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Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - October 14 to 20 - 6 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Conventional Gas Migration Incident; Inactive Shale Gas Wells

From October 14 to 20, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 461 inspection entries.

So far this year-- as of October 13--

-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 63 conventional, 25 unconventional

-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 5,307 conventional and 1,051 unconventional

-- Inspections Last Week: 334 conventional and 328 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Inspections: 12,432 conventional and 18,589 unconventional

-- Wells Drilled Last Week: 8 conventional and 4 unconventional

-- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 156 conventional and 328 unconventional

6 More Abandoned Conventional Wells

On October 18, 2023, DEP inspected four conventional wells operated by Blackrock Enterprises, LLC in Fayette County-- Murray 1, Opperman 1, Smith 2 in Georges Township and Smiley 1 in Springhill Township and found them to be abandoned and not plugged.

DEP also issued notices of violation for failure to submit annual production and waste generation and mechanical integrity reports.

DEP requested the operator submit a report by November 10, 2023 on how they will bring the wells into compliance. [DEP inspection report- Smiley 1]

On October 17, 2023, DEP inspected two conventional wells-- Cobert 1 and 2-- in German Township, Fayette County operated by Diversified Prod LLC and found them to be abandoned and not plugged.

DEP issued notices of violation and requested the operator to submit a written report by November 1, 2023 on how they will bring the wells into compliance. [DEP Inspection Report - Cobert 1]

Leaking Gas Wells

On October 17, 2023, DEP investigated a possible gas migration case reported by National Fuel Gas involving the Edward Bronakowski 1 conventional gas well operated by JF Pitonyak in Summit Township, Erie County.

A routine gas line check found gas coming from the ground at 1260 Robinson Road and National Fuel Gas took action to dig up the area and insert a steel casing over the well to capture gas coming from the well.

“A National Fuel gas vacuum truck is used to suck the gas from the ground in the areas with high percentage readings daily.”

DEP returned to the site on October 19 and 20 to monitor the gas leak. National Fuel Gas continued using a vacuum truck to suck gas from the ground around the homes near the well.

DEP has not yet issued any notices of violation to the operator or request a plan to bring the well into compliance. [DEP inspection reports - October 17 & October 20]

On October 19, 2023, DEP inspected the Dice 3 conventional gas well in Georges Township, Fayette County operated by Diversified Prod LLC and found it to be leaking natural gas.

DEP issued a notice of violation and requested the operator to submit a report by November 4, 2023 on how they will bring the well into compliance. [DEP inspection report]

On October 19, 2023, DEP inspected two conventional gas wells-- WT 2850 Lot 9 20 and Lot 9 21-- in Howe Township, Forest County operated by PennHills Resources, LLC and found both to be recently completed and venting to the atmosphere, a “normal” procedure.

No violations were issued by DEP.

On October 16, 2023, DEP inspected the NV110 shale gas well pad operated by CNX Gas Co LLC in East Finley Township, Washington County as a result of a citizen complaint of large gas releases night and day.

DEP found three burners on site flaring gas vapors being produced during production. Other operations onsite “can appear to be a release of gas.”

No leaks were detected at the wellhead or surrounding area. No violations were issued. [DEP inspection report]

No Cleanup Progress

On October 17, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection at the State Game Lands 244 25 conventional well operated by Diversified Prod LLC in Knox Township, Jefferson County and found there was no progress in cleaning up a spill of production wastewater reported on September 21, 2023.

“Contaminated soil needs to be removed from the site” and the site “will require Act 2 [Land Recycling Program] SOP to remediate this site,” noted the inspection report.

The secondary containment around the production wastewater tank was full of water.

Previous violations remain in place. Inspector checked no further response required at this time box on the inspection form. [DEP inspection report]

On October 17, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection at the State Game Lands 244 11 conventional well operated by Diversified Prod LLC in McCalmont Township, Jefferson County and found there was no progress in cleaning up a spill of production wastewater reported on September 21, 2023.

“Contaminated soil needs to be removed from the site” and the site “will require Act 2 [Land Recycling Program] SOP to remediate this site,” noted the inspection report.

Previous violations remain in place. Inspector checked no further response required at this time. [DEP inspection report]

Spill Cleanup Done

On October 17, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection at the Reynlow Park 8 conventional well operated by Diversified Prod LLC in Winslow Township, Jefferson County and found the site was restored after a leak of production wastewater was reported on September 20, 2023.

No further action required. [DEP inspection report]

On October 17, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection at the Laurel Hill D shale gas well pad operated by Range Resources Appalachia LLC in Cogan House Township, Lycoming County and found the site of a spill during fracking operations discovered by DEP on September 13, 2023 appears to be cleaned up.

DEP received lab results confirming “elevated levels of strontium, lithium, and barium in the sample taken in September. The presence of these metals are indicative of a pollutional substance.”

No further action required. [DEP inspection report]

Gas Storage Area Inspections

DEP inspected conventional gas wells related to the Columbia Gas Trans LLC Artemas Gas Storage Reservoir in Buchanan State Forest in Bedford County; the National Fuel Gas Supply Swede Hill and East Branch Gas Storage Areas in McKean County; and the Stagecoach Pipeline & Storage Gas Reservoir in Bradford County and found no violations.

Inactive Shale Gas Wells

On October 18 & 19, 2023, DEP reviewed applications for inactive well status for shale gas wells operated by Loloa Energy Petroco LLC in Butler County at the Lacerta Well Pad Allegheny Township; the Lynx Well Pad in Concord Township; the Monoceros Well Pad in Parker Township; and the Dorado Well Pad Washington Township.

Inactive well status means the wells are essentially put on pause. Operators must still monitor the wells and take other steps to ensure their integrity.

The wells do not have to be plugged even though they are inactive.

Inactive status can last for five years and can be renewed. [25 Pa Code Chapter 78a Section 78a.102]

Well Plugging Projects

DEP inspected multiple federally-funded conventional well plugging projects in Butler, Clarion, 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: Top- Diversified Prod Co. wastewater release on State Game Lands not cleaned up on SGL 244 22 & 244 25; JF Pitonyak conventional gas well migration case, vacuum truck sucking leaking gas out of the soil (2); Bottom- Blackrock Enterprises, LLC abandoned conventional well + corroding gathering pipelines; Diversified Prod LLC abandoned conventional well + corroding wastewater storage tanks + leaking gas at another well.)

[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 - October 14 to 20 - 6 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Conventional Gas Migration Incident; Inactive Shale Gas Wells [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - October 21 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 21 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- 9th Compendium Of Studies On Health & Environmental Harms From Natural Gas Development Released - ‘The Rapidly Expanding Body Of Evidence Compiled Here Is Massive, Troubling And Cries Out For Decisive Action’ [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro: We Need Stronger Laws To Deal With The ‘Corporate Greed’ That Let Oil & Gas Operators Get Away With Abandoning Wells For Far Too Long [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Marks Plugging 100th Conventional Oil & Gas Well In 10 Months; New Initiative Allows Texting Abandoned Well Photos/Locations To Governor That Need Plugging [PaEN]

-- FracTracker Alliance Recognizes 5 Individuals With The 2023 Community Sentinel Awards - 3 From Pennsylvania [PaEN]

-- Senate Committee Briefing Finds No Definition Or Standard For ‘Responsibly Sourced’ Natural Gas; PA Producers Already Below One RS Threshold [PaEN]

-- PA Physicians For Social Responsibility: Methane Leaks From SEPTA Gas Generation Plant, Philadelphia [Video]

-- Protect PT, Partners Host Oct. 26 Webinar On PFAS 'Forever Chemical' In Pennsylvania's Oil & Gas Production [PaEN]