Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between March 14 to April 3--
Click Here for violations issued. Click Here for inspection entries.
[Note: There were many more violations issued by DEP than PA Environment Digest can highlight here.]
Enforcement Actions Taken Last Week
So far this year, DEP took these actions as of March 27--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 115 conventional, 25 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 1,168 conventional and 274 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 86 conventional and 70 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 316 conventional and 429 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 4,305 conventional and 6,440 unconventional
So far this year, DEP took these actions as of March 20--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 2 conventional, 5 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 899 conventional and 240 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 81 conventional and 59 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 299 conventional and 310 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 3,894 conventional and 5,893 unconventional
DEP Files Contempt Of Court Action Against Eureka Resources
The Department of Environmental Protection filed a petition with Commonwealth Court February 27 to declare Eureka Resources in contempt of court for failing to comply with an August 12, 2025 Court order to cleanup and address waste violations at its Standing Stone oil and gas wastewater treatment facility in Bradford County.
DEP is asking the Court to compel Eureka Resources to comply.
On March 3, DEP issued a civil penalty assessment against Eureka to impose a $60,000 penalty against the company for an August 2025 spill of 16,000 gallons of oil and gas wastewater from its Second Street treatment facility in Williamsport, Lycoming County.
On March 3, DEP also assessed a $40,000 penalty against Eureka for multiple waste violations at its Standing Stone treatment facility in Wysox, Bradford County.
DEP: Repasky Enterprises Abandoned 18 Conventional Wells
On March 24, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection issued violations to Repasky Enterprises for abandoning and not plugging 18 conventional oil and gas wells in Oakland Township, Venango County.
The well owner also failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports for at least 10 years [actually never].
There is no record of these wells ever being inspected. Read full article here.
45 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations
Allegheny County - Raymond D. Langer [1,167 Days]
March 16-19, 2026 inspection of 10 conventional oil and gas wells found they continued to be abandoned and not plugged, some had spills/releases or were venting gas. Owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Original abandonment and other violations issued on Jan. 4, 2023. Response requested by April 12. Langer holds 22 permits.
The wells include--
-- Robinson Township: JW Bell 1, JW Bell 7, McClever 1, McClever 4, Choeller 1, Choeller 2, J. Phillips 1, J. Phillips 5;
-- Findlay Township: M. Kahle 1, W. Adams 1.
Click Here for links to inspection reports.
Allegheny County - S & F MGMT LLC
March 18, 2026 inspected the Edgewater Steel 5 and Edgewater Steel 6 conventional wells in Oakmont Borough in response to a complaint about gas odor in a housing development under construction and found well #5 venting gas through a 12 foot high plastic vent pipe installed by Peoples Gas. Both wells were declared abandoned. Violations issued. Response requested by April 16. S & F holds 2 permits.
Allegheny County - Gordon L. & Donna J. Corbin
March 11, 2026 inspection of the Hess 34 conventional well in Fawn Township found the well abandoned and not plugged. Owner also failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Violations issued. Response requested by April 3. DEP inspection report. The Corbins hold 1 permit.
Allegheny County - Amer Natural Resources LLC [2,293 Days]
March 23, 2026 inspection of 4 conventional oil and gas wells in Aleppo and Ohio Townships, Glenfield Boro found the wells continued to be abandoned and not plugged in violation of a Dec. 12, 2019 DEP order. Some wells still leaking gas. Dec. 22, 2025 violation continued for failing to comply with order. Owner requested to comply. Amer Natural Resources holds 49 permits. The wells include--
-- Aleppo Township: Merle Minnick Unit 2
-- Ohio Township: Grove/Grambo Unit 1, John Lenzner Unit 1
-- Glenfield Boro: John Straka Unit 2
Butler County - Concordia Luth Health & Human Care [1,737 Days]
March 26, 2026 inspection of the WH Cooper conventional well in Winfield Township found the well continues to be abandoned and not plugged. Representative of Concordia present during inspection. The owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation or well integrity reports [ever]. Original violations issued June 23, 2021. Violations continued. Response requested by April 10. DEP inspection report. Concordia holds 4 permits.
Crawford County - Burnham Gas Co Inc.
March 23, 2026 inspection of the John Lehman 2 conventional well in Spring Township found the well abandoned and not plugged. The owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation or well integrity reports [ever]. No record of the well being inspected. Violations issued. Response requested by April 21. DEP inspection report. Burnham holds 46 permits.
Erie County - Penta Oil Corp [1,823 Days]
March 19, 2026 inspection of 3 conventional wells-- Lois Bacon 1, Lois Bacon 2, Richard Blore 1-- in Amity Township found they are still abandoned and not plugged. The owner fails to submit production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Original violations issued March 22, 2021. Violations continued. No response requested. Penta Oil holds 28 permits.
Fayette County - EQT CHAP LLC
March 10, 2026 inspection of the Francis R. Griffin & A. Glebis 1 conventional well in Nicholson Township found the well abandoned and not plugged. Violations issued. Response requested by March 31. DEP inspection report. EQT CHAP LLC holds 431 permits.
Somerset County - Alloy Energy LLC
March 12, 2026 inspection of the Thomas Benson 1 conventional well in Stonycreek Township found the well abandoned and not plugged since the well failed to produce for 12 months. Violation issued. Response requested by April 10. DEP inspection report. Alloy holds 2 permits.
Venango County - Stonehaven Energy MGT Co LLC [1,101 Days]
April 1, 2026 inspection of the Latshaw 9 conventional oil and gas wastewater injection well in Cranberry Township found the owner failed to plug an abandoned well by Sept. 30, 2025 as required by an April 23, 2025 DEP order and a Dec. 13, 2023 Commonwealth Court Order. No response requested. DEP inspection report.
DEP also inspected the two other Stonehaven Energy conventional wells in Jefferson County, Henderson Township-- Lott 2 and Wise Richard 4-- and found the owner continued to be in violation of a March 27, 2023 DEP order and a Dec. 13, 2024 Commonwealth Court Order for multiple violations at the well sites. Stonehaven holds 529 permits.
Stonehaven Energy was issued a rare ‘cease and desist’ order by DEP on April 23, 2025 to immediately stop producing all 501 conventional wells it owned in Clarion, Clearfield, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson, McKean, Venango, Warren counties. Read more here.
Westmoreland County - MTN V Oil & Gas Inc
March 13, 2026 inspection of the Calvin & Evelyn Miller 1 conventional well in East Huntingdon Township found the well still abandoned and not plugged, but the owner did submit required annual reports in response to earlier violations. Violation for abandonment continued. Response requested by April 10. DEP inspection report. MTN V Oil & Gas holds 1,010 permits.
Westmoreland County - West Silas
March 23, 2026 inspection of the McKnown HRS 3 conventional well in Washington Township found the well still abandoned and not plugged since original violations issued Nov. 3, 2025. The owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Violations continued. Response requested by April 13. DEP inspection report. West Silas holds 1 permit.
Failure To Restore Well Sites
Fayette County - Diversified Prod LLC
March 23-25, 2026 inspections of three conventional wells found the plugged well sites and access roads were not restored as required by a March 7, 2019 consent order and agreement with the owner. Violations continued. The wells included: Nicholson Twp.: Benninger 11, Yasenosky 2; and Georges Twp.: Thompson/Bloniarz 1.
166 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations In 2026
So far in 2026, DEP issued or continued 166 notices of violation for conventional oil and gas well abandonment.
1 Abandoned Shale Gas Well Violation
Greene County - Rice Drilling B LLC [EQT]
March 20, 2026 inspection of the Jacobs 7H shale gas well in Gray Township found the well had not produced for the last 12 months and is by definition abandoned and not plugged. Violations issued. Response requested by April 7. DEP inspection report.
8 Abandoned Shale Gas Well Violations In 2026
So far in 2026, DEP issued or continued 8 notices of violation for shale gas well abandonment.
Venting Conventional Gas Well
Clarion County - Titus Energy LLC [315 Days]
March 26, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Johnson 1 conventional gas well in Monroe Township found the well still venting gas and no actions were taken to plug the well or correct the violations since they were first issued on May 15, 2025. Response requested by April 20. DEP inspection report. Titus Energy holds 65 permits.
Shale Gas Casing/Cementing Failures
Bradford County - Expand OPER LLC [New]
March 12, 2026 inspection of shale gas wells on the Deremer well pad in Tuscarora Township testing for casing/cementing failures found new failures in wells 2HC [new], 4H [new], 24H [new], 25H [new] and 126H [new]. Well 5H well had previously shown evidence of casing/cementing failure on Aug. 20, 2025. The wells were drilled in 2019 and 2023. Violations issued and continued. Response requested by April 24.
Bradford County - Expand OPER LLC [1,672 Days]
March 11, 2026 inspection of the Manahan 2H, 103H, 104H shale gas wells in Albany Township as part of routine monitoring for casing/cementing failures detected gas in one or more areas of the wells. Original violations issued Aug. 12, 2021. Violations continued. Monitoring continues. Example DEP inspection report.
Conventional Spills/Releases
Erie County - BCD Prop Inc.
March 12, 2026 inspection of the Ferdinand C & Gladys R Blile 2 conventional well in Waterford Township found a pipeline corroded and split open and evidence of a release of wastewater at the site. Well was not inspected before. Multiple violations issued. DEP inspection report shared with owner. BCD Prop holds 104 permits.
Potter County - JJ Bucher Producing Corp [198 Days]
April 2, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Hastings 37 conventional well site in Sharon Township found the owner still had not completed cleanup of a crude oil release, properly disposed of oil and wastewater in wooden and metal tanks on the site and other violations originally issued on Sept. 16, 2025. DEP requested the owner to comply. DEP inspection report. JJ Bucher holds 331 permits, including 15 abandoned wells.
Somerset County - Alloy Energy LLC [876 Days]
March 25, 2026 inspection of the RJ Lambert ET UX 1 conventional well in Stonycreek Township found the owner still failed to completely clean up an Oct. 31, 2023 release of petroleum-based fluid and subsequent production wastewater at the site. June 25, 2025 violations continued and fresh violations issued. Response requested by April 10. DEP inspection report #1, Inspection report #2. Alloy holds 2 permits.
Westmoreland County - Big Dog Energy LLC [277 Days]
March 27, 2026 inspection of the Schimizzi S&M 1 conventional well in Hempfield Township found no effort was made to clean up multiple spill areas and no response was received from owner to June 23, 2025 violations. DEP inspection report.
Shale Gas Spills/Releases
Bradford County - Expand OPER LLC
March 13, 2026 inspection record was created for the Hickory Row shale gas well pad in Wyalusing Township documenting a release of an unknown volume of production wastewater on the pad during fracking operations of two wells that was first discovered during a Jan. 14, 2026 inspection. Soil samples and field conductivity readings were taken at that time, but the owner was rigging up for fracking operations and did not offer an explanation. During a Feb. 18, 2026 inspection the owner said they had remediated the areas of contamination documented during the January inspection, although field measurements showed some puddles of contaminated fluid. DEP’s March 13 inspection report documented the owner reporting there was a release of an unknown amount of production fluid due to compromised secondary containment during fracking operations and documented on Feb. 20. The spill is still under investigation. Multiple violations were issued.
Susquehanna County - Coterra Energy Inc.
March 25, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Aldrich L shale gas well pad in Gibson Township following a March 15 spill of nearly 3,000 gallons of contaminated stormwater found contaminated fluids within containment areas that need to be disposed of properly. Fluids in four well cellars are full of fluid that must be removed before they overflow. Erosion channel found going into drainage basin should be stabilized. Unidentified pipe running from top of fill slope discharging into drainage basin. Violations continued. DEP inspection report.
Pipeline Drilling Inadvertent Returns
Bradford County - Blackhill Energy LLC
DEP issued violations for five “inadvertent return” spills related to the Sultana horizontal drilling pipeline project under Mill Creek and along a right-of-way in Springfield Township on three separate days-- March 23 - 900 gallons off the permit and into wetlands; March 26 (200 gallons); March 28 (30 gallons); April 1 (100 gallons); and April 2 (70 gallons) impacting wetland. Response requested by April 7 on first violation. Blackhill Energy holds 102 permits.
Illegal Shale Gas Water Withdrawals
Range Resources Appalachia LLC
On March 18, 2026 DEP cited Range Resources Appalachia LLC for unlawful conduct and multiple violations for over-withdrawing water for fracking from Source #79 on 3 days in November 2025. Violation not posted.
Erosion/Slope Failures
Washington County - Range Resources Appalachia LLC
March 23 & 25, 2026 inspections of three different Range Resources shale gas well pads in response to notifications found evidence of multiple slope failures.
-- Amwell Township: Hallam Alex 11597 Shale Gas Pad - Slope failures at several locations. DEP inspection report.
-- Blaine Township: Schwotzer Arthur 12705 Shale Gas Pad- Slope failure along access road. DEP inspection report.
-- Hopewell Township: Foltz Lowry Shale Gas Pad - Slope failures at 3 different locations. DEP inspection report.
Responses requested by April 14.
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 - March 14 to April 3 -- 45 More Abandoned Conventional Well Violations; Contempt Of Court Action; Pipeline Drilling Spills; Multiple Slope Failures; Illegal Water Withdrawals; New Casing/Cementing Failures [PaEN]
-- DEP Files Contempt Of Court Action, Fines Eureka Resources $100,000 For Multiple Violations At Oil & Gas Wastewater Treatment Facilities In Bradford, Lycoming Counties [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - April 4 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Title V Air Quality Permit Modifications For Armstrong Natural Gas Power Plant In Armstrong County To Feed A.I. Data Centers [PaEN]
-- DEP Accepting Comments On Water Quality Permit For 3.6 Mile EQT ARO LLC 16-Inch Shale Gas Water Pipeline In Lycoming County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Erosion & Sedimentation Permit For Hyperion Midstream [EQT] Pipeline Between The Selene And Hephaestus Shale Gas Well Pads In Upper Burrell Twp., Westmoreland County [PaEN]
-- DEP Accepting Comments On Water Quality Permit For Installation Of A CNX Midstream Operating Water Withdrawal Intake In Beaver Run Reservoir To Support Shale Gas Development In Westmoreland County [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Sets April 23 Hearing On Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant Water Withdrawal Of Up To 73.2 Million Gallons/Day, Other Withdrawals [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 59 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 4 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Water Quality Permit For Carbon Node East Development Transmission Line, Utility Crossing In Nesquehoning Boro, Carbon County To Support A.I. Data Center Development [PaEN]
-- DEP Issues Revised Waste Permit Affecting Daily Tonnage Limits Accepted By Liberty Soils, LLC Biosolids Management Facility In Schuylkill County [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets April 14 To Hear Presentations On GeoThermal Energy; Combined Sewer Overflows In Philadelphia [PaEN]
-- DEP Files Contempt Of Court Action, Fines Eureka Resources $100,000 For Multiple Violations At Oil & Gas Wastewater Treatment Facilities In Bradford, Lycoming Counties [PaEN]
-- DEP Issues Repasky Enterprises Violations For Abandoning, Not Plugging 18 Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Venango County [PaEN]
-- Erie Times/USA Today: Radioactive Radium On Rural Roads? PA House Bills Clash Over Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater On Public Roads [PDF of Article]
-- DEP Hosts April 9 Webinar On Community Energy Development Program; Local Governments Can Apply For Assistance In Developing Energy Transition Plans Thru April 15 [PaEN]
-- DEP Launches Delaware County Air Monitoring Project To Study Pollution From Refineries, Other Industrial Sources In And Around City Of Chester; March 31 Online Outreach Meeting [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Watershed Low-Flow Conditions Trigger Stop To Shale Gas Drilling Water Withdrawals At 11 Locations In Bradford, Susquehanna, Wyoming Counties [PaEN]
-- Delaware, Susquehanna, Potomac River Basin Commissions To Host April 16 Data Centers - What About Water? Webinar [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Inside Climate News - Kyle Bagenstose: PA Lawmakers Are Talking The Talk On A.I. Data Center Regulation, But Will They Walk The Walk?
-- City & State PA: The Battle Over A.I. Data Centers: $100 Billion Rush To Turn PA Into A.I. Engine, And The Local Efforts Trying To Stop It
-- The Allegheny Front: April 18 Event In Pittsburgh Will Help People Facing A.I. Data Centers In Their Communities Organize Opposition
-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: PECO Files For 11.4% Rate Increase For Natural Gas Customers, 12.5% Rate Increase For Electric Customers; Typical Customer Bill Increases $420 Annually
-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: PECO Files For 12.5% Electric, 11.4% Natural Gas Rate Increases
-- PECO Files Request With PUC To Increase Electric, Natural Gas Rates
-- Scranton Times: UGI Electric Files For $17.3 Million Rate Increase, Residential Bills To Go Up 12.8%
-- UGI Electric Files For $17.3 Million Rate Increase, Residential Customers To See 12.8% Increase
-- Axios Pittsburgh: Largest Natural Gas Power Plant In PA To Provide 3,700 MW Of Power To Homer City A.I. Data Center Machines (82.2%), 800 MW (17.8%) For ‘Ordinary People’ To Use In Indiana County
-- Reuters: Constellation Energy To Ask FERC To Transfer Eddystone Delaware County Power Plant Rights To Connect To The Grid To Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant To Feed Microsoft A.I. Data Centers [Eddystone Is Under A DOE ‘Emergency’ Order To Stay Open To Provide Power To The Grid]
-- Utility Dive: ArcLight In Deal To Buy 2.2 GW From Infrabridge, Including Half Of Natural Gas Power Plant In Jessup, Lackawanna County To Help Power Data Centers
-- Observer-Reporter: Range Resources Making School District $5,000 Enrichment Grants Available In Operating Area
-- JDSupra.com: PA Commonwealth Court Address Legal Standing To Challenge Shale Gas Well Drilling Site
-- Reuters: EU Tells Members To Prepare For ‘Prolonged Disruption’ To Oil/Natural Gas Energy Markets
[Posted: April 4, 2026 ] PA Environment Digest
