From September 2 to 8, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 502 inspection reports.

So far this year-- as of September 1-- DEP issued 4,542 formal notices of violation to conventional operators (72 more since last week) and 889 to unconventional shale gas operators (5 more this week) based on 10,521 inspections of conventional facilities and 16,261 inspections of unconventional shale gas facilities.

Equitrans Fails To Give DEP Access Requested

On September 6, 2023, DEP issued notices of violation for “failing to provide DEP free and unrestricted entry or access” for the purpose of “conducting inspections of assets owned and/or operated by Equitrans.”

Equitrans operates the Rager Mountain Natural Gas Storage Facility in Cambria County that had an uncontrolled release of 1.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas last November.

DEP said, “On December 7th, 2022 the Department ("DEP") requested Equitrans provide 10 sets of keys or a list of alphanumeric gate codes for Water Quality Specialists and Oil and Gas Inspectors.”  [Read more here]

“As of today’s date [September 6, 2023], Equitrans has not provided DEP the requested keys or alphanumeric codes to allow DEP inspectors free and unrestricted entry or access.”

Erosion Control Failure

On September 5, 2023, DEP inspected the P&N Coal ET AL 1 conventional well owned by MTN V Oil & Gas Inc. in Kittanning Township, Armstrong County and found continued failure to control erosion and sedimentation from the well pad and access road.

DEP requested the operator submit a written plan by September 9, 2023 explaining how they will bring the well into compliance.  [DEP inspection report]

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.

(Photo: MTN V Oil & Gas Inc. failure to control access road erosion; Equitrans Rager Mountain Natural Gas Storage Facility leak in Cambria County from space- Environmental Defense Fund.)

[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 - September 2 to 8; Equitrans Issued NOVs For Failing To Provide DEP Inspectors Access To Facilities As Requested  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - September 9 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 47 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 9 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- AP: Investigators Pinpoint House As Source Of Gas Explosion That Killed 6 In Plum Boro, Allegheny County

-- TribLive: Investigators Say Cause Of Fatal Plum Boro Gas Explosion Came From Inside The Home

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: Officials Update Sugarcreek Boro On Continuing Reno Water Issues In Venango County, Aqua PA Still Hauling Water To Keep System Going; DEP To Hold Public Meeting  [Water Supply Contaminated By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater]  [PDF of Article]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Lessons Of Equitrans 1.1 Billion Cubic Feet Natural Gas Storage Facility Blowout Just Starting To Surface As Gas Injection Season Nears

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Equitrans Names New CEO To Coincide With Completion Of Mountain Valley Natural Gas Pipeline Project

-- DEP Holds Sept. 19 Meeting On Ethane Chilling Expansion Project At Energy Transfer Marketing In Marcus Hook Boro, Delaware County

-- University Of Pittsburgh News: Pitt Studies Link Unconventional Natural Gas Development To Childhood Cancer, Asthma Attacks

-- Inquirer Editorial: Natural Gas Development Is Making Pennsylvanians Sick, Lawmakers Must Act

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Leaders Aren’t Helpless And Must Take Action To Protect Constituents From Natural Gas Development Health Impacts - By Tom Pike, Penn Twp., Westmoreland County

-- The Daily Item Guest Essay: Is Natural Gas Development Good For Pennsylvania? $3.8 Billion In PA Taxpayer Subsidies; University Of Pittsburgh Health Studies; Methane Leaks; Jobs Decline - By Sandy Field, Climate Reality Project - Susquehanna Valley Chapter

-- Reading Eagle Guest Essay: PA Farmers Benefit From Strong Natural Gas Industry, Don’t Adopt A Severance Tax - By Matt Espenshade, President Of PA State Grange

-- Observer-Reporter: Operating In Marcellus Energizes Range Resources  [Puff Piece On Shale Gas Industry, Nothing On Real Impacts To Environment, Health In PA’s Most Densely Drilled County-- Washington]

-- The Guardian: Report - Natural Gas Projects In Australia Risk Exposing People To Cancer And Birth Defects  [Following University Of Pittsburgh Studies]

-- NJ Spotlight News - Jon Hurdle: Feds Suspend Rule Allowing Natural Gas To Be Shipped By Train, Another Blow To Plan For LNG Natural Gas Export Terminal In South Jersey

-- Scranton Times Editorial: US DOT Defuses Rolling Bombs [Shipping LNG Natural Gas By Train] For Now

-- Bloomberg: Higher Natural Gas Price In Europe Makes Holding Back Supplies For A Month Lucrative

-- Washington Examiner: Fragile LNG Natural Gas Market Vulnerable To Major Price Swings, Supply Shortages

-- Wall Street Journal: Saudi Oil Production Cuts Send World Diesel Prices Soaring

-- AP: Oil Prices Spike As Saudi Arabia, Russia Extend 1.3 Million Barrel A Day Oil Cut Thru December

-- Inside Climate News: New PA Legislation Aims To Classify Oil & Gas Wastewater As Hazardous Waste

-- Utility Dive: PJM, Natural Gas, Other Electric Generators Reach Agreement To Resolve $1.8 Billion In Winter Storm Elliot Nonperformance Penalties; Details Confidential Now But Will Be Made Public Later In September

-- Wall Street Journal: Race To Drill America’s Longest Oil And Gas Wells [PA Included]

Related Articles This Week:

-- KDKA: Natural Gas Gathering Pipeline Crashes Into, Thru Westmoreland County Home And A Loophole In State Law That Doesn’t Regulate Gathering Pipelines For Safety  [PaEN]

-- DEP Provides Oil & Gas Advisory Board With Updates On Well Plugging Financial Assurance; Pitt Health Studies; Funding Options For Program; Civil Penalty Policy  [PaEN]

-- DEP Hosts Sept. 29 Online Training On New Chapter 105 Environmental Assessment Alternatives Guidance  [PaEN]

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

 -- Republican Rep. Krupa Introduces HB 1656 To Ban Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Wells To Protect The Public From Radioactive, Toxic Materials  [PaEN]

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports 2nd Quarter Natural Gas Production Increased 0.3% Over Prior Year; Dramatic Slowdown In Drilling New Shale Gas Wells Taking Hold  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Preliminary Test Results Not Indicative Of Stray Gas Migration Cause Of Plum Boro Home Explosion In Rustic Ridge Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- PUC: No Evidence Public Utility Natural Gas Equipment Caused 2022 Hialeah Dr. Home Explosion In Plum Boro, Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- Legal Victory Puts Hellbender Back On Track For Federal Endangered Species Protection - By Waterkeeper Alliance   [PaEN]

[Posted: September 9, 2023]

9/11/2023