From July 22 to 28, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 640 inspection entries that resulted in reporting 63 violations of environmental regulations-- 55 violation entries by the conventional oil and gas industry and 8 violations or continuing violations by the unconventional shale natural gas industry.

So far this year-- as of July 21-- DEP issued 3,608 formal notices of violation to conventional operators (73 more since last week) and 819  to unconventional shale gas operators (24 more this week) based on 8,690 inspections of conventional facilities and 13,811 inspections of unconventional shale gas facilities.

14 Conventional Wells With Lots Of Problems

On July 24, DEP inspected a group of 14 conventional gas wells operated by Petro Erie, Inc. in Sugarcreek Borough, Venango County issued multiple notices of violations for failure to collect production wastewater, failure to restrict surface water from entering well bore, failure to restore well site, fill in wastewater and drill cutting pits, failure to submit annual production and waste management and mechanical well integrity reports.

The conventional wells included: Lower Reno 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6, 7, 8, 11, 18, 19, 23, 24 and 28.

 DEP requested the operator to provide a written report by August 11, 2023 on how they plan to bring the wells into compliance.

Example of DEP inspection report - Lower Reno 6, Lower Reno 19.

Coterra Energy, Inc.

DEP inspected multiple Coterra Energy, Inc. shale gas drilling sites in Susquehanna County -- Bridgewater Twp., Brooklyn Twp., Dimock Twp., Forest Lake Twp., Jessup Twp., Lenox Twp.-- and found no new violations.

Federal Well Plugging Sites

DEP continued to inspect federally-funded conventional oil and gas well plugging sites in Allegheny, Armstrong, McKean, Venango and Washington counties.

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 and the Inspection Reports Viewer.

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: Petro Erie, Inc. Lower Reno 6 open to atmosphere, water infiltration; Petro Erie, Inc. Lower Reno 19 storage tank, well showing dead vegetation and leakage.)

[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:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - July 15 to 22;  8 More New Conventional Well Abandonments  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - July 22 to 28  [PaEN] 

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

-- DEP Posted 47 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In July 29 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

NewsClips This Week:

-- LancasterOnline: Study Finds Radioactive Materials In PA Waterways Near Treatment Plants Linked With Oil & Gas Industry Waste

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Environmental Quality Board Dismisses Petition To Raise Well Plugging Bond Amounts For Conventional Oil & Gas Drillers

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Proposed Oil & Gas Waste Injection Well Riles Community In Fayette County

-- Warren Times: Proposed Oil & Gas Waste Injection Well In Fayette County Riles Community

-- TribLive: Olympus Energy Proposes Another Shale Gas Drilling Well Pad, Pipeline In West Deer Township, Allegheny County

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Allegheny County Health Dept.  Begins Appeal Hearing On Invenergy Natural Gas Power Plant Proposed In Elizabeth Twp.

-- NRDC: PJM Electric Grid Operator Report Confirms Blackout Danger From Poor Maintenance At Natural Gas Power Plants

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak/Jonathan Salant: White House Pushing To Reduce Methane Emissions From Oil & Gas Wells; Methane Accounts For 12% Of All Greenhouse Gas Emissions In PA

-- Beaver County Times Guest Essay: Here’s What’s Happening As A Result Of Shell Petrochemical Plant’s [$5 Million] Fine - By Daniel Rossi-Keen

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Pittsburgh’s Problem With Shell Petrochemical Plant’s Plastic Nurdles - By Jack Doyle

Related Articles This Week:

-- Comments Submitted On Proposed Roulette Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Potter County By Save Our Streams PA Show Principals Have Been Involved In Abandoning 8 Previous Injection Wells  [PaEN]

-- DEP Signs $660,000 Penalty Agreement With Sunoco To Resolve More Violations During The Construction Of Mariner East Natural Gas Liquids Pipeline In 9 Counties; Penalties Now Total Nearly $31 Million Just From DEP  [PaEN]

-- University Of Pittsburgh School Of Public Health Will Release Results Of Shale Gas Development Health Impact Study On Aug. 15 In Washington County  [PaEN]

-- DCED Gives UGI Utilities A $501,136 Grant For A New Natural Gas Pipeline To Serve Little Leaf Greenhouse In Carbon County  [PaEN]

[Posted: July 29, 2023]

7/31/2023