DEP: Wind Tipped Over Conventional Crude Oil Tank, Spill Travels Nearly 1,000 Feet Down Access Road, Seeps Into A Stream On State Game Lands In Knox Twp., Jefferson County

On September 8, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection inspected the State Game Lands 244 26 conventional oil well owned by Diversified Production LLC in Knox Township, Jefferson County after notification of a crude oil spill.

The owner said crude oil from a tank the wind tipped over during a recent storm caused a release of crude oil that traveled nearly 1,000 feet down an access road to a low spot where it left the road and seeped into a stream.

Blobs of oily material were found nearly 180 feet down stream.

Before the inspector arrived the tank had been removed, absorbent booms were placed in the stream and across the road to catch any remaining oil seeping into the stream.

DEP said the tank was removed from the site of a plugged well and left along the access road.

A visual cleanup of oil and oil contaminated soil was completed where the tank tipped and released the oil and piled and covered on the site until it could be tested.

A representative of the tank owner said about 20 gallons of crude oil had been released, traveled nearly 1,000 feet down a road, went into a stream and traveled nearly 180 more feet in the stream.

Multiple violations were issued and a written response requested by September 20.

Click Here for the 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: Site of leak from tipped over tank, contaminated soil pile covered; Absorbent boom on access road to prevent crude oil from leaking into stream.)

[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 Weekly Compliance Snapshot - September 12 to 18

-- DEP -  Day 23:  Cleanup Of 336,000 Gallon Spill Of Fracking Flowback Fluid From An Uncontrolled Shale Gas Well Continues At INR OPR LLC Pad In Young Twp., Indiana County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Routine Inspection Finds Contaminated Water From GASP Investment Conventional Oil & Gas Well Leaking From Tank In Bell Twp., Jefferson County  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Wind Tipped Over Conventional Crude Oil Tank, Spill Travels Nearly 1,000 Feet Down Access Road, Seeps Into A Stream On State Game Lands In Knox Twp., Jefferson County  [PaEN]

[Posted: September 15, 2026] PA Environment Digest