DEP: HG Energy Suffers Underground Shale Gas Wastewater Pipeline Failure Resulting In Up To 42,000 Gallon Contaminated Water Spill In Washington County

On July 8 at 6:30 p.m., the Department of Environmental Protection was notified by HG Energy of an underground shale gas contaminated water pipeline in West Finley Township, Washington County resulting in a release of up to an estimated 42,000 gallons of wastewater.

The release was discovered at 5:45 p.m. via drone near shale gas well pad WFN-6.  A cleanup was onsite at the time of the notification, but the release was “not secured/contained” at that time.

The initial cause of the release reported by the company was the failure of equipment in a cement vault that was part of a pipeline system owned by Loan Asset Issuer, LLC Series 2021 NG-1.

The vault reportedly overflowed sending between 21,000 and 42,000 gallons of contaminated water downslope approximately 100 years toward an old logging road and an unnamed tributary of Robinson Fork Creek.

DEP said the pipeline transfers contaminated water to an aboveground storage structure at a collection facility in West Virginia once or twice a week.

DEP was onsite at the release area on July 9 at 10:30 a.m. and conducted field measurements documenting the flow of the contaminated water that was visible because of a path of dead and dying vegetation to Robinson Fork Creek.

DEP request HB Energy to provide a written response to multiple violations issued with the inspection by July 29, including-- 

.-- A full inventory and map of all buried water lines in Washington and Greene County. The inventory should include all fresh water and impaired water lines owned, operated and utilized by HG Energy and its subsidiaries. The map should also include the location of all vaults.

-- Copies of all pipeline inspections (drone and human) conducted during utilization of the pipeline and the results from the last pipeline pressure test

-- An assessment of the impacts to the stream and waters of the Commonwealth

DEP inspection report with violations. Report #2.  Report #3.  Report #4.

Well Water Problems?

Nearby residents on water wells should report any suspected contamination problems caused by this release to DEP’s Oil & Gas Office in Pittsburgh at 412-442-4000.

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.

(Photos: Vault overflow area; Immediately downslope from vault; Dead vegetation in forested area; Beginning of contaminated water flow channel.)

[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.]

[Posted: July 15, 2026]  PA Environment Digest