integrity or leaks. DEP inspection report.
July 15, 2025 inspection of four conventional wells owned by Pennzoil Prod Co. related to this investigation found no leaking gas-- Bingham Satterfield 26, 28, 203 and 205.
Shale Gas Well Casing Failure
CNX Gas Co LLC [79 Months]
July 8, 2025 inspection of the Shaw 1 utica shale gas well pad in Washington Township, Westmoreland County for the purpose of taking gas samples as required by a 2020 consent order agreement dealing with a 2019 incident where CNX lost control of the gas well. DEP inspection report.
On January 26, 2019, CNX experienced an unexpected loss of pressure during hydraulic fracturing operations on its Shaw 1G Utica well. [Read more here]
This loss of pressure allowed gas to be emitted uncontrollably into shallower geologic formations, resulting in subsurface communication with nine nearby conventional gas wells.
CNX temporarily flared the nine conventional gas wells to relieve pressure.
On February 4, 2019, CNX regained control of the Shaw 1G Utica well and stopped the vertical flow of gas.
DEP found CNX responsible for failing to use casing with sufficient strength or other safety measures to prevent blowouts, failing to maintain well integrity, and venting gas into the atmosphere. [Read more here]
Venting Gas - Conventional Well
Washington Energy Co LLC
July 14, 2025 inspection of the McKnight 131-2 conventional well in Chartiers Township, Washington County found the well venting gas. Violations issued. Response requested by July 28. DEP inspection report. Washington Energy holds 121 permits, including 6 abandoned wells.
Niche Energy LLC
July 3, 2025 inspection of the Donnel Farm Unitized With G123 conventional well in Waterford Township, Erie County found the well venting gas causing a puddle to bubble. Owner said he was working on it. Violations issued. No request made of well owner. DEP inspection report. Niche Energy holds 191 permits, including 9 abandoned wells.
Failed To Protect Gas Pipeline At Stream Crossing
VEC Energy LLC [2 Months]
June 26, 2025 follow-up inspection of the Austinburg shale gas gathering pipeline in Brookfield Township, Tioga County found the owner continues to take no action to protect gas pipeline at a stream crossing. A 30 foot section of pipeline is exposed and a portion is suspended two feet above the stream channel rather than being buried three feet below the channel. Original violations issued April 24, 2025. There have been discussions with VEC Energy, but nothing has been resolved. Violations continued. No request made of owner. DEP inspection report. VEC Energy holds 1,876 permits, including 2 abandoned wells.
Erosion & Sedimentation Violations
Chesapeake Appalachia LLC
July 16, 2025 inspection of the access road to the Ballibay shale gas well pad in Herrick Township, Bradford County as a result of a complaint found the access road drains through a culvert and floods a farm field causing ongoing erosion issues for the landowner. DEP first inspected the site on May 2, 2023 and thought the installation of drain tile in the field paid for by the well owner would solve the problem. The complainant contacted DEP on April 2, 2025 to say the problem is continuing, especially during strong rain events. DEP was able to contact the complainant on July 10 to discuss the issue. This time violations were issued and DEP requested the well owner to evaluate the excess runoff and develop a solution. Response requested by August 8. DEP inspection report.
Failure To Submit Pollution, Prevention, Contingency Plans
Beech Resources LLC
On July 15, 2025, DEP issued a notice of violation for failure to submit a Pollution, Prevention, Contingency (PPC) Plan for responding to spills and other emergencies at the company’s Delta shale gas drilling site in Lycoming Township, Lycoming County. [Violation not online.]
Blackhill Energy LLC
On July 15, 2025, DEP issued a notice of violation for failure to submit a Pollution, Prevention, Contingency (PPC) Plan for responding to spills and other emergencies at the company’s Black Sam Bellamy and Black Jack Sparrow shale gas drilling sites, both in Springfield Township, Bradford County. [Violation not online.]
Greylock Prod LLC
On July 15, 2025, DEP issued a notice of violation for failure to submit a Pollution, Prevention, Contingency (PPC) Plan for responding to spills and other emergencies at the company’s Ron Well shale gas drilling site in Hector Township, Potter County. [Violation not online.]
Laurel Mountain Production
On July 15, 2025, DEP issued a notice of violation for failure to submit a Pollution, Prevention, Contingency (PPC) Plan for responding to spills and other emergencies at the company’s CMB shale gas well pad in Bruin Borough and Parker Township, Butler County and Buffalo Yokel shale gas well pad in Parker Township, Butler County. [Violation not online.]
Failed To Submit Monthly Production/Waste Report
AMS Energy LLC
On July 17, 2025, DEP sent a notice of violation for failure to submit a production, waste generation and disposal report for May for one or more shale gas wells in Butler County. The owner has 10 days to respond.
Big Dog Energy LLC
On July 17, 2025, DEP sent a notice of violation for failure to submit a production, waste generation and disposal report for May for one or more shale gas wells in Butler, Clearfield, Fayette, Indiana and Westmoreland counties. The owner has 10 days to respond.
John E. McCool
On July 17, 2025, DEP sent a notice of violation for failure to submit a production, waste generation and disposal report for May for one or more shale gas wells in Brokenstraw Township, Warren County. The owner has 10 days to respond.
Medina Res Dev Co LLC
On July 17, 2025, DEP sent a notice of violation for failure to submit a production, waste generation and disposal report for May for one or more shale gas wells in Waterford Township, Erie County. The owner has 10 days to respond.
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-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC uncontrolled wastewater discharge from half-fracked shale gas well; Row 2-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC stormwater discharge from access road into farm field; One of six conventional wells abandoned by Howard Drilling Inc.; VEC Energy LLC exposed gas gathering pipeline suspended 2 feet over stream channel; Monona LLC shale gas well pad with multiple spills.)
[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 - July 12 to 18 - Uncontrolled Shale Gas Wastewater Release For 34 Hours; Abandoned Conventional Wells Top 300; 107 New Brownfield Sites [PaEN]
-- Courier Times: Bucks County Residents, Sen. Santarsiero Say DEP Isn’t Doing Enough To Make Energy Transfer/Sunoco Define The Extent Of Petroleum Pipeline Leak And Clean It Up [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - July 19 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On 4 Water Quality Permits For Texas Eastern Appalachia To Market 3 Natural Gas Pipeline Upgrade Project In Adams And York Counties [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Sets July 31 Hearing On Requests To Withdraw Millions Of Gallons Of Water Per Day, Including 11 For Shale Gas Development, 2 Gas Power Plants [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 103 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In July 19 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- List Of More Than $90 Billion In Energy, A.I. Data Center Investments, Commitments Or Plans Announced At The PA Energy & Innovation Summit [PaEN]
-- NewsClips - PA Energy & A.I. Summit Pittsburgh July 15, 2025
-- PA Republican Lawmakers Rush To Introduce Bills To Give New Tax Breaks, Waive Regulations, Environmental Standards For A.I. Data Centers Already Flocking Into Pennsylvania And Locking Up PA Power [PaEN]
-- Kleinman Center For Energy Policy: What Wasn’t Discussed At Pennsylvania’s Energy & A.I. Summit - By John Quigley, Senior Fellow
-- Utility Dive: Bipartisan Group Of 9 Governors, Including Gov. Shapiro, Say PJM Interconnection Facing ‘Unprecedented Crisis Of Confidence’ And Want A Hand In Filling 2 Vacant Board Seats [PaEN]
-- Environmental Health Project Releases Compounds Of Concern Online Tool To Help Frontline Residents Better Understand Health Symptoms Related To Chemicals In Industrial Pollution, Released By Oil & Gas Facilities [PaEN]
-- Rise Of The Machines: Senate, House Members Express Concern That Demand For Power To Run Computers Is Impacting The Price And Availability Of Electricity For ‘Ordinary People’ [5.12.25]
-- US Dept. Of Energy Releases Report On Electric Grid Reliability, Security Saying Generation Growth Must Match Needs Of A.I. Data Centers; But What About ‘Ordinary People’? [7.8.25]
-- PJM Interconnection Opens Next Electric Capacity Auction Bidding Window Of July 9 to 15 For 2026-27 Electric Delivery; Hold Your Breath! [7.9.25]
-- PJM Interconnection Issues Maximum Generation Alert For July 15; Natural Gas Accounted For Most Generation Outages In June Generation Alert [PaEN]
-- PJM Interconnection Extends Maximum Generation Alert To July 16; Natural Gas Accounted For Most Generation Outages In June Generation Alert [PaEN]
-- PJM Interconnection Issues Hot Weather Alert For July 17 In Its Mid-Atlantic, Southern Regions, Including Parts Of PA [PaEN]
-- Environmental Advocates Oppose Gov. Shapiro’s Attendance At Sen. McCormick's Energy, A.I. Summit Today In Pittsburgh [PaEN]
-- Environmental Groups Rallying To Protect Delaware River Watershed From Shale Gas Fracking [PaEN]
-- Dept. Of Insurance/DEP Highlight 30 Years Of Underground Petroleum Products Storage Tank Insurance Fund Work; Paid Over $1.3 Billion To Clean Up Tank Leaks [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro Stops In Potter County To Highlight Investment In Key Gas Station Near Northcentral Regional ATV Trail To Build Outdoor Recreation Economy [Owner Failed To Comply With Storage Tank Regulations]
-- EPA Is 'Clearing The Regulatory Path For America To Dominate The Global A.I. Revolution' [PaEN]
-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Energy And Innovation Summit Is A Great Opportunity For Pittsburgh, But People Must Come First [PaEN]
-- DEP: $3.47 Million In Alternative Fuel Vehicle Grants Announced To Lower Costs, Improve Air Quality; Deadline For New Applications Oct. 10 [PaEN]
[Posted: July 19, 2025] PA Environment Digest
No comments :
Post a Comment