Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between June 20 to 26--
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 June 19--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 147 conventional, 9 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 2,895 conventional and 557 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 253 conventional and 86 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 267 conventional and 365 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 9,761 conventional and 12,767 unconventional
Day 609: Wastewater Releases From Shale Gas Well Pad
On June 23, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection reported water sample results show continued wastewater releases at the Seneca Resources Taft shale gas well pad in Middlebury Township, Tioga County.
The sample results showed elevated levels of aluminum, iron, manganese, chlorides, strontium and conductivity indicating contaminated water from shale gas drilling operations. Read more here.
Large Release Of Conventional Well Contaminated Groundwater
On June 17, 2026, a Department of Environmental Protection routine inspection of the John E. McCool Lot 740 15 conventional well storage tanks found a large release of contaminated groundwater from the well flowing out of containment in Cherry Grove Township, Warren County.
“At the time of the inspection, the ground within the secondary containment was saturated with production fluid [contaminated groundwater] with some ponding throughout. A small amount of crude oil was also identified within the escaped production fluid. Read more here.
Coterra Energy Aboveground Water Pipeline Ruptures Twice In Same Section
On June 10, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection inspected the aboveground Coterra Energy Busik Freshwater Pipeline in response to a notification of a release on June 9 discharging about 42,000 gallons of water in Dimock Township, Susquehanna County.
Coterra Energy believes the lay flat pipe overpressurized and ruptured at a coupling point discharging water into a stream and causing erosion and sedimentation along the path of the water flow.
A similar rupture in the same section of pipeline happened on May 18. Read more here.
Continuing E&S Violations At Aboveground Shale Gas Water Pipeline Removal Project
On June 5, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection did a follow-up inspection of the Keystone Clearwater Solutions, LLC project to decommission and remove the Clark to Westholme aboveground shale gas water pipeline and found continuing erosion and sedimentation violations along its route in Springville Township, Susquehanna County.
Similar violations were seen during a May 20, 2026 DEP inspection. Read more here.
10 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations
Allegheny County - EQT Prod Co.
June 1 & 2, 2026 inspection of 3 conventional wells in Jefferson Hills Boro (Haskell & Dupont F9) Monroeville Boro (CB Betty 465) and South Park Township (James W. Stewart 3521) were found to be abandoned and not plugged. [Haskell and Steward were given violations for abandonment on June 2, 2026, but under EQT ARO LLC.] New violations for abandonment issued. Response requested by June 30.
Butler County - Lazy Oil Co.
June 17, 2026 routine inspection of 6 conventional wells-- Atwell 2, Atwell 3, Atwell 4, Atwell 5, Atwell 6, Atwell 7 -- in Marion Township found them all abandoned, not plugging and the owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. The Atwell 2 well was abandoned since Sept. 15, 2022. Lazy Oil was issued violations for 12 abandoned wells in Venango County in November and 12 more in Butler and Venango counties in December. Response requested by July 6.
Butler County - Lynn Miles & Graham Richard
June 17, 2026 routine inspection of the Edward A. Hummel 2 conventional well in Marion Township found the well abandoned, not plugged and failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Unknown address Emlenton, PA. Response requested by July 6. DEP inspection report.
Erie County - Landmark Square LTD Partnership
June 23, 2026 inspection of the Lakeport Realty 1 conventional well in City of Erie as a result of a complaint found the well abandoned, not plugged and failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Response requested by July 21. DEP inspection report.
Westmoreland County - Apollo Resources LLC
June 15, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Kovalish 1 and Kovalish 3 conventional wells in Derry Township found the wells still not plugged and abandoned. Original violations issued Jan. 7, 2026. Response requested by July 4.
101 - Abandoned Well Inspections
DEP inspected 101 abandoned conventional wells in Allegheny, Butler, Clarion, Elk, Erie, Jefferson, McKean, Venango, Warren, Washington counties to monitor ongoing plugging operations and evaluate the wells for future plugging.
4 - Unknown Owner Inspections
DEP inspected 4 conventional oil and gas wells with Unknown Owners in Clarion County and found them abandoned and not plugged.
310 Violations For Conventional Abandoned Well Violations In 2026
So far in 2026, DEP issued or continued 310 notices of violation for conventional oil and gas well abandonment-- EQT violations not included.
1 Abandoned Shale Gas Well
Allegheny County - EQT Prod. Co.
June 4, 2026 inspection of the Fetchen Mon197 H16 shale gas well in Forward Township and found the well abandoned and not plugged. [This well was issued a violation on June 4, 2026 for abandonment, but under the EQT ARO LLC name.] A fresh violation was issued under this name and a response requested by June 18.
13 Violations For Abandoned Shale Gas Wells In 2026
So far in 2026, DEP issued or continued 13 notices of violation for shale gas well abandonment-- this violation not added.
Shale Gas Spills/Releases
Washington County - Diversified Prod LLC [525 Days]
June 23, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Cowden 16 shale gas well pad in Hopewell Township and found the gate locked and the site inaccessible. DEP could not confirm that cleanup of the latest spills at the pad was completed. The original violations for the spills were issued in January 15, 2025 and 9 inspections after that found the spills were not cleaned up. Violations continued. No specific follow-up requested. DEP inspection report.
Conventional Well Spills/releases
Centre County - Diversified Prod LLC
June 24, 2026 inspection of the State Game Lands No 100 129 conventional well in Burnside Township in response to a spill notification found a release of contaminated groundwater from a storage tank impacted an area 21 x 12 feet wide. According to the owner, a “porcupine chewed through the bottom of the brine tank releasing about 126 gallons of contaminated water. Violations issued. Response requested by July 15. DEP inspection report.
Washington County - Frank L. Washabaugh Oil Producers [372 Days]
June 23, 2026 compliance evaluation of the William M. Johnson 1 conventional well in Cross Creek Township found the owner continued to be in violation of a compliance order issued on June 16, 2025 requiring the cleanup of spills and equipment at the site. Violations continued. No specific follow-up requested. DEP Inspection report.
Washington County - Michael D. Graham [82 Days]
June 23, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Farrah 1 conventional well in Smith Township found the owner failed to clean up spills or respond to violations issued on April 2, 2026. Violations continued. No specific follow-up requested. DEP inspection report.
Failed Shale Gas Cement/Casing
Wyoming County - Expand Operating, LLC [4,003 Days]
June 8, 2026 inspection of the Jack Wyo shale gas well pad in Windham Township as part of routine monitoring for cement/casing failure found no further evaluation, investigation or remediation of the shale gas wells on the pad [Jack 1H, 2H, WYO 3H, WYO 4H and WYO 5H] is warranted and the owner will continue venting all annuli leaking gas in a safe manner. Original violations for casing/cement failure issued on June 23, 2015 and continued with this inspection. DEP inspection report.
Wyoming County - Expand Operating LLC [3,491 Days]
June 8, 2026 inspection of the Warren shale gas well pad in Windham Township as part of routine monitoring for cement/casing failure found no gas in the annulus of the 2H gas well. Original violations issued on Nov. 17, 2016 and continued with this inspection. Monitoring will continue. DEP inspection report.
Failed To Restore Shale Gas Well Pad
Tioga County - STL Resources LLC [2,724 Days]
June 25, 2026 inspection of the Endless MTN Energy State Game Lands shale gas well pad and impoundment in Morris Township found the pad was still not restored, multiple erosion and sedimentation violations still exist and sediment basin was still not dewatered completely. Wells were not drilled on this pad. Original violations issued Jan. 9, 2019. Violations continued. No specific follow-up requested. 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:
-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard- June 20 to 26 [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 27 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Significant Modification To Title V Air Quality Permit For Constellation Energy Eddystone Natural Gas Power Plant In Delaware County [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved 34 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In May; 167 In 2026 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 67 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 27 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Major Amendment To Homer City Generation Data Center Industrial Wastewater Facility Permit Changing Wastestreams Flowing To Discharge In Indiana County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For Construction Of QTS Salem, LLC A.I. Data Center Campus In Salem Twp., Luzerne County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Permit For PPL Electric Montour-Columbia 230 kV Transmission Line Rebuild Project In Montour, Columbia Counties [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Permit For PPL Electric Wescosville-Allentown 138 kV Transmission Line Project In South Whitehall Twp., Lehigh County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Permit For PPL Electric Juni-Bern Laydown Yard In Carroll Twp., Perry County To Serve Construction Of Utility Upgrades [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Six Years And Counting: None Of The Recommendations The Grand Jury Made To Better Protect Pennsylvanians From The Impacts Of Shale Gas Development Have Been Adopted [PaEN]
-- DEP: Day 609 - Sample Results Confirm Continued Wastewater Releases At Seneca Resources Taft Shale Gas Well Pad In Middlebury Twp., Tioga County [PaEN]
-- DEP Finds Large Release Of Contaminated Groundwater From Conventional Well Storage Tanks Flowing Out Of Containment; 4th Major Spill In Warren County In 9 Days [PaEN]
-- DEP: Coterra Energy Aboveground Shale Gas Water Pipeline Failed Twice In The Same Section 23 Days Apart In Dimock Twp., Susquehanna County [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension Hosts Aug. 26 Webinar On Radioactive Radium And Salinity In Groundwater And How It Affects Drinking Water; Featured Speaker Has Researched Contaminated Groundwater From Oil & Gas Development [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Negotiations On Proposed LNG Natural Gas Export Facility In Eddystone Boro On Delaware River Occurring In Secret Under Nondisclosure Agreements With State Officials In Delaware County
-- Observer-Reporter: Withdrawal Of Democratic Candidate Opens Way For Environmental Advocate Jodi Borello To Challenge Republican Incumbent Sen. Camera Bartolotta As Independent [PDF of Article] [Click Here To Learn More About Her Background]
-- Jodi Borello For State Senate: Accountable To You! Not Corporations
-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: PA Act 13 Shale Gas Impact Fee Revenue Lags Far Behind Other Energy States, Report Says
-- Observer-Reporter: Western PA Revolutionized Energy Extraction With New Techniques, Technology-- Longwall Coal Mining, Shale Gas Drilling
-- Utility Dive: North American Electric Reliability Corp: Deployable Generation Reserves Shrinking As Coal, Gas-Fired Power Plants Forced Outage Rates Rise
-- Utility Dive: US DOE Orders Keeping Power Plants Open Beyond Their Closure Dates Are Incurring $550 Million In Added Costs, What Are The Benefits?
-- Utility Dive: TVA Considers Up To 26 GW Of Natural Gas-Fired Generation To Help Meet A.I. Data Center Demand
-- Bloomberg: Qatar Says Explosion At Natural Gas Export Facility That Left 13 Dead Should Not Affect LNG Exports
-- AP: Qatar Says Natural Gas Export Terminal Blast Killed 13 As Workers Tried To Resume Operations
[Posted: June 27, 2026 ] PA Environment Digest
No comments :
Post a Comment