PA Environment Digest

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PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Nov. 25 to Dec. 1 - 13 More Abandoned Conventional Well NOVs; Failure To Report Water Supply Impact In July

From November 25 to December 1, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 669 inspection entries.

So far this year-- as of November 24--

-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 21 conventional, 1 unconventional

-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 6,033 conventional and 1,154 unconventional

-- Inspections Last Week: 117 conventional and 224 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Inspections: 14,742 conventional and 20,687 unconventional

-- Wells Drilled Last Week: 1 conventional and 14 unconventional

-- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 170 conventional and 379 unconventional

13 Abandoned Conventional Wells

On November 27, 2023, DEP inspected the Smiley 1 and Murray 1 conventional wells operated by Blackrock Enterprises LLC in Springhill Township, Fayette County and found the wells continued to be abandoned without being plugged.

DEP issued the original well abandonment and other violations on October 18, 2023 and a response from the operator failed to address the abandonment issue.

DEP requested the operator provide a written response by December 15, 2023 on how the operator will bring the wells into compliance. [DEP inspection report - Murray 1]

On November 27, 2023, DEP inspected the Stefkiwsky 3 & 4, and Musgrave 4 conventional wells in Economy Borough, Beaver County operated by Bialy Gas Production LLC and found all were abandoned without being plugged.

Violations were also issued for failing to submit annual production and waste generation and mechanical integrity reports.

DEP requested written reports by December 11, 2023 on how the wells would be brought into compliance. [DEP inspection report - Stefkiwsky 3]

On November 14 & 15, 2023, DEP inspected 13 conventional wells operated by Bialy Gas Production LLC in Economy Borough, Beaver County and found them all to be abandoned and not plugged. Read more here.

On December 1, 2023, DEP inspected the Rouse Home 1 and McAfoose 1 conventional wells operated by Armac Resources LLC in Farmington Township, Warren County 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 a written report by December 15, 2023 from the operator on how the wells will be brought into compliance. [DEP inspection reports - Rouse Home 1, McAfoose]

On November 29 & 30, 2023, DEP inspected the Bricillo 1 (Cherryhill Township), Lucille Metalla 3ER120 & Fetterman 2 (Armstrong Township), and Yoemans 1 (Washington Township) conventional wells in Indiana County operated by Chestnut Ridge Energy of PA, LLC and found them all to be abandoned and not plugged.

No follow up actions were indicated in the inspection reports. [DEP inspection report - Yoemans 1]

On November 30, 2023, DEP inspected the Lampman 3 conventional well operated by Pin Oak Energy Partners LLC in Conneaut Township, Crawford County and found it to be abandoned and not plugged.

On November 27, 2023, DEP inspected the Louis Yemc 1 conventional well in Hempfield Townshp, Westmoreland County operated by SK OPR Inc. and found it to be abandoned and not plugged.

DEP issued 490 notices of violation for abandoning conventional oil and gas wells so far in 2023. Read more here.

State Game Lands Conventional Spill

On November 28, 2023, DEP did a followup inspection of the SGL 244 25 conventional well site operated by Diversified Prod LLC on State Game Lands in Knox Township, Jefferson County where a spill of an estimated 1,344 gallons of production wastewater was reported on September 21, 2023.

DEP found, “No additional work completed on this site. The clean-up on this site was not adequate and will have to be completed correctly to lift violations.”

“This site is restored and stable with a good growth of vegetation except were the produced water was released to ground. The secondary containment around the tank is full of fresh water, vegetation is growing in and around the secondary containment. The water needs to be removed from the secondary containment. The access road is vegetated and muddy and rutted in several areas, these areas of the access need to be stabilized.”

No follow up actions were noted in the DEP inspection report.

Isolating Leak From Shale Gas Wastewater Line

On November 27, 2023, DEP inspected the Cornwall Mountain shale gas well pad in Lewis Township, Lycoming County operated by Range Resources Appalachia LLC in response to a notification of a wastewater spill on the well pad.

The operator dug several holes in the well pad in an attempt to isolate the area of a wastewater pipeline spill. The leaks in the pipeline were located and the extent of the area of contaminated soil needing excavation was being identified.

DEP’s inspection report said none of the leaking wastewater appeared to go off the well pad. The operator was asked for a written report by December 19, 2023 on bringing the area into compliance.

Failed To Notify DEP Of Water Supply Complaint

On November 29, 2023, DEP issued a notice of violation to EOG Resources, Inc. for failure to notify the agency in July 2023 it had received a complaint that a water supply had been impacted by its operations at the Oberkamper shale gas well pad in Springfield Township, Bradford County.

There was no information on what happened with the water supply compliant.

DEP’s inspection report requested a written report by December 14, 2023 on how the operator was going to bring its operation into compliance.

Petro Erie Inc.

On November 28, 2023, DEP inspected the Lower Reno 7 conventional oil well operated by Petro Erie, Inc. in Sugarcreek Borough, Venango County and found it was still in violation for not submitting production and waste generation and mechanical integrity reports and for other issues.

This is one of several wells in a well field operated by Petro Erie, Inc. that was found to have contaminated the Village of Reno water supply in July.

The original notices of violation were issued on July 24, 2023.

No follow up actions were indicated. [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.

(Photos: Bialy Gas Production LLC abandoned conventional well; Armac Resources LLC two abandoned conventional wells; Chestnut Ridge Energy of PA, LLC abandoned conventional well site; 2nd - Diversified Prod LLC State Game Lands conventional well spill site; Inflection Energy (PA) LLC shale gas well pad spill; Range Resources Appalachia LLC leaking wastewater pipeline.)

[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:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Nov. 25 to Dec. 1 - 13 More Abandoned Conventional Well NOVs; Failure To Report Water Supply Impact In July [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industry Compliance So Far In 2023 - It Isn’t Pretty

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

-- DEP Invites Comments On Proposed CNX Midstream Project To Expose Natural Gas, Water Pipelines To Prevent Longwall Mining Damage In Washington County [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 71 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In December 2 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- DEP- EQT Settlement Agreement Allows Fracking To Resume From 2 Shale Gas Well Pads In Area Impacted By Frack-Out In New Freeport, Greene County; Does Not Address Water Supply Issues Of Residents [PaEN]

-- DEP Oil & Gas Advisory Board Meets Dec. 5 On Methane Reduction Program; Spill Policy; Chapter 78 Update; Certified Inspector Program; Injection Well Primacy [PaEN]

-- EPA Finalizes Rule To Reduce Methane Emissions From Oil & Gas Infrastructure; DEP’s Oil & Gas Methane Regulations 1 Year Old [PaEN]

-- Sen. Gene Yaw Announces He Received The Marcellus Shale Coalition 2023 Shale Gas Advocate Award [After Calling Gas Infrastructure Health, Safety Proposal ‘Stupid’] [PaEN]

-- PUC Again Reminds Consumers Of Dec. 1 Price Changes: Natural Gas (+149% to -64.2%); Electric (+18.8% to -25.7%) [PaEN]