From January 28 through February 3, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 640 inspection reports that resulted in reporting 23 violations of environmental regulations-- 7 violations by the conventional oil and gas industry and 11 violations by the unconventional shale natural gas industry.

So far this year-- as of January 27-- DEP issued 246 formal notices of violation to conventional operators and 77 to unconventional shale gas operators based on 942 inspections of conventional facilities and 1,979 inspections of unconventional shale gas facilities.

DEP inspected the Equitrans LP Rager Mountain Gas Storage Reservoir in Cambria County again and found continuing violations related to cleaning up the site from the incident last November when there was an uncontrolled release of over 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Read more here.

Click Here for Equitrans LP inspection report.

Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC on a DCNR unconventional shale gas drilling tract in Ward Township, Tioga County was given multiple notices of violation for spills, failing to contain regulated substances and waste.

Southwell Russell C was given a notice of violation for abandoning a conventional well without plugging it in Glade Township, Warren 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

1 -- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It

2 -- Discharged Waste Into Waters Of Commonwealth

1-- Failed to construct and operate the well to meet regulations

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

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

1 -- Failed to design, construct, maintain pits or tanks to be structurally sound

Company/Location/Violations - Conventional

Cambria County

-- Equitrans LP - Jackson Twp. - Rager Mountain Gas Storage Reservoir

     -- Discharged Waste Into Waters Of Commonwealth (multiple)

     -- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth

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

Greene County

-- Diversified Prod LLC - Cumberland Twp. - Udovich 2

     -- Failed to design, construct, maintain pits or tanks to be structurally sound

Warren County

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

    -- Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It

Westmoreland County

-- PA Mineral SVCS LLC - Loyalhanna Twp. - Kiskiminetas School 4

     -- Failed to construct and operate the well to meet regulations

Violations Reported - Unconventional Shale Gas

1 -- Discharged Waste Into Waters Of Commonwealth

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

3 -- 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-- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

1 -- Failure to report a defect in well casing or cementing

Company/Location/Violations - Unconventional Shale Gas

Bradford County

-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC - Troy Twp. - J. Brown Unit 2H

     -- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth (Multiple)

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

Butler County

-- PennEnergy Resources LLC - Concord Twp. - Baird Well Pad

-- Discharged Waste Into Waters Of Commonwealth

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

-- Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater

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

Susquehanna County

-- SWN Prod Co LLC - Franklin Twp. - Depue Well Pad

     -- Failure to report a defect in well casing or cementing

Tioga County

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC - Ward Twp. - DCNR Tract 02-003

     -- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth (Multiple)

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

    -- Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit (Multiple)

[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. 28 to Feb. 3  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - Feb. 4  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posts 66 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In Feb. 4 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Compliance Reports:

-- 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’  [PaEN]

-- DEP 2021 Oil & Gas Program Annual Report Shows Conventional Oil & Gas Operators Received A Record 610 Notices Of Violation For Abandoning Wells Without Plugging Them  [PaEN] 

-- 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  [PaEN]

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

NewsClips This Week:

-- Marcellus Drilling News: 5 Reasons Why The Price Of Natural Gas May Be Ready To Bounce Higher 

-- National Fuel Gas Reduces Cost For Natural Gas It Supplies To Customers [Due To Easing Of Price Spike Caused By Russia’s War Against Ukraine, LNG Exports]

-- Inquirer: Hefty Heating Bills Leave Some Philadelphians Aghast [Global Energy Markets For Natural Gas Driving Up Costs]

-- TribLive: Sticker Shock: High Natural Gas, Electric Bills From December Have More Seeking Help With Heating Bills

Related Articles This Week:

-- EDF: Conventional Gas Wells In Allegheny National Forest Leaked Over 6 Billion Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas In 2019; Conventional Operators Seek To Block Methane Limits  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Groups File Notice Of Intent To Sue Shell Chemical For Air Pollution Violations At Its Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County  [PaEN]

-- Better Path Coalition: Brown Bag Briefing On Impacts Of Unconventional Shale Gas Development By John Stolz, Duquesne University - Now Available On Demand

-- Warren Times/The Center Square: Report: Coal Falls, Natural Gas Climbs In Pennsylvania [But There Are Tradeoffs - Oil & Gas Culture Of Non-Compliance]

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: In Pennsylvania, New Governor Fuels Hopes For Tougher Rules On Energy, Environment

-- PJM Interconnection Electric Grid Operator Issues Cold Weather Alert, Conservative Operations For Feb. 3–4  [PaEN]

[Posted: February 4, 2023]

2/6/2023