On February 29, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the Lower Reno 6 conventional oil well site and wastewater storage tanks operated by Petro Erie, Inc. in Sugarcreek Borough, Venango County and found no progress in remediation of the spill that contaminated the Village of Reno water supply in July 2023-- seven months ago..

            DEP inspector Alan Wolf said in his inspection report on DEP’s inspection report February 29  he measured soil conductivity and took samples of pooled water within the dike and in an excavated area down slope from the tanks.

            He concluded, “The field screening of the soil and pooled water indicate that further remediation is needed at the site.”

Based on a comparison of photos included in the inspection report on February 29 and the prior inspection on November 13, 2023 [Read more here.], the site looks essentially the same.

No follow-up actions were noted in the latest inspection report.

DEP’s order to Petro Erie, Inc. to cleanup the contaminated area and pay the costs of supplying water to the Village of Reno remains on appeal with the Environmental Hearing Board.

In its appeal, Petro Erie said it does not have the financial ability to comply with the order.  [EHB Docket: 2023075]

Summary Of Spill Incident

The conventional oil well wastewater release from Petro Erie’s production wastewater tanks was discovered on July 20 and was found to have contaminated the Village of Reno’s water supply in Sugarcreek Borough, Venango County leaving the community of over 200 residents and businesses without clean water for more than six weeks.

Although the “do not consume” order to residents in Reno was lifted on September 1, the water supply emergency continues with drinking water trucked into the community every week.  Read more here.

Sadly, on September 9, Sugarcreek Borough Mayor Charlie McDaniel, who had been a leader in his community responding to the Village of Reno water emergency for the last six weeks, was found deceased in his home.  Read more here.

The water supply system for the Village of Reno, owned by the Venango Water Company, has been operated by Aqua Pennsylvania under an emergency order issued by the Public Utility Commission.  Read more here.

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

Visit the Aqua Pennsylvania Venango webpage for more information on activities related to the water supply system the company is operating on an emergency basis for the Venango Water Company.

(Photos: Excavated area of spill Feb. 29, 2024; Same area November 13, 2023; Wastewater tanks with pooled water.)

Related Articles - Village Of Reno:

-- The Derrick: Aqua Pennsylvania Continues To Operate The Water System Serving The Village Of Reno After A Conventional Well Wastewater Release Contaminated Its Water Supply Last July In Venango County  [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: DEP: Little Headway In Reno Oil Well Wastewater Cleanup In Venango County   [PaEN

-- Petro Erie, Inc. Says It Lacks The Financial Ability To Comply With DEP’s Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater That Contaminated The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County; Will Taxpayers/Ratepayers Be Stuck With Cleanup Costs Again?  [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Feb. 24 to March 1 - 11 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Field Of Leaking Wells; Voluntary Plugging; No Cleanup Progress In Reno Spill [PaEN]

-- Latest DEP Inspection Shows No Progress By Petro Erie In Cleaning Up The Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill That Contaminated The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County 6 Months Ago  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Clay-Like Material Polluting Marsh Creek Is Not Bentonite From Mariner East Pipeline Construction, But Naturally Occuring; Sunoco Cleanup Operation Finished  [PaEN]

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

-- 40 Individuals File Appeals, Most Handwritten, Of DEP’s Permit For Catalyst Energy Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In McKean County  [PaEN]

-- EPA Appeals Board Allows Protect PT, Three Rivers Waterkeeper Appeal Of Penneco Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Permit In Allegheny County To Move Forward  [PaEN]

-- Incomplete Application For CNX Midstream Slickville Fracking Wastewater, Natural Gas Pipelines Project In Westmoreland County Withdrawn By DEP  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 64 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 2 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week - Gas:

-- DEP: Oil & Gas Regulatory Program Will Be In The Red By Fall; All Sectors Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program No Go; Update On Permitting Reform  [PaEN]

-- PA Utility Law Project March 15 Webinar On Impacts Of LNG Gas Exports On Energy Costs For Pennsylvania Families; LNG Export Capacity To Double, Even With Permit Pause  [PaEN]

-- Bloomberg: Gov. Shapiro Calls On Biden To Keep Pause On Permits For New LNG Gas Export Facilities Short  [PaEN]

-- PA Environmental Groups: New PUC Rules, DEP Guidance Victory For Increased Safety In Pipeline Construction And Operation  [PaEN]

-- Chemstream Chemical Maker Agrees To Disclose Information About Its Proprietary Chemicals Used In Natural Gas Drilling  [PaEN]

-- IFO Reports 2023 PA Natural Gas Production Up 1.0% Over 2022, Thanks To Strong Q4 Production; Fewest New Wells Drilled In Last Decade  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Spotlight PA: Federal Money Supercharged PA’s Plugging Of Dangerous Conventional Oil & Gas Wells, But Critics Want More Oversight

-- Guest Essay: The Conventional Oil And Gas Industry Isn't Taking Responsibility For Their Wells - By Rep. Greg Vitali, Majority Chair, House Environmental Committee  [PaEN]

-- Q/A With House Environmental Committee Majority Chair Greg Vitali

-- Q/A With Senate Environmental Committee Majority Chair Gene Yaw

-- WESA: Republican US Senate Candidate Says Less Red Tape, More Natural Gas Are Key To PA’s Economic Future

-- Q&A With Michael Huwar, Peoples Gas - ‘Regulatory And Legislative Efforts Must Support The Natural Gas Industry’

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Permit Application For CNX Pipeline Project In Westmoreland County Withdrawn, Lacked Wildlife Permits

-- PA Business Report: Chemstream Announces Radical Transparency Fracking Chemical Compliance Initiative

-- TribLive: Murrysville Officials OK Olympus Energy Project For 2 Fracking Water Pipelines, 2 Natural Gas Pipelines In Westmoreland

-- MCall: Gas Leak Reported In Hellertown, Northampton County Prompting Evacuations 

-- PUC Reminder Of Opportunities To Comment On Proposed 18.7% Peoples Natural Gas Rate Increase

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Panel: Washington County State Of The Economy Explores Impacts Of ARCH2 Hydrogen Projects

-- Reuters: European Union Receives Bids For Nearly 3 Times The Volume Of Gas They Need

-- Bloomberg: Qatar Has Eyes On More Long-Term Deals As It Bets Big On LNG Gas

-- Financial Times: Oil And Gas Industry Profits Triple Under Biden, Even As Industry Decries Him

[Posted: March 2, 2024]

3/4/2024