From January 21 through 27, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 666 inspection reports that resulted in reporting 55 violations of environmental regulations-- 34 violations by the conventional oil and gas industry and 21 violations by the unconventional shale natural gas industry.

So far this year-- as of January 20-- DEP issued 209 formal notices of violation to conventional operators and 52 to unconventional shale gas operators based on 673 inspections of conventional facilities and 1,437 inspections of unconventional shale gas facilities.

Three conventional oil and gas well operators received notices of violation for abandoning wells without plugging them-- Medina Res Dev Co LLC (Erie County); Nucomer Energy LLC (Mercer County); and Southwell Russell C (Warren County).

Two conventional well operators received NOVs for drilling, altering or operating a well without a permit-- Alpha Wells Inc. (Clarion County) and The Production Co LLC (Fayette County).

Nucomer Energy LLC again failed to submit well integrity reports for four wells in Mercer County.

The annual integrity report is critical because it helps ensure the operator is taking the steps needed to prevent natural gas, oil or contaminated water leaks from oil and gas wells.

Five unconventional shale gas operators had violations related to spills, releases or failing to contain wastes on the well sites-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC (Bradford County - 2 sites); Beech Resources LLC (Lycoming County); EQT ARO LLC (Lycoming County); Inflection Energy (PA) LLC (Lycoming County); and Range Resources Appalachia LLC (Lycoming County).

Report Violations

To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.

Check These Resources

Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database webpage to search their compliance records by date and operator.

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. 

Violation Details

Violations Reported - Conventional

3 -- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It

3 -- Drilling, altering or operating a well without a permit

2 -- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth

2 -- Failed to fill pits used to contain produced fluids or industrial wastes

2 -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

2 -- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

1 -- Failure to comply with corrosion control requirements for storage tanks

2 -- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

1 -- Failed to implement, maintain erosion and sedimentation control measures

1 -- Failed to stabilize the well site

1 -- Failed to remove product, storage, supplies and equipment from site

5 -- Failed To Submit Well Integrity Report

Company/Location/Violations - Conventional

Allegheny County

-- Worldwide Oil & Gas Corp - Penn Hills Twp. - T.Dearmit 2

     -- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth

     -- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

     -- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

     -- Failed to fill pits used to contain produced fluids or industrial wastes

     -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

-- Worldwide Oil & Gas Corp - Penn Hills Twp. - A Jackson 5 Well

     -- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth

     -- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

     -- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

     -- Failed to fill pits used to contain produced fluids or industrial wastes

     -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

Clarion County

-- Alpha Wells Inc. - Monroe Twp. - TW Phillips

     -- Drilling, altering or operating a well without a permit

Erie County

-- Medina Res Dev Co LLC - Waterford Twp. - Stanley Orzepowski 1

     -- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It

     -- Failed To Submit Well Integrity Report

     -- Failure to comply with corrosion control requirements for storage tanks

Fayette County

-- The Production Co LLC - Jefferson Twp. - F Nutt 1

     -- Drilling, altering or operating a well without a permit

     -- Failed to implement, maintain erosion and sedimentation control measures

     -- Failed to stabilize the well site

     -- Failed to remove product, storage, supplies and equipment from site

Mercer County

-- Nucomer Energy LLC - West Salem Twp. - Morrison 1

     -- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It

     -- Failed To Submit Well Integrity Report

-- Nucomer Energy LLC - West Salem Twp. - Leonard 1

     -- Failed To Submit Well Integrity Report

-- Nucomer Energy LLC - West Salem Twp. - Kirila Estate 2

     -- Failed To Submit Well Integrity Report

-- Nucomer Energy LLC - West Salem Twp. - Leskovac Unit 1

     -- Failed To Submit Well Integrity Report

Warren County

-- Southwell Russell C - Glade Twp. - Walker-Tract 6592 1

     -- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It

Violations Reported - Unconventional Shale Gas

1 -- Discharged Waste Into Waters Of Commonwealth

1 -- Operator Failed To Report A Spill or Release

4 -- Failure To Operate In A Manner To Prevent Pollution

5 -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

4 -- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

1 -- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

1 -- Failed to implement, maintain erosion and sedimentation control measures

Company/Location/Violations - Unconventional Shale Gas

Bradford County

-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC - Tuscarora Twp. - Floydie 22HC

      -- Failure To Operate In A Manner To Prevent Pollution

-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC - Wilmot Twp. - A&M 104HC

     -- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

     -- Failure To Operate In A Manner To Prevent Pollution

     -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

Lycoming County

-- Beech Resources LLC - Lycoming Twp. - ISA 7H

     -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

     -- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

-- EQT ARO LLC - McIntyre Twp. - COP Tract 551

     -- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

     -- Failure To Operate In A Manner To Prevent Pollution

     -- Discharged Substances Into Waters Of Commonwealth

     -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

     -- Failed to implement, maintain erosion and sedimentation control measures

-- Inflection Energy (PA) LLC - Gamble Twp. - Reynolds North 1H

     -- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

     -- Failure To Operate In A Manner To Prevent Pollution

     -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

-- Range Resources Appalachia LLC - Lewis Twp. - Cornwall B Unit

     -- Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures

     -- Operator Failed To Report A Spill or Release

     -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit

[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 DEP Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Jan. 21 to 27  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - Jan. 28  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posts 56 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In Jan. 28 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Compliance Reports:

-- PA Oil & Gas Industry Has Record Year: Cost, Criminal Convictions Up; $3.1 Million In Penalties Collected; Record Number Of Violations Issued; Major Compliance Issues Uncovered; Evidence Of Health Impacts Mounts 

-- DEP Report Finds: Conventional Oil & Gas Drillers Routinely Abandon Wells; Fail To Report How Millions Of Gallons Of Waste Is Disposed; And Non-Compliance Is An ‘Acceptable Norm’

Related Articles This Week:

-- House Republicans Name Advocate For Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Rep. Martin Causer Chair Of House Environmental Committee  [PaEN]

-- DCED’s Conventional Oil & Gas Drilling Advisory Council Meets Feb. 16  [PaEN]

-- DEP Releases Bid Solicitation To Plug 19 Abandoned Conventional Gas Wells In Forest County All At Taxpayer Expense  [PaEN]

-- DEP Blog: Plugging PA’s Abandoned Conventional Oil And Gas Wells

-- DEP Issues Revised Air Quality General Permit For Natural Gas, Oil-Fired Small Combustion Units Up To 100 Million Btu/Hour; Benefits Oil & Gas Industry  [PaEN]

-- Natural Gas Industry, Senate Republicans Launch Effort To Unleash The Industry, Reduce Regulation, Call For Automatic Approval Of Permits, Limit Public Comments  [PaEN]

-- Damascus Citizens For Sustainability Files Lawsuit Challenging The Delaware River Basin Commission Fracking Wastewater Rule Generally And For Allowing Road Dumping Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Creating Widespread Pollution  [PaEN]

-- PUC: Act 13 Per Well Drilling Impact Fee To Increase For Calendar Year 2022 Nearly 28% For Unconventional Shale Gas Wells  [PaEN]

-- FracTracker Alliance Seeking Information On Use Of Drones For Environmental Monitoring Work; Feb. 3 Online Meeting Set On Oil & Gas Facility Monitoring Project  [PaEN]

-- Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community  Feb. 1 Monthly Eyes On Shell Meeting. 7:30 p.m.

[Posted: January 28, 2023]

1/30/2023