PA Environment Digest Blog: DEP: Conventional Well Plugging Operation Contaminates Spring In Allegheny County

On August 5, 2025, the Department of Environmental Protection was notified of a loss of circulation during routine conventional well plugging operation in Emsworth Borough, Allegheny County.

The incident involved the Penn Mech Group, Inc. Emsworth 1 conventional well, which is listed as abandoned in DEP's records.

The plugging contractor reported they were not getting any return of water after flushing water and cement down the well as part of the plugging operation.

DEP noted there were springs down the hill from the abandoned well prior to plugging and sampled several discharged points.

DEP re-inspected the springs and found several locations had a strong "oil" odor and exhibited indications of communication with the plugging operations.

Shortly after the contractor had stopped pumping cement into the well hole the water at the spring began to visually clear.

The previously sampled spring appeared turbid. This turbid water was observed entering a storm drain.

DEP requested pollution control practices be implemented around the stormwater drain prior to recommencing plugging operations.

DEP will continue to monitor the situation.

Violations were issued, but immediately closed and noted as "corrected/abated."

Click Here for the DEP inspection report.

[Editor’s Note: This is just one of many things that can happen during well plugging.]

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.

[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 - August 9 to 15 - Illegal Disposal Of 66,780 Gallons Of Conventional Wastewater; 4 Impoundments Not Restored; 3 Conventional Wells Mined Through [PaEN]

-- DEP Issued Violations To Iron Cumberland, LLC For Illegally Disposing Of 66,780 Gallons Of Conventional Well Plugging Wastes At Coal Refuse Disposal Area In Greene County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Conventional Well Plugging Operation Contaminates Spring In Allegheny County [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: PUC Judge Suspends Rhodes Estate Water Companies Litigation Schedule On Future Ownership [Fallout Continues From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill In Venango County] [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - August 16 [PaEN]

-- DEP Sets Sept. 17 Public Meeting/Hearing On Air Quality Permit For The Proposed 4.5 Gigawatt Natural Gas Power Plant At The Homer City A.I. Data Center Complex In Indiana County [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Permit For 204 Aboveground Storage Tanks Totaling 1.3 Million Gallons At Proposed Amazon A.I. Data Center In Salem Twp., Luzerne County [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 84 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In August 16 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- In Case You Missed It -- A.I./Data Center Articles & NewClips From Last Week [PaEN]

-- Senate Hearing: To Communities Facing Rapid A.I. Data Center Development: Review Your Zoning Ordinance NOW, Before It's Too Late To Have Meaningful Siting, Mitigation Conversations [PaEN]