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DEP Issues Violation To Blackhill Energy, LLC Shale Gas Driller For Contaminating Groundwater, 3 Water Supplies With Methane In Springfield Twp., Bradford County

On February 8, 2024, the Department of Environmental Protection issued a notice of violation to Blackhill Energy, LLC for failing to prevent the migration of shale gas into groundwater that contaminated three private water supplies with methane in Springfield Township, Bradford County in June of 2022.

The violations involve gas wells at the Jackson A South Well Pad that contains four active shale gas wells.

DEP said it received the original notification on June 28, 2022 from Blackhill Energy regarding a complaint of possible stray gas migration into a private water supply in Springfield Township and within 2,500 feet of the Jackson A South wells.

DEP redacted the names of the water supply owners from the notice PA Environment Digest received.

At the time of the complaint, DEP said Blackhill was conducting drilling operations on three of the wells, but had not yet fracked the wells.

DEP said on July 1, 2022, July 18, 2022, and December 6, 2023, it sent notices to Blackhill related to pollution in the three water supplies from Blackhill’s activities and outlining “Blackhill’s obligation to restore or replace the water supplies.”

The February 8, 2024 notice requests the operator to provide a written response to the notice by March 10, 2024 describing Blackhill’s investigation of this gas migration incident, including information regarding when the violations were or will be corrected, and what steps are being taken to prevent their recurrence.

DEP said in the notice that a Remediation Procedure and Monitoring Plan was received from Blackhill on November 13, 2023 that proposed an “acceptable initial” approach for starting remedial work on the Jackson 3H shale gas well to address defective cement issues that were believed to be the cause of the gas migration.

According to DEP’s eFACTS database, Blackhill Energy, LLC has 74 permits for shale gas wells and related pipelines, compressor stations and related gas infrastructure.

Methane Contamination Timeline

DEP said it received the original notification from Blackhill Energy on June 28, 2022 of a complaint regarding a possible stray gas migration into a private water supply

DEP inspected the Jackson 3H well on June 30, 2022 (just after the well was drilled, but before it was fracked) and on July 20, 2022 and found no issues with gas.

[DEP’s February 8, 2024 notice said on July 1, 2022 and July 18, 2022, DEP sent Blackhill notices regarding pollution of the water supplies as a result of Blackhill’s activities and outlining “Blackhill’s obligation to restore or replace the water supplies.”]

On August 3, 2022, DEP issued the original violation for defective cementing after detecting gas flow in the annulus of the Jackson 3H shale gas well.

But DEP also cited Blackhill for the same violations for Jackson 2H and Jackson 9H on the same day.

The August 3 inspection report noted a pressure test had to be suspended for the Jackson 3H well because gas pressure “approached or exceeded the safety pressure thresholds that were established prior to testing.”

During follow-up inspections on August 25, 2022 and September 23, 2022 DEP continued violations at Jackson 3H for defective cementing and leaking gas.

According to DEP’s October 20, 2022 inspection report, Blackhill went ahead and started fracking shale gas wells Jackson 2H, 3H and 9H.

An October 27, 2022 DEP inspection report noted fracking continued at these wells and the violations for defective cementing and leaking gas continued for Jackson 3H.

DEP’s November 2, 2022 inspection report said fracking activities were completed for Jackson 2H, 3H and 9H and the company was preparing for flow-back. No new violations were noted.

Blackhill had two spills of several barrels of wastewater and other fluids on the Jackson South well pad on January 3, 2023 and April 6, 2023 for which they were cited with violations.

Follow-up inspections related to the spills on April 25, May 16, 2023 and June 26 continued the original violations for both spills. Those violations were removed on July 18, 2023.

Several other follow-up inspections on August 23, September 18 and November 30, 2023 and January 8 and January 29, 2024 focused on erosion and sedimentation issues with no violations.

[DEP’s February 8, 2024 notice said on December 6, 2023, DEP sent Blackhill a notice regarding pollution of another water supplies as a result of Blackhill’s activities and outlining “Blackhill’s obligation to restore or replace the water supplies.”]

DEP’s last onsite inspection of the Jackson South shale gas well pad was on January 29, 2024.

Water Supply Issues

For more information on water supply impacts of oil and gas drilling, visit DEP’s Water Supply Determination Letters and Water Supply Resolved Complaints webpages.

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.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Report Emergencies, Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; visit DEP’s Blog, Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 9 to 15 - Home Explosion; 140 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Methane In Water Supply; Porcupine Causes Wastewater Spill [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 16 [PaEN]