PA Environment Digest Blog: DEP Orders Timberline Energy, Inc To Submit Production, Waste, Well Integrity Reports For 475 Conventional Oil, Gas Wells In 6 Counties; Recent Inspections Show Many Wells Appear Abandoned

On May 28, 2025, the Department of Environmental Protection issued an Order to Timberline Energy, Inc. requiring the company to submit annual production, waste generation/disposal and well integrity reports for 475 conventional oil and gas wells in Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Erie, Venango and Warren counties.

A list of the 475 wells and their township and county locations is included as an attachment in the Order.

The Order follows an August 14, 2024 notice of violation DEP issued to Timberline Energy for failing to submit annual reports for the last 10 years for these wells.

Not submitting these reports is frequently an indication conventional oil and gas wells are on the way to being abandoned and a burden to taxpayers who must pay to plug them.

The Order required Timberline Energy to--

-- Submit annual production reports for 2024 by July 1, 2025 and every year thereafter; and

-- Submit the results of well integrity tests by September 1, 2025 and every year thereafter.

DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database and Inspection Reports Viewer webpages have no record of Timberline responding to this Order.

There is no record of the company appealing this order to the Environmental Hearing Board.

Click Here for a copy of the Order.

A copy of the Order was obtained through a Right To Know Act request by the PA Environment Digest.

DEP Inspections Since May

Recent inspections of 40 Timberline Energy conventional oil and gas wells between May 28, 2025 and October 3, 2025 found many of the wells “appear to be abandoned at the time of the inspection,” according to DEP inspection reports. (see photos)

Many of these well inspections were part of a DEP initiative to inspect wells that had never been inspected before.

The inspection reports-- Boals 5, J.Cubbon SW540, Connel SW612 and Connel SW701 as examples-- also include the same statement by Timberline Energy saying-- “this well is on his plug list and anticipates this well to be part of a plugging group slated for April 2027 [or some had April 2026].”

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: Timberline Energy conventional wells Boals 5, Row 2-- Connel SW612, J.Cubbon SW540, Connel SW701 buried under brush -These conventional wells were all included in the May 28, 2025 Order.)

[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 - Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 - 940,000 Gallon Shale Gas Wastewater Spill; Order Ceasing Production Of 551 Conventional Wells; Is Conventional Well Owner Abandoning 475 Wells In 6 Counties? [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - October 4 [PaEN]

-- DEP Opportunity To Bid On Plugging 15 Abandoned Conventional Oil, Gas Wells At Taxpayer Expense In Butler County

-- DEP Invites Comments On Air Quality Permit For 77 Emergency Power Generators At The Amazon Data Center In Salem Twp., Luzerne County [PaEN]

-- DEP To Hold Nov. 14 Hearing On Renewal Of An Air Quality Permit For The Coal, Natural Gas-Fired Brunner Island Power Plant In York County [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On An Air Quality Permit For The Tenaska PA Partners, LLC Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant In Westmoreland County [PaEN]

-- DEP Accepting Comments On The Renewal Of An Air Quality Permit For The Wolf Run Energy, LLC Natural Gas Power Plant In Bradford County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Comments Now Being Accepted For An Air Quality Permit For The Hunterstown Power, LLC Peaking Electric Generation Facility In Adams County [PaEN]

-- DEP Sets 3 Hearings On Air Quality Standards For Plastics Resin Manufacturers Shell Chemical Appalachia, Rohm & Haas Co. Multi Plastics Extrusions [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 74 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 4 PA Bulletin [PaEN]