PA Environment Digest Blog: DEP: 25 Days After An Uncontrolled Release Of Wastewater At A Repsol Shale Gas Well Pad, Cleanup Continues In Bradford County

On August 7, 2025, the Department of Environmental Protection did a follow-up inspection of the Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC Broadleaf Holdings shale gas well pad in Troy Township, Bradford County to assess the ongoing remediation activities.

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 that caused the “uncontrolled release” of wastewater up the well casing to the pad surface for 34 hours. Read more here.

Wastewater overtopped secondary containment and flowed off the edge of the well pad and down the slope.

Three rings of berms were hastily constructed in an attempt to slow and capture the wastewater.

The August 7 inspection found Repsol continues to conduct remedial activities. Some scraping and removal of pad material around the western corner of the pad surface has been conducted.

Materials removed from the pad and soils removed from impacted areas downslope are being stored within a large secondary containment structure on the pad.

A rain event occurred on July 31 that caused stormwater and contaminated fluids to flow into the lined detention basin located downslope of the pad causing a pool less than six inches deep.

Drain tile piping has been installed downslope of the majority of the pad's fill slopes that divert collected fluids into the lined channels that then flow to the lined detention basin.

The secondary and tertiary emergency berms that were constructed following the release have been reworked and the channel in the bottom of the secondary berm was excavated and impacted materials were removed.

A water truck continues to collect fluids from the preexisting stormwater basin as necessary.

Repsol plans to have a stationary pump brought in to pump fluids collected in the stormwater basin into the lined detention basin.

On August 7, a crew worked to install a 4-inch line that will eventually pump fluids collected in the lined detention basin into a storage tank held on the pad surface. Fluids will only be held in the 4-inch line when pumping from the basin is ongoing.

Three shallow, monitoring wells have been drilled downslope of the well pad to monitor the groundwater.

A fourth shallow, monitoring well is planned to be drilled in the adjacent field.

Four deep, monitoring wells will also be drilled at the same locations as the shallow ones.

There have been no significant changes in stream electrical conductivity in the unnamed tributary to the North Branch Sugar Creek near the well pad as of August 7.

Click Here for a copy of the 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-- Large contaminated soil storage area; Lined diversion ditch; Drainage tile installed to collect water; Row 2-- Diversion berm to divert water; Lined detention basin where contaminated fluids are pumped out; Shallow monitoring well from DEP’s inspection report.)

[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.]

Resource Links:

-- DEP: Shale Gas Well Control Problem Caused Uncontrolled Release Of Wastewater For Over 34 Hours At Repsol’s Broadleaf Holdings Well Pad In Troy Twp., Bradford County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Cleanup Efforts Continue At Repsol Shale Gas Well Pad Where A Well Control Problem Caused An Uncontrolled Release Of Wastewater For 34 Hours In Bradford County [PaEN]

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