PA Environment Digest Blog: DEP - Day 106: Ows Energy Inc. Failed To Cleanup Soil Contaminated By Water From Conventional Gas Well In Crawford County

On August 18, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection did a follow-up inspection of the Ows Energy LLC Albert H. Ebitz 2 conventional well site in Rome Township, Crawford County and found the owner failed to clean up contaminated soil and address other violations first discovered on May 4, 2026.

DEP said the owner “indicated the issues had been resolved.”

The owner did reconnect the well to the contaminated water storage tank, but DEP found contaminated soil had not been removed from the site and field conductivity readings were higher than previously recorded indicating additional contaminated water had been released to the ground.

DEP found another dump line disconnected from another contaminated water storage tank at the site.

DEP also noted an open valve and an “audible hissing” of leaking gas coming from the wellhead.

DEP requested the well owner to “remove the contaminated soil, properly dispose of it and replace it with fresh topsoil and seed. Disposal receipts for the proper disposal of contaminated material have been requested as well.”

A new violation was issued for the leaking gas creating a public nuisance and all other violations related to the spills were continued.

Click Here for a copy DEP inspection report + photos.

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: Contaminated areas around contaminated water tank; Line connecting contaminated water tank to well on the ground.)

[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.]

-- DEP: Tank Valve Failure Leads To 4,610 Gallon Spill Of Contaminated Water At XTO Energy Inc. Shale Gas Well Pad In Butler County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Contaminated Water Misting Out Of Storage Tank, Fluid Spill At Expand Operating, LLC Shale Gas Well Pad In Bradford County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Thick Orange Fluid Leaking From Storage Tank At Conventional Gas & Gas Well Site In Monroeville, Allegheny County [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Violations To 7 More Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners For Abandoning, Not Plugging Wells In 7 Counties [PaEN]

-- DEP: Complaint Investigation Finds Conventional Well Venting Gas In A Manner Posing A Safety Risk To Nearby Residence In Mercer County [PaEN]

-- DEP Finds Conventional Well Venting Gas During Investigation Of Leaking Conventional Gas Gathering Line In Unity Twp., Westmoreland County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Drill Cuttings From Conventional Oil & Gas Well Improperly Spread Over Drill Site For Disposal In McKean County [PaEN]

-- DEP - Day 106: Ows Energy Inc. Failed To Cleanup Soil Contaminated By Water From Conventional Gas Well In Crawford County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Pressure Testing Confirms Casing/Cementing Failures In 3 Expand Operating LLC Shale Gas Wells In Bradford County, Including One New Violation [PaEN]

-- DEP Issued 2nd Round Of Major Erosion & Sedimentation Violations At Equitrans Water SVC (PA) [EQT] Jaybird Shale Gas Water Impoundment Restoration Site In Washington County [PaEN]

-- DEP: Site Preparations For Plugging Diversified Production LLC Conventional Gas Well Results In Multiple Erosion & Sedimentation Violations In Fayette County [PaEN]

-- PUC Issues $875,000 Penalty In Settlement With Columbia Gas For 2019/2020 Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Violations In Allegheny, Washington Counties [PaEN]