Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between February 7 to 20--
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 February 13--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 5 conventional, 44 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 407 conventional and 127 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 38 conventional and 30 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 291 conventional and 329 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 1,987 conventional and 3,162 unconventional
12 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations
Allegheny County - EQT Prod Co. [326 Days]
February 10, 2026 inspection of the David Spangler 454 conventional gas well in Monroeville Borough failed to plug this abandoned well to prevent the flow of gas. Original violation issued March 21, 2025. Violations continued. Response requested by February 26. DEP inspection report.
Indiana County - Oil & Gas SVC Inc.
February 12, 2026 inspection of the John R. Sbardella conventional gas well in Brush Valley Township found the well abandoned and not plugged and the owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity report. Response requested by March 3. DEP inspection report.
Somerset County - Alloy Energy LLC [27 Days]
January 30, 2026 administrative review of the RJ Lambert ET UX 1 conventional well in Stonycreek Township found the well is not producing and continues to be abandoned and not plugged. Owner failed to submit or submitted incomplete production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Original violations issued December 12, 2025. Response requested by Feb. 20. DEP inspection report.
Venango County - Carol A. Morrison Baker [Deceased]
February 13, 2026 routine inspection of 6 conventional oil and gas wells in State Game Lands #45-- J31, J42, J53, J73, J74, J76, J78, J80-- in Cranberry Township found the wells abandoned and not plugged. In 2025 and 2026 the owner received 16 violations for abandoned wells. DEP records say Baker holds 217 oil and gas well permits, including 43 abandoned wells [Read more here]. DEP confirmed the owner is deceased. No response requested from heirs to owner. DEP inspection reports.
Washington County - EJ Brumage & RA Pultorak
February 11, 2026 inspection of the Richards 12 conventional gas well in West Bethlehem Township failed to comply with a DEP order to plug this well or put it back in production. The well had a “hissing [sound] with strong smell of gas.” Violations issued. Response requested by March 5. DEP inspection report. EJ Brumage holds 59 permits.
Westmoreland County - Big Sand Drilling Co. Inc. [486 Days]
February 9, 2026 complaint inspection of the WK Stewart 1 conventional well in Lower Burrell City found the well continues to be abandoned and not plugged. The owner failed to submit production, waste generation and well integrity reports for more than 25 years. No leaking as. Original violations issued on Oct. 11, 2024. Response requested by Feb. 27, 2026. DEP inspection report. Big Sand holds 3 well permits.
Failed To Restore Conventional Well Site
Washington County - Tunnel Ridge LLC [719 Days]
February 14, 2026 compliance evaluation of the Conrhein NV99 conventional gas well site in West Finley Township found the owner did not comply with a DEP order to plug and restore the well site. The well was plugged on February 26, 2024, but the site was not restored. Violation issued for failing to comply with order. No response requested from owner. DEP inspection report.
78 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations In 2026
So far in 2026, DEP issued or continued 78 notices of violation for conventional oil and gas well abandonment.
1 Abandoned Shale Gas Well Violation
Clearfield County - Big Dog Energy LLC [998 Days]
February 10, 2026 inspection of the Cowfer B 1H shale gas well in Gulich Township found the well continues to be abandoned and not plugged. Original violation issued May 19, 2023. Inactive status expired on Jan. 15, 2021. No pipeline was ever built to this pad. No response requested from owner. DEP inspection report. Big Dog holds 23 permits.
4 Abandoned Shale Gas Well Violations In 2026
So far in 2026, DEP issued or continued 4 notices of violation for shale gas well abandonment.
Failed To Restore Shale Gas Well Site
Fayette County - M4 Energy LLC [1,517 Days]
February 10, 2026 compliance review of the Sproul 7005 shale gas well in Stewart Township found the owner failed to comply with a December 16, 2021 DEP Order (amended on May 1, 2025) to restore this well pad site. Violation issued. Response requested by February 27. DEP inspection report.
Conventional Spills/Releases
Beaver County - Jean Thomas Thurma
February 4, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Barnhart 4 conventional well in Independence Township found no effort had been made to cleanup spills at the site since the original violations were issued on Oct. 7, 2025. There was no written response to the violations by the owner. Violations continued. Owner requested to respond in 7 days. DEP inspection report.
Washington County - Diversified Prod LLC
February 19, 2026 routine inspection of the Spesak F41 conventional well in Fallowfield Township found wastewater had been leaking from a cracked hose going to a storage tank battery causing a pooling of contaminated water. Violations issued, including failure to report a spill. Response requested by March 12. DEP inspection report.
Shale Gas Spills/Releases
Greene County - CNX Gas Co LLC [41 Days]
February 12, 2026 follow-up inspection of the NV48 shale gas well pad in Morris Township found the owner failed to submit an initial report on a January 2 release of production wastewater at the site within 15 days of the spill. No report submitted as of this inspection-- 41 days from spill. DEP also had no record of the original spill notification until January 9. Response requested by March 4-- 61 days after the spill. DEP inspection report.
Washington County - EQT Prod Co
February 9, 2026 routine inspection of the Gahagan shale gas well pad in West Bethlehem Township found “severely corroded and leaking” equipment on the well pad. Field measurements confirmed elevated conductivity. Some equipment not put in secondary containment to contain spills. Violations issued, including failing to notify DEP of a spill. Response requested by March 4. DEP inspection report (example).
Washington County - Range Resources Appalachia LLC
February 6, 2026 inspection of the Claysville Sportsman Club shale gas well pad in Donegal Township found several pieces of equipment and other regulated fluid storage tanks not in secondary containment as required. Violations issued. Response requested by March 6. DEP inspection report.
Failed To Submit Conventional Waste Disposal, Erosion Plans
Allegheny County - Rocksauce OPR LLC
February 11, 2026 administrative review of the JJ Matthews 3 and JB Herron 10 conventional gas wells in North Fayette Township found the owner failed to submit waste control and disposal plans and a Chapter 102 Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plans for these wells by December 26, 2025. Violations issued. Response requested by February 27.
Failed To Get Shale Gas Waste Disposal Approval
Fayette County - EQT Chap LLC
February 17, 2026 administrative inspection of the Edenborn/RGGS B shale gas well pad found the owner failed to obtain approval prior to processing drill cuttings on the well site in German Township. Seven well permits were issued for the pad in 2025 and 2026. Response requested by Feb. 23. DEP inspection report.
Shale Gas Casing/Cement Failures
Susquehanna County - Expand OPER LLC [4,869 Days]
February 9, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Webster 2H shale well in Franklin Township as part of monitoring well casing/cementing failures found no gas detected during inspection. Original violations issued Oct. 11, 2012. Violations and monitoring continued.
Susquehanna County - Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC [3,188 Days]
February 13, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Kropp 1H shale well and 7H shale well in Apolacoon Township as part of monitoring well casing/cementing failures found no gas detected during inspection. Original violations issued May 23, 2017. Violations and monitoring continued.
Wyoming County - Expand OPER LLC [1,049 Days]
February 4, 2026 follow-up inspection of the AMCOR 3HC shale well and 21HC shale well in Meshoppen Township as part of monitoring well casing/cementing failures saw continued improvement in the wells. Original violations March 23, 2023. Violations and monitoring continued.
Wyoming County - Expand OPER LLC [5,327 Days]
February 11, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Redmond 2H shale gas well in Meshoppen Township as part of monitoring well casing/cementing failure found no gas detected during the inspection. Original violations issued July 13, 2011. Violations and monitoring continued. DEP inspection report.
Wyoming County - BKV OPR LLC [1,163 Days]
January 29, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Reel-Macialek McConnell 3H shale gas well in Tunkhannock Township as part of monitoring well casing/cementing failure found the presence of gas continues. Original violations issued November 23, 2022. Violations and monitoring continued. DEP inspection report.
Pipeline Erosion Control Violations
Washington County - MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC
February 17, 2026 inspection of the Hunter Mining Longwall Coal Mining Pipeline Damage Prevention Project in Donegal Township found multiple and significant erosion and sedimentation violations in the process of site restoration. Longwall damage prevention projects dig up, elevate and then rebury natural gas pipelines to prevent damage from underground coal mining subsidence. Violations issued. Response requested by March 12. DEP inspection report.
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 - Feb. 7 to 20 - Conventional Well Owners Abandoning More Than 1 Well A Day; No Approval For Disposal Of Shale Drill Cuttings [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - February 14 [PaEN]
-- DEP To Hold March 19 Meeting, April 7 Hearing On Shell Petrochemical Plant Air Quality Plan Approval For Ground Flares, Wastewater Treatment Plant, As-Built Air Pollution Equipment In Beaver County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 76 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In February 14 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - February 21 [PaEN]
-- DEP Issues Water Quality Permits For Major Longwall Coal Mining Damage Prevention Project Covering 4 Texas Eastern Natural Gas Pipelines In Greene County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 63 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In February 21 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Guest Comments: How Is PA General Energy Allowed To Destroy Natural Forest Values To Which I Am Entitled To Enjoy With Its Shale Gas Well Pad And Access Road Project In Loyalsock State Forest, Lycoming County? - By Cynthia Bower, Resident [PaEN]
-- Guest Comments: PA General Energy Shale Gas Road, Well Pads Project Would Close Access To State Forest Land, Threaten Already Threatened Forest Bird Species In Loyalsock State Forest, Lycoming County -- By Bruce Buckle, President, Lycoming Audubon Society [PaEN]
-- The Derrick: Aqua Pennsylvania Reports ‘Settlement In Principle’ To Purchase Venango Water Company [Fallout From Public Water Supply Contamination By Conventional Oil Wastewater Spill Continues] [PaEN]
-- Marcellus Drilling News: Capital & Main Resolves Legal Challenge From CNX Resources Over Its Reporting With Editor’s Note Explaining What It Did Not Say Or Write About In An Article [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro Secures 2 Year Extension Of PJM Price Cap, Collar On Electricity Capacity Auctions [PaEN]
-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - February 16 & 23 [PaEN]
-- US EIA Increases Natural Gas Price Projection For 2026 By 40% Due To Large Withdrawals From Gas Storage [PaEN]
-- 12th Annual Pennsylvania Renewables Summit Set For March 16-17 In Harrisburg Area [PaEN]
-- Philadelphia Solar Energy Assn: March 5 Webinar - Energy Affordability - How Plug-In Solar Energy Can Help [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Marcellus Drilling News: Philadelphia Penn LNG Gas Export Facility Appears To Be Dead [PDF of Article]
-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Winter Storm Brings Cash For Natural Gas Drillers; But Natural Gas Prices Reach Historic Highs For Consumers
-- Bloomberg: EQT Natural Gas Driller Expects $1 Billion Windfall On Winter Storm-Driven Gas Price Rally
-- PUC To Investigate Proposed 8.7% Rate Increase Requested By UGI Gas Division
-- Spotlight PA: PA Tax Credit For Data Centers Will Cost Taxpayers $2 Billion A Year By Mid-2031
-- Ohio River Valley Institute: A.I. Data Centers Employ An Average Of 27 On-Site Workers - About The Same As An Average Olive Garden Restaurant
[Posted: February 21, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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