MarkWest reported at least 10 incidents with a total of 521,600 gallons of drilling fluids lost to abandoned mines since this project began since the first losses on October 27.
The December 19 incident resulted in a 16,000 gallon loss. The December 22 incident resulted in a 29,000 gallon loss.
MarkWest reported the December 22 loss occurred in two stages-- 20,000 gallons at 11:30 and as drilling continued another 9,000 gallons was lost. Read more here.
A December 22 inspection of the site did not find any surface returns of drilling fluids along the pipeline path or at the acid mine drainage discharge point.
As part of its investigation of the last fluid loss incident on December 4, DEP staff from the Oil and Gas Program and the Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation took water samples at a variety of points along the drilling route and of the drilling fluid itself. Read more here.
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: MarkWest pipeline drill path Dec. 19, no evidence of mine subsidence; One of several horizontal drilling beginning points on the drill path inspected Dec. 22.)
[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 - Dec. 20 to 26 - 378,000 Gallon Gasoline Spill; 521,600 Gallon Spilled Into Mine Voids; Crude Oil Pipeline Rupture [PaEN]
-- DEP: MarkWest Liberty Midstream Shale Gas Pipeline Drilling Fluid Losses To Mine Voids Climb To Over 521,600 Gallons In Washington County [PaEN]
-- Warren Times: US Forest Service Conducting Federal Superfund Pollution Assessment Of Abandoned American Refining Group Oil & Gas Facilities In Allegheny National Forest [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - December 27 [PaEN]
-- DEP To Host Jan. 6 Public Information Meeting On Water Quality Permits For The A.I. Data Center Proposal In Archbald Boro, Lackawanna County [Some Of The 84 Data Center Buildings Proposed In NE PA] [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For Daylighting 3 CNX Midstream Natural Gas Pipelines To Prevent Damage From Longwall Coal Mining In Washington County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage Water Quality Permits For 13.1 Mile Natural Gas Pipeline Replacement Project In Armstrong, Westmoreland Counties [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Renewal Of Title V Air Quality Permit For 750 MW Marcus Hook Energy Natural Gas Power Plant, Delaware County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 58 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In December 27 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Guest Essay: Lessons from A.I. Data Centers And Shale Gas Fracking Tours - By Scott Cannon, Luzerne County [PaEN]
-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - December 29 [PaEN]
-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs-- 18-- Same For 5 Weeks
-- AAA Average Gasoline Prices: National- $2.84 Ohio- $2.78 PA- $3.07
NewsClips:
-- Inquirer: Bucks County Explosion: 2 Dead, 20 Hurt In Nursing Home Blast; Shapiro Says There Are ‘A Lot Of Unanswered Questions’
-- AP: Rescuers Rushed Into Flames To Save Nursing Home Residents In Bucks County After Deadly Explosion
-- Farm & Dairy: Two Workers Die From Injuries Months After Ohio Abandoned Oil & Gas Well Explosion In Wayne National Forest
-- Post-Gazette/Inside Climate News: Tracking Oil & Gas Waste In Pennsylvania Is Still A ‘Logistical Mess’ [Part I]
-- WESA/Inside Climate News: 25 Years Into Shale Gas Fracking, Pennsylvania Has Yet To Reckon With Oil & Gas Industry’s Radioactive Waste [Part II]
-- The Allegheny Front/Inside Climate News: The ‘Toxic Cocktail’ Brewing In Pennsylvania’s Waterways: Abandoned Mine Drainage, Oil & Gas Industry Waste [Part III]
-- Delco Times: Monroe Energy Fuel Tank Farm Reports Major Leak Of 378,000 Gallons Of Gasoline In Delaware County
-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Delaware County Residents Could Be Given Bottled Water After Major Gasoline Leak At Monroe Energy Tank Farm
-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Environmental Groups Appeal DEP Permit For Massive Natural Gas Power Plant Meant To Power Homer Center A.I. Data Center Campus
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Homer City A.I. Data Center 4.5 GW Natural Gas Power Plant Permit Faces Appeals From Environmental Groups, 13 Children [PDF of Article]
-- The Center Square: Don’t Count On Lower Electricity Prices In 2026; Driven By A.I. Data Center Demand In PJM
-- The Center Square: 2025 - The ‘First’ Year Of A.I. - Higher Electricity Prices; More Shale Gas Fracking; Community Controversy
-- TribLive - Jack Troy: PJM’s Power Auction Shortfall Could Lead To Increased Blackout Risks In PA, Other States In Face Of A.I. Data Center Power Demands
-- Warren Times/AP: President’s Return Brought Stiff Headwinds For Clean Energy, So Why Are Advocates Optimistic In 2026? [PDF of Article]
-- Williamsport Sun Guest Essay: Energy Future Shouldn’t Be Held Hostage To Fossil Fuel Myths; Renewables Aren’t The Reason For Soaring Energy Prices, Grid Fragility - By Douglas Webster, Monroeville [PDF of Article]
-- Reuters: A.I. Data Centers Are Forcing Dirty ‘Peaker’ Power Plants Back Into Service
-- Utility Dive: President Tries To Halt Construction Of Just Over 7 Gigawatts Of Much-Needed Electrical Generation From East Coast Wind Farms
-- Reuters Commentary: Renewables With Batteries Produce Cheaper Energy Than Natural Gas; LNG Gas Exports Glut Turning Into A Sinkhole
-- Appalachian Voices: FERC Approves Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate Natural Gas Pipeline Expansion For VA, PA To North Carolina Over Objections, No Environmental Impact Statement
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: FERC Approves Major Changes To Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate Route And Capacity
-- Financial Times: EU Spent Less On US Energy After $750 Billion Trade Deal With President
[Posted: December 25, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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