The epicenter of the event was near Murrysville, Westmoreland County approximately six miles from the injection well.
Penneco reported normal operations at the injection well on the day of the seismic event.
At the time of the seismic event the injection rate was near 1035 psi before, during and after the event. Penneco stopped injection on the well at about 10:30 a.m. the day of the event.
DEP’s inspector for Westmoreland County will follow-up with an investigation of the event.
No requests made by the injection well owner. 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.
Resource Links - Seismic Activity:
-- DEP Documents Connection Between Fracking, Earthquakes In Lawrence County [PaEN - February 2017]
-- PA State Seismic Network Has Detected Only 1 Fracking-Induced Seismic Event, So Far [PaEN - December 2019]
-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Feb. 15 to 21 -- Shale Gas Wells Seismic Investigation; Conventional Well Spill Cost Water Co. Customers $900,000 So Far; Oil & Gas Waste Plant Fails To Report Wastewater [PaEN February 2025]
-- Center For Coalfield Justice, MIT Researchers Host April 17 Public Meeting In Washington County On An Upcoming Seismic Study In Southwestern PA [PaEN - April 2025]
-- DCNR, DEP Increasing Efforts To Monitor Seismic Activity In Pennsylvania [PaEN - October 2015][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. 28 to March 6 - Abandoned Conventional Wells Hit 100; Investigating Seismic Event Near Wastewater Injection Well; Well Transfer Violations [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 7 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Air Quality Permit For MarkWest Harmon Creek Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County [PaEN]
-- DEP Accepting Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For 8 Mile, 24-Inch EQT ARO LLC Water Pipeline To Support Shale Gas Development In State Forest Land In Lycoming County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For A Double 16-Inch Expand Operating LLC Water Pipelines To Support Shale Gas Development In Standing Stone Twp., Bradford County [PaEN]
-- DEP Accepting Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For Double 16-Inch Expand Operating LLC Water Pipelines To Support Shale Gas Development In Forkston, North Branch & Windham Twps., Wyoming County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 74 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 7 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Environmental Quality Board Meets March 10 On Final Stream Redesignations Package; Report Due On DEP Review Of The Petition To Increase Setbacks From Shale Gas Wells, 4 Other Petitions [PaEN]
-- PA Shale Gas & Public Health Conference: Dr. Gary Allison - 75% Of Shale Gas Chemical Disclosure Listings Hide What’s In 200 Million Pounds Of Materials Used In PA Fracking; A Colorado Law Would Fix That [PaEN]
-- Protect PT To Hold Workshops In Plum Boro March 12, Monessen March 19 On How To Protect Your Community From Environmental Threats Caused By Shale Gas Development [PaEN]
-- DCNR House Budget Hearing: House Republicans Propose More Shale Drilling In State Forest Land, Under State Parks; Gas Drilling Has Caused The Loss Of 30,000 Acres Of Core State Forest Land So Far [PaEN]
-- PUC Issues Cybersecurity Advisory To Electric, Natural Gas Other Utilities Amid Growing Global Tensions [PaEN]
-- Senate PUC Budget Hearing: PUC Chair Says PJM Market Auction Not Designed For Data Center Demands; PA Needs Diversify Fuels Used To Generate Electricity; Bring Your Own Power Critical [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Needs To Act Now To Prevent A New $700 Million Increase In Electric Costs For Ratepayers - By Steve DeFrank, Chairman, Public Utility Commission [PaEN]
-- Sen. Yaw Urges FERC To Allow PJM To Keep Charging Pennsylvania Ratepayers Record High Capacity Auction Prices For Power, But Charge Other States Even More [PaEN]
-- House Committee Reports Out Bills To Require Data Centers To Disclose Energy, Water Use, Direct DCED To Develop Model Data Center Ordinance [PaEN]
-- New Comprehensive Report Lays Out Case For 3-Year A.I. Data Center Moratorium To Be Introduced In Pennsylvania [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension Hosts April 7 Webinar On Data Centers - State And Local Regulation [PaEN]
-- Energy Efficiency Alliance: March 12 Webinar - How Virtual Power Plants Strengthen Our Grid, Protect Ratepayers [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- WESA/The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: MarkWest Spills Over 1 Million Gallons Of Drilling Fluid Into Abandoned Coal Mine During Pipeline Construction In Washington County
-- Bradford Era: No Injuries In Overnight Fire At American Refining Group Refinery In Bradford, McKean County
-- The Allegheny Front: Ohio - Water Districts, Municipalities Join Call For Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Moratorium
-- The Derrick: War In Iran To Cause Massive Disruption In Oil Industry, According To Oil City Native & Middle East Expert Andrew Tabler [PDF of Article]
-- AP: Oil And Gas Prices Rapidly Rise As President’s War On Iran Shows No Signs Of Letting Up
-- War Profits: Windfall Profits Tax On The Oil & Gas Industry? Household Rebates To Offset Spiking Energy Costs
-- Inside Climate News - Kiley Bense: How Will President’s War On Iran Affect Your Utility Bills?
-- Williamsport Sun: Oil, Gasoline Prices Rise Sharply Throughout The Region
-- Warren Times: Gasoline Prices Skyrocket After Iran Air Strikes
-- Financial Times: Coal Prices Jump As Utilities Seek Alternative To Spiking Natural Gas Prices Due US President’s War With Iran
-- Utility Dive: US Warns Energy Companies To Increase Security In Response To Potential Threats From Iran; Utilities Lack Tools To Guard Grid From Drone Attacks
-- Reuters: There Is Little LNG Producers Can Do To Immediately Replace Lost Qatari Cargoes
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: How PA Natural Gas Producers May Help Ease The Impact Of President’s War On Iran On LNG Exports; European Gas Prices Jump 40% [War Is Good For The Oil/Gas Industry]
-- TribLive/AP: Energy Prices Surge As Tanker Disruptions And Facility Shutdowns Rattle Global Supply [US Natural Gas Prices Linked To World Markets Thanks To LNG]
-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Hit 3-Year High As Qatar LNG Halt Rocks Markets [US Natural Gas Prices Linked To World Markets Thanks To LNG]
-- The Economist: The Nightmare Iran Energy Scenario Is Becoming Reality [PDF of Article]
-- Bloomberg: President’s War On Iran Has Traders Staring Down An Energy Crisis [War-Caused Price Spikes Good For Oil & Gas Companies, Bad For Consumers]
-- Financial Times: US Shale Drillers Resist Quick Ride To Rescue For Iran War Oil Disruption [PDF of Article]
[Posted: March 7, 2026 ] PA Environment Digest
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