On September 2, Makayla Keating of the The Derrick reported the do not consume water advisory has been lifted in the Village of Reno, Venango County after six weeks of emergency water distribution for the over 200 community residents and businesses affected.

The water supply was contaminated by a release of conventional oil well production wastewater from tanks operated by Petro Erie Inc on or about July 20.

The announcement was made by Aqua Pennsylvania which was operating the Venango Water Company serving the Village under an emergency order from the Public Utility Commission.

The full announcement is on the Aqua PA Venango webpage.

The Derrick reported the chair of the Reno Neighborhood Association said the community is “very, very excited to go back and we’re appreciative of Aqua Pennsylvania and all of the volunteers and community for their donations.”

A planned emergency distribution of water was still held Friday evening at the Reno fire hall.

The Derrick said The Pointe, a nonprofit drop in center, and The YMCA in Oil City both opened their showering facilities to Reno residents.  The Pointe also made available a washer and dryer.

The Franklin Housing Authority also donated a unit for Reno residents to shower and a washer and dryer was donated by Appliance Pros.

The Derrick reported local churches and individuals made significant product and monetary donations to help the Reno community.

Click Here to read the entire article from The Derrick.

Petro Erie Cleanup Barely Started In Venango County

On August 29, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection of the Lower Reno 6 conventional oil well and wastewater tanks operated by Petro Erie Inc. in Sugarcreek Borough, Venango County and found “there is no activity onsite and a mini excavator is staged onsite.”

A wastewater release from the tanks contaminated the Village of Reno’s water supply and over 200 community residents and businesses continue to be on emergency water distribution since July 20.

The inspection found Petro Erie had begun some cleanup activity at the site.  Contaminated soil had been excavated to a depth of just a few inches to about three feet at the deepest point in some areas, put on piles and covered with a tarp.

“Field screening with a soil conductivity probe indicates that there is still a high level of [wastewater] impacted soil within the excavation.”

Photos in the inspection report show the wastewater tanks are still sitting in a pool of wastewater and no effort was made to deal with the leaking tanks.  The earthen dike around the tanks appeared to be holding the wastewater.

The conventional oil well itself was found to be inoperable-- electric was disconnected and the oil production line was disconnected and removed.

DEP noted the cleanup consultant retained by Petro Erie-- Moody and Associates-- did send an initial report on the site dated August 8, 2023.

However, the inspection report says Petro Erie still owes DEP a written report on how it plans to bring the site into compliance.  The report was due August 11, 2023.

The inspection report said “cleanup needs to continue at the site.”  “The Department requests that the operator continue with the cleanup process and communicate with the Department throughout the process.”

Click Here for a copy of DEP’s inspection report.

The latest information from DEP’s Northwest Regional Office is available on its Venango Water Company/ Petro Erie Inc. Investigation webpage.

(Photos: From DEP’s August 29, 2023 inspection report.)

NewsClips - Village Of Reno:

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: Reno Water Advisory Lifted  [PDF of article]

-- The Derrick: 6 Weeks After Water Supply Contaminated By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater, Emergency Water Supply Distributions Continue In Village Of Reno, Venango County  [PDF of article]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Aug. 26 to Sept. 1-- Uncontrolled Venting Of Shale Gas Well; 4,600 Gallon Spill Of Shale Gas Wastewater; Cleanup Of Conventional Oil Wastewater Spill Barely Begins  [PaEN]

-- DEP Responds To Emergency Notification Of Uncontrolled Venting Of Natural Gas For Over 10.5 Hours From A Repsol Oil Shale Gas Well; Temporary Evacuation Order Issued In Bradford County  [PaEN]

-- EQT Shale Gas Wastewater Truck Rolls Over Spilling More Than 4,600 Gallons Of Wastewater In Lycoming County  [PaEN]

-- Do Not Consume Water Advisory Lifted In Village Of Reno; Petro Erie, Inc. Barely Begins Cleanup Of Conventional Oil Wastewater Spill Site That Contaminated The Water Supply In Venango County  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - September 2  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 2 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

NewsClips This Week - Oil & Gas:

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: Reno Water Advisory Lifted  [PDF of article]

-- The Derrick: 6 Weeks After Water Supply Contaminated By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater, Emergency Water Supply Distributions Continue In Village Of Reno, Venango County  [PDF of article]

-- Warren Times: Natural Gas Well Setbacks Questioned After Health Impact Studies

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Residents Call For Action After Health Studies Link Natural Gas Development To Asthma, Lymphoma

-- Observer-Reporter: Flaws In University Of Pittsburgh’s School Of Public Health’s Studies Of Natural Gas Development’s Impact On Public Health - By David Callahan, President & Lobbyist For Marcellus Shale Gas Industry

-- Marcellus Shale Gas Industry Coalition: University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health’s Studies Of Natural Gas Development’s Impact On Public Health Has Methodological Flaws

-- Delco Times: Chester Bankruptcy Receiver Warns Of Projects That Could Handcuff City Finances And Negatively Impact Residents’ Health On Heels Of  Hearing On Proposed LNG Natural Gas Export Project In The City  [PDF of article]

-- PA Manufacturers Assn: Anti-LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Groups Fail To Realize Local Benefits, Global Implications  [Here’s the other side]

-- PennLive Guest Essay: LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Key To Pennsylvania’s Energy Infrastructure - By Marcellus Shale Gas Industry & PA Building Trades Unions  [Here’s the other side]

-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA Needs More Pipelines, LNG Natural Gas Export Facilities - By T.J. Rooney, Industry Lobbyist  [Here’s the other side]

-- TribLive: 5th Shale Gas Well Pad Planned In Frazer Twp., Allegheny County; Cecil, West Deer Townships Considering More Well Pad Proposals

-- TribLive: Public To Weigh In On Proposed Olympus Energy/Hyperion Leto Natural Gas Compressor Station In West Deer Twp., Allegheny County

-- TribLive: Murrysville Council Approves Ordinance Regulating Oil/Gas Wastewater Injection Wells, Restricting Them To Business Zones

-- TribLive: PA Physicians For Social Responsibility Offers Gas Imaging Camera To Plum Boro Residents Affected By Home Explosion

-- WTAE: PA Physicians For Social Responsibility To Bring Natural Gas Imaging Camera To Plum Boro To Check For Leaks Thursday

-- Now On Demand: Wasted Water: The Impacts of Fracking’s Water Use from Pennsylvania to Colorado Webinar, FracTracker Alliance

-- Forbes Survey Lists Best Employers By State: No Natural Gas Companies Are On The List Of Top 97 Companies In PA; Sheetz Is #20

-- AP: Federal Rule Allowing Rail Shipments Of LNG Natural Gas On Hold To Allow More Study Of Safety Concerns

-- TribLive: PA Physicians For Social Responsibility Offers Gas Imaging Camera To Plum Boro Residents Affected By Home Explosion

-- Observer-Reporter: Coastal Drilling East LLC, Coastal Well Service LLC Must Pay More Than $80,000 To Former Employee Who Suffered Racial Abuse At Company’s Greene County Site

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Report: Natural Gas Production Plateauing In Appalachian Basin

-- WESA: New Carnegie Museum Of Art Exhibit In Pittsburgh Visits Front Lines Of Fossil Fuels - What It's Like To Live Where Coal, Oil, Natural Gas Are Extracted

-- WTAE: 4.0 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Part Of Ohio, May Have Been Felt In Pittsburgh Area  [Earthquakes have been tied to shale gas drilling, injection wells in Ohio, PA ]

-- KDKA: 3rd Earthquake Hits Northeast Ohio In Past Week Shaking Traffic Cameras

Related Articles This Week - Oil & Gas:

-- Between The Lines Podcast: Pediatrician Dr. Ned Ketyer Explains The Results Of New Studies Of The Health Impacts Of Natural Gas Development On Children And Adults  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square: State Dept. Of Health Invites Citizens To File Environmental Health Complaints Related To Natural Gas Development; Health Will Also Review Environmental Test Results  [PaEN]

-- DEP Expands Environmental Justice Protections With Updated Policy, Improved Mapping Tool; Enhanced Permit Reviews Start Sept. 16  [PaEN]

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Give Teeth To DEP Environmental Justice Policy  [PaEN]

-- DEP Oil & Gas Advisory Board Meets Sept. 5 On Proposed Permit Fee Changes; Well Plugging Financial Assurances To Prevent Abandonments; Environmental Justice Policy;  Injection Well Primacy  [PaEN]

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets Sept. 12 On Environmental Justice Policy; DEP Customer Service Initiatives; Risks With Carbon Capture, Sequestration  [PaEN]

-- PJM Interconnection Hears Testimony On Making Electricity Market Reforms To Address Nonperformance Of Natural Gas And Other Generators During Winter Storm Elliot; Transition To Clean Energy  [PaEN]

-- PUC Safety Division Continues Investigation Into Deadly House Explosion In Plum Borough, Allegheny County  [PaEN]

[Posted: September 2, 2023]

9/4/2023