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Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 20 to 26; DEP Issues More NOVs For Conventional Well Abandonments

From May 20 to 26, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 445 inspection entries that resulted in reporting 14 violations of environmental regulations-- 3 violations by the conventional oil and gas industry and 11 violations by the unconventional shale natural gas industry.

So far this year-- as of May 19-- DEP issued 2,257 formal notices of violation to conventional operators and 596 to unconventional shale gas operators based on 6,179 inspections of conventional facilities and 9,917 inspections of unconventional shale gas facilities.

More Conventional Well Abandonments

DEP issued notices of violation for abandoning without plugging three conventional wells last week-- Dev Well Inc. (Clinton County - FD Winner BH21) [DEP inspection report]; Pennfield Energy Inc. (Venango County - H.McDowell742 8) [DEP inspection report]; and Fred M. Schrecengost (Butler County - AW Starr 9).

Schrecengost was requested to provide a written report to DEP by June 7, 2023 on how he plans to bring the AW Starr 9 well into compliance in Butler County. [DEP inspection report]

So far in May, DEP has issued 15 notices of violation to conventional oil and gas operators for abandoning wells without plugging.

DEP issues between 400 and 600 NOVs a year to conventional operators for abandoning wells without plugging them.

Chesapeake Appalachia Violations

Chesapeake Appalachia had another bad week. DEP issued notices of violations at three different Chesapeake shale gas drilling pads in Bradford and Susquehanna counties.

The Deremer 21HC pad in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County had pools of production wastewater on the pad that the DEP inspector recommended be cleaned up using the Act 2 Land Recycling Program.

The Folta 1H-6H pad in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County had continuing violations for the same thing-- pools of production wastewater on the pad.

At the Rogers Well Pad in Lenox Township, Susquehanna County, a DEP inspection found it to have inadequately sized secondary containment around a compressor engine oil storage tank and issued notices of violation for failure to contain, control and dispose of fluids related to the drilling operation.

Cleanup/Plugging Proceeding

A DEP inspection of the Consortium Energy LLC Warrant 3410 P21 conventional well pad in Lafayette Township, McKean County found cleanup of a crude oil discharge was proceeding, but a slight sheen of oil could still be seen in a nearby creek.

A May 24 DEP inspection of multiple tanker truck spill sites leading away from the XTO Energy Inc. PA Tract 8546H unconventional gas well in Chapman Township, Clinton County found cleanup well underway, but the cleanup contractor missed some spots. [DEP inspection report]

Plugging operations by Consol PA Coal Co. LLC were continuing at the Yost 1386 conventional well in Washington Township, Greene County.

DEP reviewed plugging certificates submitted by Diversified Prod LLC for a conventional well on State Forest Land Warrant 2454 in Health Township, Jefferson County; a State Game Lands conventional well in Knox Township, Jefferson County; Paul W. & Jeannette Craft conventional gas well in Gaskill Township, Jefferson County; the LV Means 80A conventional well in Perry Township, Jefferson County and AL Dunkle 3538 conventional well in Health Township, Jefferson County.

Click Here to download a pdf file with DEP Oil and Gas Inspection results between May 20 and 26, 2023.

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: Dev Well Inc. abandoned well; Pennfield Energy Inc. abandoned well; Fred M. Schrecengost abandoned well & rusty wastewater tank.)

[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 Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Struggle To Plug Tatonka Oil Co. LLC’s Nancy 13 Conventional Well Leaking Gas, Production Wastewater Since 2018; Citizen Complaint Finds ‘Bubbling’ Gas Well [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 20 to 26; DEP Issues More NOVs For Conventional Well Abandonments [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - May 27 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posts 63 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In May 27 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Democrats On House Environmental Committee Report Out Bill To Help Prevent The Routine Abandonment Of 561 Conventional Oil/Gas Wells A Year [PaEN]

-- Citizens Voice Editorial: Renew Bonds To Close, Cleanup Conventional Oil, Gas Wells [PaEN]

-- Republican Herald Editorial: Hold Conventional Oil/Gas Industry Responsible For Capping Wells

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Meets June 15 On Water Withdrawal Projects, Including 12 Related To Shale Natural Gas Drilling [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved 36 Shale Gas Well Drilling Pad Water Use Permits In Bradford, Clearfield, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wyoming Counties [PaEN]

-- DEP Signs Consent Order Including $10 Million In Penalties, Local Payments With Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County To Resolve Air Quality Violations; Plant To Restart May 24 [PaEN]