DEP Issues Violations To Rock Oil Resources LLC For Abandoning, Not Plugging 36 Conventional Oil & Gas Wells For 639 Days And Counting In Venango County

On November 6 & 7, 2025, the Department of Environmental Protection inspected 36 conventional oil and gas wells owned by Rock Oil Resources LLC and found them continued to be abandoned and not plugged in Allegheny Township, Venango County for 639 days and counting.

The original violations for abandonment and failing to submit annual production, waste generation/disposal and well integrity reports were issued on February 5, 6 & 7, 2024.  

None of the wells were inspected in the 10 years prior to the 2024 inspections. 

None of the wells were capable of producing in 2024 or since.

Click Here for links to DEP 2024 inspections.   Example 2024 Report.

No response requested from the well owner in 2025 reports.  Rock Oil holds 130 permits.

Click Here for links to DEP 2025 inspections.   Example 2025 Report.

Ownership History

DEP’s 2024 inspection reports had this history of the ownership of the 36 wells-

-- Elizabeth Wagner recorded owner on April 20,, 2007

-- Red Valley Resources, LLC. (Elizabeth Wagner) recorded as operator November 8, 2007.

-- On November 20, 2017, Rock Oil Resources, LLC (Elizabeth Wagner) became the operator of the 36 wells from Red Valley Resources, LLC.

-- On November 15, 2022, the Department received an Application for Transfer of Well Permit or Registration for the transfer of 36 wells from Rock Oil Resources, LLC to Great Cacapon Enterprises (Samuel Esh).

-- On January 17, 2023, the Department received written notice from Great Cacapon Enterprises attorney that they were withdrawing the Application.

592 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations In 2025

So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 592 violations to 120 conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells.

In 2024, DEP issued 860 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells.

The violations were issued to these conventional owners in 2025: 3D Resources LLC ; All American Energy Inc.; Amer Natural Resources LLC; WB Anderson; Apex Energy (PA), LLC; Apollo Resources LLC; ARG Resources Inc.; Baird Oil Co.; Carol A. Morrison Baker; Baron Crest Energy Co.; Bialy Gas Production LLC; Blackrock Enterprises LLC; Darrel B. Blauser; JJ Bucher Producing Corp; Chris E. Burke; Cohen IND Inc.; Consolidated Coal Co.; Dorothy Craft; Edward E. & Frederick J. Craig; Edward E. Craig; Crude A Co - Randy L. Larkin; Dannic Energy Corp.; Harold H. Davis; Lewis E. Davis; Paul H. Deeter; Delong Oil Inc.; Developed Resources, Inc.; Randy A. Dietterich; Diversified Production LLC; East Resources Inc.; Eastern Gas Trans & Storage Inc.; Eastern Natural Resources LLC; Elder Oil & Gas Co; Equitrans LP; EQT Production Co.; Exotic Oil & Gas LLC; Ex-Treme Oil And Gas LLC; Glade Resource Developers; Greenway Energy LLC; H & S Gas & Oil; Michael Harju; Donald S. Kelly; Harry L. King; Thomas A. Hodge; Horizontal Exploration LLC; Howard Drilling Inc.; Robert L. Hunter; Iron Pennsylvania Land LLC; Donald Jeannerett; JPS Lawncare & Landscaping; Mary Jane Katchmark; Keystone Crude LLC; Raymond J. Kaufman; Kiski Valley Gas Co.; Claudia A. & John P. Lampman; Raymond D. Langer; Leechburg Gas Co.; Manufacturers Light & Heat Co; Calvin & Julia McCutcheon; Marco Drilling Inc.; David H. Melat Co; Mid East Oil Co.; MTN Energy; MTN V Oil & Gas Inc.; Charles E. Myers; Myers Gas; James J. & Wendelin H. Neff; Charles F. & Rita M. Niederriter; Niche Energy LLC; Northwestern Well SVC Inc.; Nucomer Energy LLC; Ohio Kentucky Oil Corp. ; Oil & Gas MGMT Co. LLC; Old MTN Gas Co. Inc.; OneXXX Prod & Exploration Corp.; Ows Acquisition Co. LLC;  PPP Future Dev Inc.; PA Mineral SVCS LLC; Robert Lee Pennington; PBS Coals Inc; Raymond J. Patten; Pecora Enterprises; Pencan Explorations Inc.; Penta Oil Corp.; Robert F. Phipps; Pillar Energy PA, LLC; Pin Oak Energy Partners, LLC; The Production Co. LLC; Prosperity Oil Co. Inc.; Red Lion Gas Coop Assn; Reel Resources, Inc; Riyan Farm & Gas LLC; Raymond Sawyer; Rock Oil Resources, LLC; Rocksauce OPR LLC; Fred C. Scheel; SK Opr Inc.; Larry A. Shaffer Jr.; FM Sloan Inc.; Lyle D. Smith; Andrew F. Suchko; S R Star O&G LLC ; Steele Molar Holdings LLC; Stockman LLC; Stonehaven Energy MGT Co. LLC; Stone Ridge Energy LLC; Andrew F. Suchko; Griffin Summit Oil Company; Thomas Thurma Jean; TI Brook Inc.; Timberline Energy, Inc.; Mervin Troyer; Valley Green Golf & Country Club, Inc.; Vessels Coal Gas Inc.; Walker Oil Prod Inc.; Washington Energy Co LLC; Ronald Wise; Mary A. Woodring; Woodward Inc.; and Zurn IND LLC.

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.

(Photo: Same Rock Oil Breene Eagle Rock No. 3 21Q in 2024 and 2025.)

[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 - Conventional Well Owner Compliance:

-- DEP: 768 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells May Be Plugged In 2026 At Taxpayer Expense; Over 27,000 New Abandoned Wells May Have Been Found; Alternatives To Well Plugging Bonds [PaEN]

-- DEP Report Finds: Conventional Oil & Gas Drillers Routinely Abandon Wells; Fail To Report How Millions Of Gallons Of Waste Is Disposed; And Non-Compliance Is An ‘Acceptable Norm’  [PaEN]

-- DEP: More Than 99% Of Conventional Oil & Gas Facility Owners Failed To Comply With VOC/Methane Reduction Regulations Covering 64,660 Wells; Had 193 Days To File  [PaEN] 

-- Waste Generation/Production Reports: 85% of conventional owners failed to submit 2024 annual reports on production and how much waste they generated and how it was disposed of-- 4,204 conventional well owners failed to submit covering 23,708 wells, 753 well owners covering 81,396 wells that did report.  Read more here.

-- Well Integrity Reports:  87% of conventional well owners failed to submit 2024 annual well integrity reports critical to detect and prevent wells from leaking-- 4,314 conventional well owners failed to submit covering 24,620 wells, 638 well owners did submit covering 77,647 wells that did report.  Read more here.

-- DEP: Widespread Non-Compliance With Environmental Laws Continues In Conventional Oil & Gas Industry;  3,108+ Abandoned Wells; At Least 85% Conventional Well Owners Fail To Submit Production, Waste, Well Integrity Reports  [PaEN] 

Related Article This Week:

-- Penn State Research: Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned By Their Owners In Allegheny National Forest Leak Arsenic, Methane Into Aquifer  [PA To Spend $400 Million In Federal Taxpayer Money To Plug Wells Abandoned By Their Owners]   [PaEN]

[Posted: November 11, 2025]  PA Environment Digest