Last week DEP inspectors again found continuing violations of spills and releases creating  new brownfield sites as well as defective well casing and cementing at three shale gas well pads in two counties.

At the Grippo Well Pad well 24HC in Terry Township, Bradford County DEP found continuing violations from a spill that was not reported to DEP by the company before an inspection in March.

DEP sample results from a March 30 inspection found elevated levels of barium, strontium, lithium and chloride in pooled water on the site indicating drilling wastewater.  Again sample results did not show testing for PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ or radium 226 or 228.  [Read inspection report, with photos]

DEP identified these violations at the site--

-- Failure To Report A Release That Caused Or Threatens To Cause Pollution

-- 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

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

Chesapeake is pursuing Act 2 Land Recycling cleanup for the contaminated areas.

At the Kerr B Well Pad in Lathrop Township, Susquehanna County DEP found petroleum contamination on the well pad the company said was the result of a mechanical malfunction of an onsite natural gas compressor.

DEP noted violations for--

-- Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth

-- Failed to control, dispose of fluids, residual waste or drill cuttings properly

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

Chesapeake said they removed contaminated soil from around the compressor site and disposed of it at a landfill. [Read inspection report with photos.  Read inspection report with sample results]

DEP is not requiring any further action by the company.

At the Delhagen Well Pad and wells 2H and 5H in Rush Township, Susquehanna County DEP found continuing violations related to defective well casing and cementing that first began on June 16, 2016. 

The good news is, on this April 24 inspection, no combustible gas was found but DEP did not clear the failed to notify DEP of defective well casing or cementing violations at this well pad.   [Read inspection report]

DEP is not requiring the company to take any follow up action.

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.

(Photos: Grippo Well Pad, Bradford County; Kerr B Well Pad, Susquehanna County from DEP inspection reports.)

 PA Oil & Gas Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 22 - 28; Conventional Wells Venting Gas; Shale Gas Well Pad Spills  [PaEN]

-- Citizen Complaint Results In Finding 2 Abandoned Conventional Wells Owned By Prosperity Oil Co. Continuing To Vent Natural Gas In Washington County  [PaEN] 

-- Chesapeake Appalachia: DEP Inspections Find Violations For Spills, Releases, Continuing Defective Casing/Cementing At Shale Gas Well Pads In Bradford, Susquehanna Counties  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - April 29  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Posts 61 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 29 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Compliance Reports

-- Feature: 60 Years Of Fracking, 20 Years Of Shale Gas: Pennsylvania’s Oil & Gas Industrial Infrastructure Is Hiding In Plain Sight [PaEN]

-- Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners Failed To File Annual Production/Waste Generation Reports For 61,655 Wells; Attorney General Continues Investigation Of Road Dumping Wastewater  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issued 754 Notices Of Violation For Defective Oil & Gas Well Casing, Cementing, The Fundamental Protection Needed To Prevent Gas Migration, Groundwater & Air Contamination, Explosions  [PaEN]

-- 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]

Related Articles This Week:

-- House Committee Meets May 2 On Bill To Restore Authority To Review Conventional Oil/Gas Well Plugging Bonding Amounts; Help Prevent Routine Abandonment Of An Average Of 561 Wells A Year  [PaEN]

-- House Environmental Committee Sets May 1 Hearing On Cryptocurrency And Climate Change; Background Brief  [PaEN]

-- EDF: Pennsylvania Has 55,000 Oil/Gas Wells At High Risk Of Being Abandoned; 51,000 Wells At Risk Of Being Transferred To Low Solvency Owners; Current Conventional Well Owners Abandon 561 Wells A Year, On Average  [PaEN]

-- House Hearing: Let’s Work Together To Make Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Practices Cleaner, Respect Property Rights, Protect Taxpayers And Prevent New Abandoned Wells  [PaEN]

-- Guest Essay: Conventional vs Unconventional Oil & Gas Wells - Not As Different As You Might Think - By Laurie Barr, Save Our Streams PA  [PaEN]

-- DEP Tentatively Sets May 18 Online Public Conference On Proposed Roulette Oil & Gas Waste Injection Well In Clara Twp., Potter County; Opponents Again Call For Robust Public Participation Process  [PaEN]

-- Delaware River Basin Commission Clarifies New Regulations On Oil/Gas Fracking Wastewater Ban Road Spreading, Disposal From Conventional Wells  [PaEN]

-- NRDC: U.S. Dept. Of Transportation Denies Special Permit For Shipping LNG Natural Gas By Rail From A Proposed Bradford County LNG Plant; Shipping By Truck Still Allowed  [PaEN]

-- Eyes On Shell Reports Shell Petrochemical Plant Fenceline Monitors Found Benzene Emissions Above Toxic Substances Limits; No Timeline For Restarting Plant; DEP Issued Another NOV For Air Violations  [PaEN]

-- Senate Environmental Committee Holds May 1 Hearing On Electric Grid Reliability Looking At Natural Gas, Other Generation Failures During Winter Storm Elliot In December [PaEN]

[Posted: April 28, 2023]

5/1/2023