Coterra Energy said it discovered the spill at 2:00 p.m. on February 19 and notified DEP at 3:14 p.m. DEP was on site to do an inspection at 10:43 a.m. on February 20.
According the inspection report, Coterra Energy said, “An estimated (300) barrels [12,600 gallons] of fluid [wastewater] released out of a fluid hose connected to a valve on the frac [water storage] tank, due to the valve being defective.”
Wastewater “spilled to the frac tank secondary containment structure, escaped containment, infiltrated into the pad surface, seeped onto the pad perimeter berm on the fill slope, flowed into a drainage swale at the toe of the fill slope down-gradient of the pad, and then into a sediment basin, according to Coterra.”
“Coterra also stated that fluid in the basin released out of a riser in the basin to a drain outlet and into a wetland down-gradient and south of the basin.
DEP conductivity testing during the inspection confirmed elevated readings indicating a wastewater spill.
DEP’s inspection report noted previous wastewater spills were discovered by DEP during a September 30, 2024 inspection and violations were issued on November 21, 2024 after water sampling confirmed spills occurred.
DEP February 20 inspection report noted Coterra Energy was taking steps to characterize the extent of the spill impacts on and off the well pad.
At the time of the inspection, about 3,700 gallons of wastewater had been recovered from a sediment basin down slope from the spill area.
“The plan is to start excavating the frozen impacted material on the pad today, 2/19/25, then transfer the material into lined Diaz half round containers, and melt the material in the containers with heating units so it can be hauled off site.”
The February 20 inspection report included new violations for illegally discharging substances into waters of the Commonwealth resulting in pollution and for mishandling wastewater.
It also continued the violations for the previous spill incident issued on November 21, 2024.
DEP asks Conterra Energy to formally respond to the violations by March 11.
Click Here for a copy of the 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.
(Photos: Row 1-- Wastewater in sediment basin; Conductivity testing wastewater; Row 2-- Blue frac wastewater storage tanks and area where the fluid went down slope; Wastewater contaminated drainage swale.)
[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:
-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: Coterra Energy Spills 12,600 Gallons Of Wastewater From Shale Gas Well Pad In Bridgewater Twp., Susquehanna County [PaEN]
-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: DEP Issues Violations For Abandoning 11 More Shale Gas Wells; Shale Gas Well Owner Fails To Comply With Plugging Order [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 1 [PaEN]
-- DEP Issues Air Quality Permit For Nova Energy LLC Cryptocurrency Data Center In Venango County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 66 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 1 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Delaware Currents: Federal Judge Dismisses Wayne County Land & Mineral Group Lawsuit Against Delaware River Basin Commission Over Fracking Ban [PaEN]
-- Marcellus Drilling News: Federal Judge Tosses Landowner Lawsuit Against Delaware River Basin Commission For Fracking Ban [PDF of Article]
-- Protect PT Hosts In-Person March 9 Living Near Shale Gas Workshop In Westmoreland County [PaEN]
-- Penn State, Project InnerSpace Report: Leverage Oil & Gas Workers To Generate Enough Geothermal Energy To Meet 100% Of Pennsylvania's Electricity, Heating, Medium Industrial Process Needs [PaEN]
-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports 2024 PA Natural Gas Production Down 1.8%, PA Natural Gas Price Up 19.1% In Last Year [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: Significant Electricity Load Growth Can Be Accommodated Without A Stampede To New Natural Gas Generation Just By Increasing Efficiency At Existing Power Plants - By John Quigley, Senior Fellow, Kleinman Center For Energy Policy [PaEN]
-- Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community Launches Eyes On Air Webpage To Provide Real-Time Air Quality For Beaver County [PaEN]
-- PA Master Well Owner Network, Penn State Extension Updates Online Drinking Water Results Interpretation Tool [PaEN]
-- Senate DEP Budget Hearing Focuses On Permit Reviews; Governor’s Lightning Energy Plan; Bringing On More Baseload Power Generation; Firing ‘Intractable’ DEP Employees [PaEN]
-- DEP Budget Testimony: DEP Moving At The Speed Of Business; Lightning Energy Plan; Most Inspections; Commitment To Environmental Justice [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Bucks County Residents Fear Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leak Could Be More Widespread Than Company Acknowledges; Class Action Lawsuit Expected To Be Filed
-- Courier Times: Energy Transfer/Sunoco Disputes Findings, Recommended Fixes Of Federal Pipeline Regulator In Jet Fuel Pipeline Leak Investigation In Bucks County
-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: A Geothermal Push In Pennsylvania Enlists Oil & Gas Industry: ‘Hot Everywhere Underground’
-- Marcellus Drilling News: PA Study Promotes Geothermal With Aim To Kill Off Shale Energy [PDF of Article]
-- Washington & Jefferson College Contributes To Penn State, Project Innerspace Geothermal In PA Report
-- Marcellus Drilling News: Natural Gas Price Up 150% From 1 Year Ago, Not Coming Down Soon [PDF of Article]
-- UGI Natural Gas Costs Will Increase 7% On March 1
-- MCall: UGI Gas Customers To See 7% Increase In Natural Gas Costs Starting March 1
-- ABC27: Sen. Muth Looks To Keep Radium, Other Oil & Gas Waste Out Of Drinking Water
-- WHYY: Ruptured Gas Line Prompts Evacuations Near Philly’s Central High School
-- MCall Guest Essay: PA Will Benefit From Tighter Methane Emissions Standards For Oil & Gas Industry - By John Walliser, PA Environmental Council
-- AP: President’s Tariffs On Mexico, Canada To Start March 4 [Will Impact United Refining In Warren That Uses Canadian Oil ]
-- Bloomberg: Federal Pipeline Safety Agency’s Senior Leaders Exit Amid Presidential Push [PHMSA]
-- Reuters: Congress Kills Biden Era Methane Fee On Oil, Gas Producers
-- Bloomberg: President Wants Canada’s Keystone XL Oil Pipeline Built ‘Now;’ Pipeline Developer Says It Has ‘Moved On’
[Posted: March 1, 2025] PA Environment Digest
