Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between April 18 to 24 --
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 April 17--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 34 conventional, 10 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 1,456 conventional and 347 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 120 conventional and 77 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 354 conventional and 446 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 5,568 conventional and 8,109 unconventional
Seneca Resources Well Pad Releases Continue - 545 Days
On April 21, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection inspected the Seneca Resources Co LLC Taft 851 shale gas well pad in Middlebury Township, Tioga County and found evidence of continuing wastewater spills at the site.
The inspector field screened and took samples from puddles of water on the pad, at a water outfall from the pad, from liquid flowing into the southeast corner of the sediment basin and from liquid flowing from the sediment basin, past the last filter sock and off the permit area for the pad.
Violations originally issued for wastewater releases on October 23, 2024 were continued. These conditions have now continued for 545 days without abatement. Read more here.
Flares Create New Sun Over National Gas Processing Plants In Washington County
The giant natural gas/chemical flare at the MarkWest Harmon Creek Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant in Smith Township, Washington County created a new sun in the sky at 4:47 a.m. on Monday, April 20 and again at 4:29 a.m. on Tuesday, April 21 shining in the windows of neighbors around the plant. Read more here.
The gas/chemical flare at the Energy Transfer Revolution Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant right next door was also burning, but it was obscured by the new “sun” created by the MarkWest Plant.
Flares continued burning at one or both of the plants through April 25.
DEP’s Bureau of Air Quality enforces limits on these air pollution emissions.
13 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations
Butler County - Rottman Gas & Oil Inc.
April 22, 2026 inspection of 6 conventional oil and gas wells in Parker Township found them all abandoned and not plugged. The owner also failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. The wells included Campbell 1, Campbell 2, Campbell 3, Campbell 4, Campbell 5, and Campbell 6. Violations issued. Response requested by May 1. Rottman holds 24 permits.
Butler County - Donald S. Kelly
April 22, 2026 inspection of the Shimmel 5 conventional well in Parker Township found the well abandoned and not plugged. The owner also failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Not inspected before. Violations issued. Response requested by May 1. DEP inspection report. Kelly holds 15 permits.
Crawford County - Burnham Gas Co Inc.
April 22, 2026 response to violations related to abandonment of the John Lehman 2 conventional well in Spring Township said the owner of the company passed away and his son is trying to operate the 46 wells owned by the company. “I have no experience in this field of work.” Copy of response to DEP. DEP inspection report. Burnham Gas holds 46 permits.
Crawford County - Pin Oak Energy Partners LLC
April 23, 2026 inspection of the John R. Greenawalt 1 conventional well in Conneaut Township found the well abandoned and not plugged. Not inspected before. Violations issued. Response requested by May 21. DEP inspection report. Pin Oak Energy holds 913 permits, including 2 abandoned wells.
Venango County - Carol A. Morrison Baker
April 20, 2026 inspections of 2 more conventional never before inspected wells on State Game Lands in Cranberry Township found the wells abandoned and not plugged. The wells include 45 TM15 and 45 TM38. DEP is working with the heirs of the deceased owner to determine the status of the 217 wells they own. So far 43 wells are classified abandoned so far.
Venango County - Stonehaven Energy MGT Co LLC
April 20, 2026 inspection of the State Game Lands 3107 conventional well in Cranberry Township found the well abandoned and not plugged. Owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Well not inspected before. Violations issued. No response requested from owner. DEP inspection report. Stonehaven Energy holds 529 permits, including 7 abandoned wells (not this one).
Venango County - WLH Land & Lumber LLC
April 20, 2026 inspection of the Smith 1 well in Scrubgrass Township found the well abandoned and not plugged. Owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Well not inspected before. Violations issued. No response requested from owner. DEP inspection report. WLH Land holds 10 permits.
193 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations In 2026
So far in 2026, DEP issued or continued 193 notices of violation for conventional oil and gas well abandonment.
Conventional Spills/Releases
Clarion County - Old Glory Energy LLC [180 Days]
April 14, 2026 inspection of the Dunlap 1 conventional well in Perry Township found no action taken to clean up multiple wastewater spills at the site. Original violations issued Oct. 16, 2025. Violations continued. No response requested of well owner. DEP inspection report. Old Glory holds 6 permits.
Westmoreland County - Oil & Gas MGMT Inc. [1,545 Days]
April 21, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Kiskiminetas Springs School Well 6 in Loyalhanna Township found no actions taken to cleanup spills at the site since 2023. Owner failed to comply with any of the deadlines in a Feb. 10, 2023 DEP order. DEP issued original violations for multiple spills on the site on January 27, 2022. Unlawful conduct violations continued. No response requested of well owner. DEP inspection report. Oil & Gas MGMT holds 163 permits.
Westmoreland County - Oil & Gas MGMT Inc. [5 Days]
April 22, 2026 inspection of the Armstrong 2 conventional well in Allegheny Township found heavily rusted wastewater tank with the potential to release fluids and a “strong gas odor and hissing” coming from the well head. Original violations for rusted equipment issued on April 17, 2026, but no new violation for venting gas. No response received from the well owner to the violations. No action requested. DEP inspection report.
Shale Gas Pipeline Drilling Spills
Bradford County - Blackhill Energy LLC
April 23, 2026 inspection of the Sultana Pipeline drilling project in Springfield Township in response to a notification of the 6th "inadvertent" return of bentonite drilling mud during this horizontal drilling project, but a small one-- 50 gallons. Violations continued from original March 23, 2026. DEP inspection report.
Shale Gas Casing/Cementing Failures
Sullivan County - Expand Oper LLC [3,206 Days]
April 15, 2026 inspection of the Hemlock Hunting Club North 1H shale gas well and Hemlock Hunting Club Unit B IH and 3H shale gas wells in Elkland Township as part of monitoring for casing/cementing failures found continued evidence of failures. Original violations issued July 5, 2017. Violations and monitoring continued. 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 - April 18 to 24: Seneca Resources Still Releasing Wastewater After 545 Days; A New ‘Sun’ In Washington County; 13 More Abandoned Conventional Well Violations [PaEN]
-- DEP: Day 545 And Counting: Seneca Resources Continues To Release Wastewater, Frack New Shale Gas Wells At Taft Well Pad In Middlebury Twp., Tioga County [PaEN]
-- The Sun Also Rises In Washington County: MarkWest Harmon Creek Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant Creates New Sun - At 4:47 a.m April 20, Again On April 21 - And It’s Still Burning [PaEN]
-- Flares Still Burning Over Energy Transfer Revolutions/MarkWest Harmon Creek Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plants In Washington County Live Breathe Project Cameras [April 22]
-- ‘Emergency’ Upset Flare Still Burning Over Energy Transfer Revolutions Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County Live Breathe Project Cameras [April 23]
-- ‘Emergency’ Upset Flare Still Burning Over Energy Transfer Revolutions Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County Live Breathe Project Cameras [April 24]
-- ‘Emergency’ Upset Flare Still Burning Over Energy Transfer Revolutions Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County Live Breathe Project Cameras [April 25]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - April 25 [PaEN]
-- DEP Extends Air Quality Plan Approvals Allowing Temporary Operation Of The Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County; Title V Application Still Under Review Since July 2024 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Air Permit For Amazon Data Services To Add 86 Diesel Generators To A.I. Data Center Project In Salem Twp., Luzerne County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Air Permit For Amazon Data Services To Add 280 Natural-Gas Fired Generators To A.I. Data Center Project In Falls Twp., Bucks County [PaEN]
-- DEP Accepting Comments On Renewal Of An Air Quality Permit For 23 Diesel Generators At The Iron Mountain Underground Data Center In Butler County [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved 46 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In March; 100 In 2026 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 73 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 25 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- DEP Accepting Comments On Air Quality Operating Permit For Additional Control Equipment At The Rauch Creek Coal Waste-Fired Power Plant In Schuylkill County [PaEN]
-- DEP To Hold May 27 Hearing [If Requested] On RACT III Title V Air Quality Permit For the Domtar Paper Company Johnsonburg Mill In Elk County [PaEN]
-- DEP Sets State Water Plan Update Meetings For Regional, Statewide Water Resources Committees Starting May 19 [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- DEP Tells House Committee It’s Not Sure What Will Be In Its Plan To Reduce Methane Emissions From Oil & Gas Operations It Needs To Submit To EPA In January [PaEN]
-- DEP Oil & Gas Advisory Board Meets April 30 To Hear Updates On Setbacks Petition; Regulations In Progress; Well Plugging Program; Injection Well Primacy [PaEN]
-- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA Host May 8 Online Southeast PA Environmental Movement Committee Meeting On A.I. Data Centers, Chester Incinerator, LNG Gas Terminal Proposals [PaEN]
-- President Invokes Wartime Powers To Fund Coal, Natural Gas Pipelines, Storage, Processing, LNG, Petroleum, Power Grid Infrastructure Projects [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- TheDerrick.com: Oil City Native, Middle East Expert Says Gasoline Prices To Keep Rising
-- Reuters Commentary: Welcome To The Age Of [Fossil] Energy Shocks
-- Washington & Jefferson College: Energy Insecurity On The Rise In US - One-Third Of All US Households Are Struggling To Pay Basic Energy Bills
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: EQT Shale Gas Driller Poised To Capture A.I. Data Center Power Plant Demand In PA, OH, WV
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: NextEra Expects Government Agreements Within 3 Months For $17 Billion A.I. Data Center Power Plants In Texas, Pennsylvania [‘We Are Actively Developing Both Projects,’ A 9.5 GW Plant ‘Somewhere South Of Pittsburgh’]
-- PennEnvironment: A.I. Data Center Growth Threatens Air Quality, Progress Toward Cleaner Energy Grid
-- WIRED: New Natural Gas Powered A.I. Data Centers Could Emit More Greenhouse Gases Than Entire Nations - 129 Million Tons A Year [2.5 times the emissions from all the natural gas power plants in PA]
-- Bloomberg: Cost To Build A Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant Surges 66%
[Posted: April 25, 2026 ] PA Environment Digest
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