Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between May 2 to 8--
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 May 1--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 68 conventional, 10 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 1,806 conventional and 414 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 149 conventional and 83 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 362 conventional and 320 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 6,552 conventional and 9,143 unconventional
Inspected 124 Abandoned Conventional Wells In 10 Counties For Plugging
DEP last week had 11 oil and gas inspectors in 10 counties inspecting 124 abandoned conventional wells as part of the federally-funded conventional oil and gas well plugging program.
The counties included Allegheny, Butler, Elk, Erie, Jefferson, McKean, Venango, Warren, Washington and Westmoreland.
They were assessing abandoned wells for plugging, inspecting plugging job sites and reviewing plugging certificates, generating 144 inspection records.
3 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations
Crawford County - Burnham Gas Co Inc.
April 30, 2026 inspection of the John Lehman 2 conventional well in Spring Township with well owner to review actions needed to address abandoned well violations and failure to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. March 23, 2026 violations continued. DEP inspection report. Burnham Gas holds 46 permits.
Venango County - Medina Res Dev Co LLC
May 6, 2026 inspected the J. Robert Billings ET UX 2 conventional well in Venango Township as a result of a complaint and found the well abandoned, not plugged and a pipeline at the site was venting natural gas. Response requested by June 4. DEP inspection report. Medina Res holds 481 permits, and 64 abandoned wells.
Venango County - Vista Petro Inc.
April 28, 2026 inspection of the Fields A18 conventional well in Cornplanter Township found the well abandoned, not plugged and the owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Well never inspected. Violations issued. DEP inspection report. Vista Petro holds 165 permits, and 8 abandoned wells.
207 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations In 2026
So far in 2026, DEP issued or continued 207 notices of violation for conventional oil and gas well abandonment.
Failure To Submit Plugging Bond
Washington County - Columbia Gas Trans LLC
On May 7, 2026 DEP issued a violation for failure to submit a well plugging bond for the Toll Gate Ayr Farm horizontal gas storage well in Donegal Township [Inspection ID 4194796 not online]
Failure To Obtain Permit For Pipeline Construction
Lycoming County - Energy Transfer Partners (Sunoco)
On May 1, 2026 DEP issued a violation for failure to obtain a permit for a pipeline project adjacent to the Range Resources-Appalachia LLC Bear Hollow shale gas well pad in Jackson Township [Inspection ID 4195050 not online]
Shale Gas Pipeline Spills
Lycoming County - NFG Midstream Trout Run LLC
May 4, 2026 inspection of the Alta Pipeline riser adjacent to EQT Corp DCNR Tract 551 Shale Gas Pad B in McIntyre Township in response to a notification of a release of a methanol, ethylene glycol mixture under the pipeline found about 110 gallons was spilled on the gravel surface and initial remediation had been completed. Violations issued. Response requested by May 19. DEP inspection report.
Conventional Well Spills/Releases
Erie County - Pin Oak Energy Partners LLC
April 28, 2026 routine inspections of the Gallegher 1 and McGill 1 conventional wells in Waterford Township found evidence of wastewater or other releases at both sites. Violations issued. Owner notified, “plans to remedy the issues quickly.” Pin Oak Energy holds 913 permits, and 2 abandoned wells.
McKean County - Bull Run Resources LLC [170 Days]
May 7, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Backwards L3 conventional well in Hamilton Township found progress in cleaning up a crude oil gathering pipeline spill, however, a new release was discovered in another section of the pipeline contaminating another area. Cleanup was occurring during the inspection. Original violations issued Nov. 18, 2025 were continued. Response requested by May 23. DEP inspection report. Bull Run holds 1,505 permits.
Shale Gas Well Pad Spills/Releases
Bradford County - Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC
April 24, 2026 DEP issued multiple violations for wastewater spills at the Vanblarcom shale gas well pad in Columbia Township, originally discovered on April 15, 2026, after sample results confirmed “pooled liquid” at several locations on the pad was wastewater and not “road salt” influenced water. Response requested by May 15. DEP inspection report.
Shale Gas Casing/Cement Failure
Susquehanna County - Coterra Energy Inc. [3,164 Days]
May 7, 2026 inspection of the Foltz J9, J10, J11, J12, J13, J14 shale gas wells in Brooklyn Township as part of an ongoing monitoring program of casing/cement failure found violations dating back to Sept. 6, 2017 are continued. Monitoring will continue. Example 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 - May 2 to 8: DEP Inspects 124 Abandoned Conventional Wells For Plugging; Forgot To Get A Permit For Pipeline Construction; Failed To Submit A Well Plugging Bond [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - May 9 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Section 401 Water Quality Certification For Eastern Gas Transmission 20-Inch Natural Gas Pipeline In Salem Twp., Westmoreland County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 61 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In May 9 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Section 401 Water Quality Certification For Restart Of Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant In Dauphin County [PaEN]
-- DEP Accepting Comments On Water Quality Permit For Transmission Line Project To Connect Three Mile Island Nuclear Data Center Power Plant To Grid In Dauphin County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Water Quality Permit Amendment To Correct Wetlands Impacts For Homer City Generation Data Center Project In Indiana County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Stormwater Permit For PPL Utilities Juniata-Shermansdale, Juniata-Bernheisel High Voltage Transmission Line Projects In Perry, Cumberland Counties To Serve Data Centers In Middlesex Twp. [PaEN]
-- DEP To Host June 2 Informal Conference, Hearing On Permit To Add 4,342 Acres To Rosebud Clymer A Coal Mine In Cherryhill Twp., Indiana County [PaEN]
-- PUC Announces 2 June 30 Hearings On Proposed PPL Utilities Transmission Line Projects In Hazle Twp., Luzerne County Serving Project Hazelnut A.I. Data Centers [PaEN]
-- DEP To Hold June 15 Hearing On 22 Transfer LLC Municipal Waste Transfer Station Permit In Cooper Twp., Montour County [PaEN]
-- Public Utility Commission Sets July 10 Telephonic Hearing On PPL Condemnation Of 30 Properties For The Sugarloaf 500/230KV Transmission Line In Luzerne County To Serve Data Centers [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- PA House Passes Bills To Establish Framework For Developing Clean, Safe Geothermal Energy, Advanced Transmission Line Technology, Retooling PA Energy Financing Authority [PaEN]
-- PA House Energy Committee Reports Out Bills To Authorize Virtual Power Plants, Address Connecting New Generation Quickly To Improve Grid Reliability [PaEN]
-- Environmental Advocates Urge Lawmakers To Pass Bills Giving PUC Authority To Regulate Data Centers, Prohibit Nondisclosure Agreements, Promote Clean Energy To Reduce Energy Costs [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: Every Community Evaluating An A.I. Data Center Proposal Should Ask - What Financial Instrument Is Posted Before Construction That Guarantees The Site Will Be Remediated If The Facility Becomes Obsolete, Is Abandoned Or Closes? - By PA Data Center Accountability, Carbon County [PaEN]
-- Washington & Jefferson Center For Energy Finds Communities Are Unprepared For The Rapid Industrialization Brought By A.I. Data Centers And Their Impacts; Proposals Are Outpacing Regulatory, Planning Processes [PaEN]
-- PJM Interconnection Prepared To Meet Summer Peak Energy Demands With Adequate Resources Under Expected Conditions [PaEN]
-- Sen. Laughlin Introduces Resolution Urging PA To Enter Into Multistate Compacts To Oversee Policies, Procedures For Planning, Siting, Construction, Operation Of Interstate Electric Transmission Lines [PaEN]
-- PA Solar Center: Learn How To Advocate For REAL Energy Independence For PA During Online Workshops June 8, 15 [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Spotlight PA: Shapiro Demands A Stop To ‘Excessive’ Electric, Natural Gas, Water Utility Rate Increases, But Has Little Authority To Force Change
-- LancasterOnline: PPL Electric Default Service Customers To See 1.5% Increase In What They Pay For Electricity They Use Starting June 1
-- TribLive Editorial: Rising Electric Bills Leave Pennsylvanians Powerless
-- Pottstown Mercury: Details Emerge About Threats Related To Proposed Twp. Limerick A.I. Data Center Project In Montgomery County; Some Threats Read At Tuesday Meeting [PDF of Article]
-- PA Capital-Star: PJM Grid Manager Says Developers Are Proposing 220 GW Of New Power Projects [Decisions On Which Go Ahead Will Not Be Made Until Feb. 2028, Then They Have To Be Financed, Sited, Built]
-- Utility Dive: PA House Unanimously Passes Bill To Require Utilities To Incorporate Review Of Advanced Transmission Technology In Transmission Line Proposals
-- Utility Dive: North American Electric Reliability Corp. Issues Level 3 Alert, Mandates Action To Address Sudden A.I. Data Center Load Losses
-- Utility Dive: American Electric Power Eyes Exit From PJM, SPP Over Slow Connection Of New Generation In Face Of A.I. Data Center Demand [AEP operates in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, WV In PJM]
[Posted: May 9, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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