Unconventional shale gas operators were issued a total of 1,310 notices of violation in 2023, according to DEP’s December 29 Workload Report.

DEP issued 1,360 NOVs to unconventional shale gas well operators in 2022 and 1,323 NOVs in 2021, according to DEP’s 2022 Oil and Gas Program Annual Report.

Abandoning Wells Without Plugging

DEP issued 10 unconventional shale gas operators 20 notices of violation at 11 well pads during 2023 for abandoning wells without plugging them.  These operators include--

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, Inc: Stoorza Well Pad, Terry Twp., Bradford County;

-- EQT Chap LLC: Basista-Dermotta Well Pad, Sewickley Twp., Westmoreland County:

-- EQT Prod Co.: Phoenix Well Pad, Duncan Twp., Tioga County;

-- Frontier Natural Resources: Winner Well Pad, Keating Twp., Clinton County;

-- M4 Energy LLC: Triana Young Well Pad, Hector Twp., Potter County;

-- Penn View Exploration: Huff Well Pad, Franklin Twp., Butler County;

-- Roulette Oil & Gas, Inc.: Guardian Well Pad, Hebron Twp., Potter County;

-- Seneca Resources Co. LLC: LEH WT2973 Well Pad, Shippen Twp., Cameron County;

-- West Texas Operating Co.: Hillegass Well Pad, Stonycreek Twp., Somerset County;

-- XTO Energy, Inc.: Patton Well Pad, Prospect Borough, Butler County; and

-- XTO Energy, Inc.: Hall Well Pad, Springfield Twp., Fayette County. 

Click Here for more information on oil and gas well abandonments in 2023.

Most Frequent 2022 Violations

Of the health and safety violations issued by DEP to shale gas operators in 2022, the most frequent were--

-- 208 violations for failing to report or correct gas well casing and cementing problems;

-- 160 violations for leaks, spills and releases - “failure to prevention pollution;”

-- 156 violations for failure to properly manage residual waste;

-- 138 violations for failure to prevent gas flow in the well during casing and cementing;

-- 101 violations for failure to contain wastes or other regulated substances in storage structures; and the

-- Remaining violations were distributed among 66 other violation categories.

Of the notices of violation issued for administrative violations in 2022, the most frequent were--

-- 16 violations for failing to meet emergency response sign requirements;

-- 13 violations for failing to submit monthly production reports;

-- 12 violations for failing to notify DEP prior to cementing, pressure testing, fracking or plugging a well; and the

-- Remaining violations were distributed among 16 other violation categories.

Click Here for a summary of 2022 shale gas and conventional violations.

Winter Storm Elliot Causes Natural Gas Infrastructure Failure

Natural gas infrastructure failures during Winter Storm Elliot resulted in the proposed imposition of an unprecedented $1.8 billion in nonperformance penalties on natural gas-fired and other electric generators in the PJM Interconnection electric grid region.

An analysis by PJM found forced outages of natural gas-fired electric generation accounted for 70% of the total outages, coal 16% and the remainder were oil, nuclear, hydro, wind and solar during the winter storm. Read more here.

Natural gas infrastructure-- from the well head to pipelines-- simply froze resulting in the interruption of gas supplies that crippled power plants leading to a warning by PJM on December 24 of the possibility of rotating customer power outages.  Read more here.

These failures resulted in proposed changes to PJM electric market rules developed during 2023 now being considered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, including a devaluation of the performance assumptions of natural gas-fired electric generation.  Read more here.

On November 8, the North American Electric Reliability Corp warned natural gas supplies are still vulnerable to conditions like Winter Storm Elliot and as a result the risk of blackouts in extreme weather has increased for this coming winter.  Read more here.

On December 20, the PJM Interconnection announced the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a $1.25 billion Winter Storm Elliot Settlement with 81 settling parties.

The settlement results in a market-wide reduction of non-performance charge assessments from an estimated $1.8 billion to an estimated $1.25 billion.  Read more here.

Just Some Of Significant Shale Gas Events In 2023

Here are just a few significant unconventional shale gas operator compliance events so far in 2023--

-- Uncontrolled Venting Of Gas Prompts Temporary Evacuation: At 2:02 a.m. on August 28, 2023, DEP received an emergency notification of an uncontrolled venting of natural gas from shale gas well 9H at the Repsol Oil and Gas USA LLC Cummings Lumber well pad in Troy Township, Bradford County.  Read more here.

The natural gas leak resulted in a temporary one-half mile evacuation order around the well pad within Troy Township, according to Bradford County Department of Public Safety.  Read more here and as reported by Marcellus Drilling News.

The Troy Area School District also canceled all of its Monday evening activities following the direction of the County 911 Emergency Center to ensure their safety if anything else were to occur. Read more here and as reported by Marcellus Drilling News.  Read more here.

-- Energy Transfer Revolution Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant Explosion Christmas Morning:  On December 25, 2022 the Energy Transfer Revolution Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant in Smith Township, Washington County suffered an explosion and fire that burned for at least nine and a half hours resulting in an uncontrolled release of ethane and other gases.  DEP arrived at the plant on January 3, 2023 to start its investigation. Read more here.  Read KDKA report here.

-- Fire At PA General Energy Co LLC Well Pad: On October 31, 2023, DEP did an inspection of the Huckleberry shale gas well pad operated by PA General Energy Co LLC in Union Township, Tioga County in response to a notification from the company they had a fire at the well pad.   DEP’s inspection report said an emergency shut down device activated at the well pad on October 30 at 2:14 p.m. for seven natural gas wells in response to a fire in one of two re-boilers on the pad. [DEP inspection report]  Read more here.

-- CNX Oak Springs Natural Gas Pipeline Pigging Station Uncontrolled Release Of 1.1 Million Cubic Feet Of Gas: On December 27, the CNX Oak Springs natural gas pipeline pigging station suffered an uncontrolled release of 1.1 million cubic feet of natural gas in South Franklin Township, Washington County.  DEP arrived at the facility January 3, 2023 to start its investigation.  Read more here.

-- DEP Issued 754 Notices Of Violation For Defective Oil & Gas Well Casing, Cementing: The Department of Environmental Protection issued at least 754 notices of violation to oil and gas operators for defective oil and gas well casing and cementing, the fundamental protection needed to maintain well integrity, to prevent explosions, groundwater, natural gas migration and air contamination from 2016 through 2022, according to DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database.  Read more here.

-- Radiation Levels In Storage Tank Prompt Decontamination: On June 28, DEP inspected the Sensinger shale gas well pad operated by Chesapeake Appalachia LLC in Franklin Township, Bradford County in response to a notification that over 800 gallons of production wastewater was released over a 10 day period on the well pad. 

An environmental contractor on the site detected readings of radioactivity above background levels in the area of the spill and the tank-- 50 to 70 uR/hour.  DEP’s inspection report noted background is 10 uR/hour.

Chesapeake contacted Waste Management to decontaminate the production tank and remove it from the site after decon on July 3.  Cleanup of the pad will start after the tank is removed.  Read more here.

-- 63,000 Gallon Wastewater Spill On State Game Lands: A citizen complaint and a report by Seneca Resources Co. LLC resulted in a May 3 DEP Oil and Gas inspection finding an estimated 63,000 gallon spill of wastewater on State Game Lands at the WT 2587 302H 5318 well site in Jones Township, Elk County.  The spill happened on April 26 at about 7:30 a.m.

According to the DEP inspection report, “The initial spill occurred when a cast iron gate valve failed as the operator was pumping production water to a stimulation [fracking] operation on the E09-U pad.  Read more here.

-- MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC 10,000 Gallon Pipeline Compressor Station Spill:  In early May, MarkWest disclosed for the first time details about an estimated 10,000 gallon natural gas condensate spill that occurred on December 26, 2022 at the Imperial Compressor Station that not only contaminated the Station pad, but found its way off-site along Quicksilver Road.

MarkWest disclosed the spill because they are cleaning it up under the state’s Act 2 Land Recycling Program that requires formal notices of that fact to be published in the local newspaper, given to the municipality where the spill happened and in the PA Bulletin.  Read more here.  Read more here.

-- Truck Rollover Spills 4,600 Gallons Of Wastewater: On August 30, 2023, DEP received an emergency notification at 7:33 a.m. from EQT ARO LLC a tank truck hauling production wastewater from the COP [DCNR State Forest Land] Tract 551 Pads A&B shale gas well pads rolled over on an access road in McIntyre Township, Lycoming County and released its entire load of over 4,600 gallons of wastewater.

The truck was still overturned when the inspector arrived at 11:00 a.m. and wastewater was observed flowing along the gravel access road, through a culvert under the road and onto the adjacent National Fuel Gas Alta Pipeline right of way.  Read more here.

-- AP: DEP Allows Shale Gas Drilling To Resume In Dimock, Susquehanna County: On December 20, 2023, the Associated Press published an update on the resumption of shale gas drilling in the Dimock area of Susquehanna County after criminal charges against Coterra Energy, Inc. were resolved last December [Read more here] and a consent order and agreement signed with the Department of Environmental Protection [Read more here]].

-- DEP Investigation Of 2022 EQT Frack Out In Greene County Inconclusive: On June 19, 2022, EQT natural gas company experienced a frack out near New Freeport in Greene County that allegedly affected the private wells of community residents.  Residents have had to make their own arrangements for clean drinking water since that time because the affected areas are outside the 2,500 foot zone of presumption protected in state law.

A written update by EQT on July 13, 2022 acknowledges a frack out incident with observations by its own staff, but said it “lacks scientific evidence to confirm an actual communication incident” happened.

On November 29, 2023, DEP and EQT Production Company agreed to a settlement related to the frack-out that allows EQT to resume fracking operations at the Lumber and Spleen Splitter shale gas well pads under DEP supervision.

There has been no resolution of the water contamination issues reported by community residents.  Read more here.

-- DEP Holds Shale Gas Operator Responsible For Water Supply Contamination In Greene County: On December 28, 2023, DEP posted an inspection report for the Mohr A and B shale gas well pads in Cumberland Township, Greene County operated by Greylock Production LLC-- formerly Energy Corporation of America. DEP is requesting a written response by January 15, 2024 from the operator on how they plan to correct the violations and bring the site into compliance.  Read more here.

This pollution is part of widespread shale gas drilling-related contamination caused by Greylock Production LLC-- formerly Energy Corporation of America-- and documented by DEP during an investigation that started in June 2015 at 17 well sites in Cumberland, Jefferson, and Whiteley Townships, Greene County, including the Mohr A and B site, and Goshen Township, Clearfield County.  Read more here.

-- Shale Gas Operators Created Over 575 New Brownfield Sites With Spills, Releases: DEP reports spills and releases from the oil and gas industry have created over 575 brownfield sites being cleaned up under the Act 2 Land Recycling Program, as of September 12, 2023.

There are at least 196 oil and gas-related sites in the process of being cleaned up-- nearly 34% of the sites in process-- and 379 oil and gas sites have been completed-- about 14% of the sites completed-- in the counties with shale gas and conventional oil and gas drilling in DEP’s Southwest, Northwest, Northcentral and Northeast Regional Office areas.

It’s important to note these sites, most in rural or suburban areas, weren’t contaminated prior to oil and gas industry drilling, pipeline and compressor station construction and installation and operation of other oil and gas infrastructure.

These new brownfields are the result of shale gas operations because the conventional oil and gas industry very rarely uses the Act 2 Land Recycling Program and its cleanup standards to deal with spills and releases.  Read more here.

-- Seneca Resources Co. LLC Ignored NOVs For Cleaning Up Spills On Well Pad On DCNR State Forest Land: According to a DEP inspection report, Seneca Resources Co., LLC failed to respond to notices of violations to cleanup a shale gas well pad on DCNR State Forest land in Delmar Township, Tioga County for seven months and counting.

On May 8, DEP did a follow-up inspection on a Seneca Resources Co., LLC shale gas well site known as DCNR TR 007 Pad D to determine if there was any progress in cleaning up drilling wastewater on the site.

The site is located in the High Quality Pine Creek Watershed.

On September 28, 2022 DEP issued notices of violations related to areas of standing wastewater on the site sampling shows contained elevated levels of strontium, aluminum and iron.  [DEP 9.28.2022 inspection/sample results report]  Read more here.

-- DEP: Widespread Presence Of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Fresh Water Results On Shale Gas Operators Using Contaminated Water In Fracking:  In an April 2023 DEP determination of whether natural gas drilling contaminated a Washington County family’s water well, DEP said the “widespread presence of PFAS” forever chemicals in fresh water may have led to “inadvertently” using contaminated water to frack a shale gas well.

But, DEP concluded the use of contaminated water did not result in polluting the water well with PFAS chemicals.

The determination involved a water well owned by Bryan Latkanich near Fredericktown, Washington County that was approximately 500 feet away and down-gradient from two shale gas wells on a pad originally developed by Chevron Appalachia, but now owned by EQT CHAP, LLC, a subsidiary of EQT Corporation.  Read more here.

-- Fracking Of Two Shale Gas Wells Interfered With 3rd Shale Gas Well: On March 14, DEP inspectors found the fracking of two Olympus Energy LLC unconventional shale gas wells in Washington Township, Westmoreland County interfered with another shale gas well-- Export Fuel #1-- owned by Mountain V Oil & Gas Inc.

In both cases on the Athena Well Pad, DEP said Olympus Energy failed to stop fracking Athena 4M (inspection report) and Athena 6M (inspection report) wells when there were indications the fracking was interfering with another well.  Read more here.

-- DEP Imposes $660,000 Penalty On Sunoco For Mariner East Natural Gas Pipeline Violations In 9 Counties: The violations occurred between 2018 and 2021 in Berks, Blair, Cambria, Chester, Cumberland, Delaware, Perry, and York Counties.  Read more here.

-- Criminal Charges Filed Against 2 Men For Risking Catastrophe Related To MarkWest Liberty Pipeline Construction:  On May 5, Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the filing of criminal charges against two men for falsifying paperwork and risking catastrophe while working on a natural gas pipeline project in Lawrence County.

The criminal complaints identify the pipeline involved as the “Mark West Liberty Pipeline that transports a mixed stream of natural gas liquids from West Virginia and Pennsylvania to Ohio and Pennsylvania.”  Read more here.

-- Hyperion Midstream [Olympus Energy] Natural Gas Gathering Line Smashes Into, Thru Westmoreland County Home:  On December 30, 2022, a Hyperion Midstream natural gas pipeline under construction broke loose from its cribbing, slid down a hill and crashed into a through a family’s home in Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County making the home unlivable. 

On January 4, 2023, a DEP inspection report issued unrelated violations for erosion and sedimentation issues and later said it had no other jurisdiction over this issue.  The Public Utility Commission also said it did not have jurisdiction over this incident.  Read more here.

-- Energy Transfer/Sunoco Repairing ‘Dent’ In Mariner East 2X Natural Gas Liquids Pipeline:  On November 3, Marcellus Drilling News reported Energy Transfer was repairing a “dent” in the Mariner East 2X natural gas liquids pipeline in West Whiteland Township, Chester County discovered during routine maintenance checks.

The Township posted a press announcement on its website November 1 saying Energy Transfer detected an "anomaly" and it is now working to repair the pipeline.

The Township said safety staff from the Public Utility Commission have been on site and the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration was notified. Read more here.

-- CNX Made Unauthorized Water Withdrawals For 17 Days In Westmoreland County:  On October 3, 2023, DEP issued a notice of violation to CNX Gas Company LLC for making unauthorized water withdrawals to support shale gas fracking operations for 17 days between May 6, 2023 and July 6, 2023 totaling 389,518 gallons.

The source of the water withdrawal was the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County Beaver Run Reservoir in Bell and Washington Townships, Westmoreland County.  Read more here.

-- PA General Energy Fails To Install Water Withdrawal In Compliance With Permit: DEP and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission found PA General Energy Company, LLC installed the Shawnee water withdrawal on the Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek larger than authorized by its permits.  Major modifications of the permits to match the installed structure are being considered.  Read more here.

-- Olympus Energy Expresses Fear At Court Hearing That Municipalities Will Use Their DEP Compliance Record To Help Make Local Land Use Decisions On Gas Facilities:  During a May 10 Commonwealth Court hearing, an attorney for Olympus Energy LLC said the hundreds of notices of violation issued by DEP to the company should not be admissible in local land use proceedings because they do not prove the company’s shale gas drilling operations have an adverse impact on the environment “beyond the normal that would be expected from any oil and gas development.”

The case involves an Olympus Energy land use application for the Dionysus shale gas well pad submitted to West Deer Township, Allegheny County in 2019.  Read more here.

-- Shale Gas Operator Tried To Deny DEP Access To Document Uncontrolled Gas Venting Incident: On September 21, 2023, DEP issued a notice of violation to Repsol Oil and Gas USA, LLC for denying the agency’s right to document damaged shale gas well casing during its investigation of an incident of uncontrolled natural gas venting in Bradford County in August.

In a September 21, 2023 inspection report, DEP said-- “Repsol restricted the Department’s ability to document the condition of the damaged casing during an inspection conducted on 9/21/2023.”

DEP’s inspector returned to the site the following day-- September 22-- and this time was allowed to photograph the damaged sections of well casing.  Repsol also provided photos of the casing damage.  Read more here.

-- Former Employees Of Oil & Gas Wastewater Treatment Facility In Williamsport Ask For Criminal Investigation: On December 11, former employees of the Eureka Resources oil and gas wastewater treatment company based in Williamsport wrote a letter to  Lycoming County District Attorney requesting him to undertake a “criminal misconduct” investigation of alleged workplace and environmental violations by the company.

They also requested an “internal audit” of the Department of Environmental Protection, the Wilkes-Barre OSHA Office, and the Williamsport Bureau of Codes for “willful neglect related to these matters.”  Read more here.

Results Of Health Impact Studies Of Natural Gas

-- State Health Plan Identifies Oil & Gas Development As Health Threat: On April 4, the Department of Health published the Pennsylvania State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) that outlines goals, objectives, and strategies to improve the health of all Pennsylvanians over the next five years.

The Plan identified Environmental Health as one of eight health issues affecting Pennsylvania.  The other seven include access to care, mental health, substance use, chronic diseases, infectious diseases, maternal and infant Health, injury and violence.

The assessment further identified rising health issues related to natural resource extractions [defined by the Health Department as oil and gas development] and the health impacts resulting from climate change as two of the top five threats affecting health outcomes of Pennsylvanians.   Read more here.

-- University of Pittsburgh School Of Public Health: On August 15, the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health released the results of three health studies of unconventional shale gas development.

The studies were designed to answer this study question: “Does living near unconventional gas development activities or other environmental hazards in Southwestern Pennsylvania increase the risk for specific health issues?”

The study area included these counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania--  Allegheny (excluding the City of Pittsburgh), Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

The studies found shale gas development can increase the chance of people having an asthma attack between 4 and 5 times; children have an increased chance of developing lymphoma cancer; and babies can have slightly lower birth weights.  Read more here.

The question and answer session with residents during the August 15 public meeting on the results of the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health studies on the health impacts of shale gas development in Southwest Pennsylvania resulted in an apology from the Department of Health.

Kristen Rodack, Executive Deputy Secretary of the Health Department, said in response to one speaker’s comments-- “I think the Department of Health certainly is making a concerted effort to be more transparent and to be listening to the community more frequently and more often.

“And I think certainly I know that the feeling is that we have not done that in the past. So I will apologize on behalf of the department for maybe not doing that as well in the past.”  Read more here.

-- State Department of Health Follow Up Actions: On November 14 at the League of Women Voters, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health Shale Gas And Public Health Conference, Kristen Rodack, Executive Deputy Secretary of the Health Department, said her agency is using the results of the University of Pittsburgh studies to push “governments and other folks to take action on some of the potential exposures that’s happening from the industry.”

Follow up actions include: health care worker education, reducing asthma risks at schools near gas facilities, improving assistance to citizens with gas facility-related health questions, conducting an updated literature review of health impacts studies, continuing to monitor for cancer incidents and urging counties to include natural gas infrastructure in their emergency plans.  Read more here.

-- 9th Compendium Of Studies On Health & Environmental Harms From Natural Gas Development Released: On October 18, Dr. Sandra Steingraber, Senior Scientist with the Science and Environmental Health Network, provided an overview of findings from the newly published 9th Compendium of Scientific, Medical, Media Findings Demonstrating Risk, Harms of Natural Gas Development and Infrastructure during a briefing hosted by the Better Path Coalition.

The 9th Compendium, published by the Concerned Health Professionals of NY and Physicians for Social Responsibility on October 19, summarizes resources that describe the health and other impacts of natural gas development and infrastructure organized by topic. It also offers a review of trends in research findings.

The 9th Compendium organizes research into 17 major categories--

-- Regulations are incapable of preventing harm

-- Idle, abandoned and orphaned wells contribute to air and water pollution and are a significant source of methane leakage

-- Fracking is accelerating the climate crisis

-- Fracking contaminates and depletes drinking water supplies

-- Fracking creates air pollution at levels know to harm health

-- Public health problems associated with fracking include prenatal harm, respiratory impacts, cancer, heart disease, mental health problems and premature death

-- Health and safety risks for workers are severe and employment promises unrealized

-- Fracking and the injection of fracking waste cause earthquakes

-- Fracking waste disposal is a problem without a solution

-- Fracking infrastructure poses exposure risks to those living nearby

-- Drilling and fracking activities release radioactivity

-- Drilling and fracking activities harm wildlife

-- The Economic instabilities of fracking exacerbate public health risks

-- The social costs of fracking are severe

-- Fracking violates principles of environmental justice and human rights

-- Carbon capture and storage fails to mitigate the dangers of fracking

-- Combustion of fracked gas inside homes via kitchen stoves, hot water heaters and furnaces creates additional health and climate harms

Click Here to read a copy of the 9th Compendium.   Read more here.

Legislative Action

-- House Committee Holds Hearing On Increasing Safety Setback Zones: On October 30 the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held its first-ever hearing on the health and environmental impacts of the shale gas industry and legislation increasing safety zone setbacks around gas infrastructure.

The Committee heard testimony from three citizens group representatives, including residents of Washington and Westmoreland counties, two physicians that studied health impacts of industry operations and a shale gas industry group and the PA Building and Construction Trades Council representing the industry.

The legislation being considered is House Bill 170 (Otten-D-Chester) increasing setback safety zones from shale natural gas drilling sites and infrastructure from 500 to 2,500 feet or more, based on the latest science.  Read more here.

-- Sen. Yaw Called Bill To Reduce Health, Environmental Impacts Of Shale Gas ‘Stupid’: In response to a House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee hearing on House Bill 170 (Otten-D-Chester) increasing setback safety zones from shale natural gas drilling sites and infrastructure [Read more here], Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, issued a statement calling the bill ‘Stupid.”  Read more here.

-- House Committee Reports Out Bill Requiring Evaluation Of Cumulative Impacts Of Environmental Impacts Of Certain Facilities Following A Hearing: On June 6, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee reported out House Bill 652 (Bullock-D- Philadelphia) requiring environmental impact reports on certain major sources of pollution in communities already burdened by pollution was amended to more closely align with the new Environmental Justice Program of the Department of Environmental Protection.  Read more here.

The action follows a hearing on the bill where the shale gas industry opposed the legislation.  Read more here.

Additional Compliance-Related Information

Here is additional compliance information and analysis of the shale gas program released so far in 2023--

-- PA Supreme Court Upholds DEP’s Authority To Protect Public Resources, Playgrounds In Permit Reviews: On April 19, the PA Supreme Court issued a ruling overturning a Commonwealth Court decision that blocked the ability of the Department of Environmental Protection to protect public resources and playgrounds from the adverse impacts of unconventional shale gas well operations.  Read more here.

-- PA Supreme Court Sides With Citizens Not Sunoco On Reimbursing Legal Costs For Lawsuits Won By Citizens: On February 22, the PA Supreme Court handed down a major decision in two suits where the public sought reimbursement for legal costs in environmental cases: the Clean Air Council, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, and Mountain Watershed Association v. DEP and Sunoco Pipeline and Gerhart v. DEP and Sunoco Pipeline cases.

The PA Supreme Court’s decision reversed a lower court ruling that had put up a major barrier to reimbursement of legal costs for environmental lawsuits brought by non-profits and residents. Read more here.

-- University of Pittsburgh Study Finds At Least 800,000 Tons Of Fracking Waste Sent To Landfills Unaccounted For, Radiation Accumulation In Stream Sediments: On July 20, 2023, the Marcellus Drilling News reported researchers from the University of Pittsburgh found there was an average 30% discrepancy between what conventional and unconventional oil and gas drilling companies said they sent to landfills and the amount of waste reported received by those landfills in Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York.

On July 20, 2023, The Allegheny Front reported the study also analyzed samples downstream from outfalls of wastewater treatment plants that treat leachate from over 30 landfills accepting conventional and unconventional oil and gas drilling waste.

The study found increases of two to four times the background level of radioactive radium in the sediment downstream of the outfalls than above the discharge points.

The study noted landfills must test leachate for radioactive radium and other markers of oil and gas waste, but wastewater plants don’t.  Read more here.

On October 10, the Vice Chair of DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council asked DEP to report on the findings of the University of Pittsburgh research.  Read more here.

-- Gov. Shapiro, CNX Sign Statement Of Mutual Interest On Monitoring Air Emissions, Temporarily Extending Safety Setbacks: On November 2, Gov. Josh Shapiro and CNX Resources Corporation President and CEO Nick Deiuliis announced a first-of-its-kind statement of mutual interests that will further heighten the company’s operational disclosures in collaboration with state environmental regulators and the public.

Under the statement of mutual interests, CNX will implement a temporary program to definitively measure emissions and heighten chemical disclosure, while temporarily enhancing safety zone setbacks for new wells near homes, schools and hospitals during the data collection phase.  Read more here.

DEP’s Air Quality regulations require unconventional shale gas, conventional, pipeline, storage and other oil and gas facilities to report the amount of air pollution they are emitting from their facilities since 2012 and do so regularly under Title V and other Air Quality permits issued by the Department of Environmental Protection.

In 2022, these facilities self-reported 13,432,713 tons of air pollution-- 47.93% came from mid-stream pipeline facilities; 30.18% from unconventional shale gas wells and 21.81% from main line natural gas compressor stations.

Methane emissions were reported as 165,793.87 tons, carbon dioxide- 13,222,354.96 tons, volatile organic compounds - 6,837.05  tons, Particulate Matter 2.5 - 917.62 tons, and Particulate Matter 10 - 993.77 tons.  Read more here.

-- Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force Issues Report On Increasing Exports Of PA Natural Gas:  On November 1, the House Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force, chaired by Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia), adopted a final report on the best and safest way to increase the export Pennsylvania's natural gas overseas.

Rep. Joe Hohenstein (D-Philadelphia), leader of the Democrat members of the Task Force, issued a minority report adding the economic viability of an natural gas LNG facility and its potential impacts upon the community.  Read more here.

Click Here for community reactions to one proposal for an LNG facility in Chester, Delaware County.

Natural Gas Explosions

Here are just some of the natural gas home explosions and other incidents investigated by the Public Utility Commission in 2023--

-- 2023 Plum Boro, Allegheny County Natural Gas Home Explosion Resulted In The Deaths Of Six People--

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

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

-- 2023 Investigation Of Natural Gas Home Explosion, Pipeline Leak In Delaware County Caused Evacuation Of 100+ People--

     -- PUC Investigating Delaware County Natural Gas Pipeline Leak, House Explosion And Evacuation Of 100+ People  [PaEN]

-- 2023 Columbia Gas Service Disruption Leaves 4,600 Customers In Beaver County Without Gas Service For Days--

     -- PUC Safety Division Investigating Columbia Gas Service Disruptions To 4,000+ Customers In Beaver County [PaEN]

-- 2022 Plum Boro, Allegheny County Natural Gas Home Explosion Injured 5 People--

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

-- 2022 Dauphin County Natural Gas Home Explosion Injured 2 People--

     -- PUC Updates Investigation Into Dec. 2022 Natural Gas House Explosion In Dauphin County  [PaEN]

-- 2022 Natural Gas Home Explosions In Philadelphia Investigation Continues Inside Homes--

     -- PUC: Focus Of Natural Gas Explosion In Port Richmond Section Of Philadelphia Now Inside The Buildings  [PaEN]

-- 2020 Natural Gas Home Explosion In Greene County Results In Proposed Penalty--

     -- PUC To Seek Public Comment On Proposed $100,000 Penalty Settlement With Mifflin Energy Corp. For Natural Gas Explosion Destroying Home/Business In Greene County  [PaEN]

-- 2020 Peoples Natural Gas Overpressurization Incide In Indiana County Damaged Hundreds Of Appliances, Caused Pipeline Leaks--

     -- PUC Seeks More Information On Peoples Gas Over-Pressurization Incident In Indiana County That Damaged Hundreds Of Appliances, Caused Distribution Pipeline Leaks  [PaEN]

-- 2018, 2019 Explosions, Other Incidents Results in $1.525 Million Penalty Against Columbia Gas--

     -- PUC Approves 2 Penalty Settlements With Columbia Gas Totaling $1.525 Million For A House Explosion In Washington County, 2 Natural Gas Pipeline Over-Pressurization Incidents In Franklin, Clarion Counties [PaEN]

Weekly Compliance Dashboard

To learn more about the conventional industry’s “culture of non-compliance,” read PA Environment Digest’s Weekly Compliance Dashboard reports from DEP’s Oil & Gas Compliance Reporting Database.

DEP’s online posting of oil and gas inspection reports provide an unprecedented window into the conditions and practices their inspectors find in the field every day with conventional oil and gas well operations.

The weekly reports posted during 2023 are below.

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.

[Note: The 2023 numbers are not complete due to the way DEP keeps adding inspection reports to its Oil & Gas Compliance Reporting Database.  The database does not indicate if or how these violations were resolved.]

[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.]

2023 Oil & Gas Compliance Reports:

-- DEP Issued At Least 512 Violations To 95 Conventional Oil & Gas Operators For Abandoning Wells Without Plugging Them In 2023; 10 Shale Gas Operators Were Issued NOVs For Abandoning Wells  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Record 6,860 Notices Of Violation To Conventional Oil & Gas Operators In 2023-- Nearly 52% More Than In 2021; ‘Culture Of Non-Compliance’ Continues  [PaEN] 

-- 2023 Shale Gas Operator Compliance Report: 1,310 Violations; Explosions; Pad Fire, Evacuation; Uncontrolled Gas Venting; Frack-Outs; Polluting Water Supply; Spills; Pipeline Crashing Thru A Home; More  [PaEN]

-- PA Environment Digest: Articles On Oil & Gas Facility Impacts

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Jan. 4 to 12 - 9 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Leaking Wastewater Tanks; Rager Mountain Gas Storage Area Cleanup Continues; Pipeline Land Slips  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - January 13  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 61 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In January 13 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

Weekly Oil & Gas Compliance Reports In 2023:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Dec. 23 to 29 - Abandoned Conventional Wells; Shale Gas Wastewater Releases; Conventional Wells Venting Gas [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Dec. 16 to 22 - 46% More Conventional NOVs; More Abandoned Wells; Conventional Well Fire; Shale Gas Venting, Spills, Plugging Mess [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Dec. 9 to 15 - 500 Conventional Abandoned Well Violations; 25 Days Of Shale Gas Water Withdrawals Without Permission; Wastewater Pipeline Spill [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Dec. 2 to 8 -- 9 Abandoned Conventional Wells; Failure To Restore Shale Gas Pad; No Progress In Spill Cleanups [PaEN]

-- 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 Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Nov. 18 to 24 - 5 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; 2nd Spill At Same Shale Gas Pad This Month; Village Of Reno Wastewater Cleanup Slow Going [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Nov. 11 to 17 -- 37 Conventional Abandoned Wells; 1,260+ Shale Gas Spill; 1,000 Gallon Conventional Oil Spill In State Park; Rager Mtn Gas Storage Still Not Cleaned Up [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - November 4 to 10 - Eight More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Venting Gas; Improper Plugging, Failed To Restore Well Pads  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Oct. 28 to Nov. 3 - Fire At PA General Energy Shale Gas Well Pad; 5 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Replugging Shale Gas Well  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - October 21 to 27 -- Plugging 100th Well Tough Going; 30 Abandoned Conventional Wells Confirmed To 1 Operator [PaEN]

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

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - October 7 to 13 - More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Spills; Venting Gas; Emergency Well Plugging [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 -- Company Tries To Limit DEP Investigation; Unauthorized Water Withdrawals; Can’t Pay For Reno Cleanup; Venting Gas Wells; More Abandoned Conventional Wells [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 23 to 29; More Abandoned Wells; Oil & Gas Doesn’t Typically Issue NOVs For ‘Routine’ Venting Of Natural Gas, Will Air Quality Under New Regs? [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 16 to 22 - 2nd Abandoned Shale Gas Well Pad? 5 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Failure To Comply With Order [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - September 9 to 15; First Abandoned Shale Gas Well Pad? Another Leaking Equitrans Storage Well; Plugging Grant Twp. Injection Well [PaEN]

-- 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]

-- 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]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - August 19 to 25 - More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Gas Frack-Out; More Leaking Wastewater Tanks; Equitrans Cleanup Continues [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - August 12 to 18; DEP Orders Restoration Of Water Supply; Conventional Wells Abandoned; Leaking Methane, Fluids [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - August 5 to 11; Routine Venting Of Conventional Wells, Shale Gas Wells; Major Conventional Spills; Pipeline Subsidence [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - July 29 to August 4; More Abandoned, Leaking Wells, Reno Water Supply Contamination; Rager Mtn. Natural Gas Storage Area Spills [PaEN]

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

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

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - July 8 to 14; Failed Shale Gas, Conventional Well Plugging; Leaking Conventional Wells [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - July 1 to 7; New Brownfield Cleanups; Shale Gas Well Plugging Picks Up; New Conventional Well Abandonments [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - June 24 to 30 - Radiation Levels Prompt Shale Gas Wastewater Tank Decontamination; Replugging Conventional, Shale Gas Wells [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - June 17 to 23 - Federal Well Plugging Project & Dimock Area Shale Gas Well Inspections; Leaking Plugged Conventional Wells; Frack Out Investigation [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - June 10 to 16 -- Leaking Conventional Wells; 5 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Using Tape To Repair Containment Liner [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - June 3 to 9: Plugged Conventional Well Frack-Out; 10 More NOVs For Abandoning Conventional Wells [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 27 to June 2 -- Conventional Operators Fail To Start Plugging, Fail To Cleanup Spills; More NOVs For Abandoning Wells [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 20 to 26; DEP Issues More NOVs For Conventional Well Abandonments [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 13 to 19: Struggle To Plug Tatonka Oil Co. LLC’s Nancy 13 Conventional Well Leaking Gas, Production Wastewater Since 2018; Citizen Complaint Finds ‘Bubbling’ Gas Well [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 6 to 12; Equitrans Gas Storage Area Issued New NOVs [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 29 to May 5; Major Shale Gas Wastewater Spill; 6 More Abandoned Well NOVs [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 22 - 28; Conventional Wells Venting Gas; Shale Gas Well Pad Spills [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 15 to 21; 10 Abandoned Well NOVs; New Crude Oil Leak; Defective Casing/Cementing [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 8 to 14; Shale Gas Drillers Create New Brownfields, 8 Wells Found With Defective Casing/Cementing [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 1 to 7; Leaking Gas Well On State Game Lands #87 Fixed [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 25 to 31; More Violations At Equitrans Gas Storage Area; Spring Walk Yields Hissing Gas Well On State Game Lands [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 18 to 24; Continuing Violations At Equitrans Gas Storage Area; 6 More New Well Abandonments [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 11 to 17; Fracking 2 Wells Interfered With Another Shale Gas Well In Westmoreland County [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 4 to 10; Big Week For Spills [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Feb. 25 to March 3; More Well Plugging Sites Inspected [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Feb. 18 to 24; First Violations Noted At New Well Plugging Sites [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Feb. 11 to 17 [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Feb. 4 to 10 - 12 NOVs For Abandoning Wells Without Plugging Them [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Jan. 28 to Feb. 3 [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Jan. 21 to 27 [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Jan. 14 to 20 [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Jan. 7 to 13 [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Dec. 31 to Jan. 6 [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Environmental Hearing Board Allows Protect PT Appeal Of Olympus Shale Gas Well Permits In Westmoreland County To Proceed; Olympus Was Trying To Deprive Protect PT Of Its Rights  [PaEN]

-- PJM Interconnection: Winter Weather Forces Natural Gas Pipeline Fuel Restrictions, ‘Conservative Operations’ Declared To Assure Electric Grid Reliability Through Jan. 17  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Water Quality Certification For Equitrans Project To Replace Abandoned Natural Gas Storage Wells In Greene County Due To Coal Mining  [PaEN]

-- DEP Reviewing Equitrans Act 2 Soil Cleanup Report On Rager Mountain Gas Storage Area Conventional Well That Failed Venting 1.1 Billion Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas In Cambria County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issued Air Quality Permit For Leachate Evaporation System At Westmoreland  Landfill With Special Radiation Monitoring Due To The Disposal Of Shale Gas Drilling Waste  [PaEN]

-- DEP Sets Feb. 27 Hearing On Helix Ironwood Gas-Fired Power Plant Air Quality Permit Renewal, Lebanon County  [PaEN]

-- No False Solutions PA Coalition Issues Position Statement On Hydrogen, Carbon Capture & Storage, Chemical Recycling Of Plastics, Other Climate 'Solutions'  [PaEN]

-- Jewish Earth Alliance, Beth Am Israel Hosting Jan. 23 Online Program Rethinking Our Connection To Fossil Fuels - A Discussion  [PaEN]

-- Evangelical Environmental Network: EPA Proposes Waste Charge On Methane Leaking From Large Oil & Gas Facilities  [PaEN]

NewsClips This Week - Oil & Gas:

-- Bob Donnan Blog: Fracking Groundwater Study Underway In SW PA

-- TribLive: Olympus Energy Contends Natural Gas Compressor Station For Penn Twp. Not Harmful To Environment In Westmoreland County

-- Bob Donnan Blog: What’s Not To Hate About Natural Gas Compressor Stations?

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA Natural Gas Pipeline Capacity Problem Persists [Industry Points To Out-Of-State Pipeline Delays As Examples]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Partisan Split On Energy, Environment Makes Compromise Unlikely

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Chesapeake Energy Buys Southwestern Leapfrogging EQT As Biggest Gas Producer In US

-- Bloomberg Columnist: US Oil And Gas Boom Doesn’t Feel Like One To Workers

-- Wall Street Journal - Kris Maher: Democrat PA Gov. Shapiro, CNX Fracking Executive And The Deal They Struck, Can It Work?

-- TribLive Editorial: Hydrogen Isn’t Clean If It Adds To Climate Pollution; Biden’s Rules Are A Good Start

[Posted: January 9, 2024]

1/15/2024