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PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 30 to April 5 - 19 Abandoned Well Violations; Venting Gas; Spills; No Containment; Erosion BMP Failures

From March 30 to April 5, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 602 inspection entries. DEP also caught up with posting inspection reports from over the Easter holiday.

So far this year-- as of March 29-- DEP took these actions--

-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 126 conventional, 28 unconventional

-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 2,696 conventional and 263 unconventional

-- Enforcements 2024: 158 conventional and 37 unconventional

-- Inspections Last Week: 288 conventional and 485 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Inspections: 4,083 conventional and 6,608 unconventional

-- Wells Drilled Last Week: 2 conventional and 1 unconventional

-- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 25 conventional and 100 unconventional

19 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations

On March 25-26, 2024, DEP inspected 13 conventional gas wells owned by Daniel C. Gray in Peasant Township, Warren County in response to a citizen complaint about stray gas contaminating a private water supply.

The inspections identified 13 conventional wells that were abandoned and not plugged, where the owner failed to submit well integrity, production and waste generation reports.

The wells included-- Gray 2, Gary 3, Gray 4, Gray 5: Gray 101A, Gray 102B, Gray 103C, Gray 104D, Gray 105E, Gray 106F, Gray 107G, Gray 108H, and Zimmerman & Webster 1-50.

The inspection did not find any gas leaking from the wells.

DEP’s eFACTS database says Daniel Gray has permits for 13 conventional wells.

DEP’s inspection reports [Gray 2 - Example] requested the owner of the wells to submit a written plan by April 17, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

On March 27, 2024, DEP inspected two conventional wells owned by EQT Gathering Of PA, LLC in Center Township, Greene County and found they continued to be abandoned and not plugged. The wells are related to the Holbrook Gas Storage Reservoir.

The wells included Orndoff L2574 and Mitchell L4222. The original violations were issued on or about October 4, 2023.

The well owner said the wells would be plugged in 2024.

DEP’s inspection reports indicated some repair work had been done on the wells, but requested the owner of the wells to submit a written report by April 27, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

On March 28, 2024, DEP inspected two conventional wells owned by Rejiss Assoc. Holdings in Dunbar Township, Fayette County and found one to be abandoned and not plugged and the other venting gas to the atmosphere.

The wells included Burkholder/Joshowitz Unit 1 (abandoned) and Yetta Joshowitz 1 (venting gas).

DEP’s eFACTS database says the owner has permits for 37 conventional wells.

DEP’s inspection report requested the owner of the wells to submit a written report by April 28, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

On March 26, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the Nemacolin 7008 conventional well owned by T&F Exploration LP in Wharton Township, Fayette County and found it continues to be abandoned and not plugged.

The original violation was issued on May 2, 2023 and the owner did nothing to comply.

The owner also did not comply with a request to submit a plan and schedule to plug the well.

DEP’s eFACTS database says the owner has permits for 20 conventional wells.

DEP’s inspection report requested the owner to submit a written report by April 3, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

On March 27, 2024, DEP inspected the LOT 1406 conventional well owned by William Sadowski in Washington Township, Fayette County and found it to be abandoned and not plugged and venting gas.

The owner also failed to submit well integrity, production and waste generation reports.

DEP’s eFACTS database says the owner has permits for 2 conventional wells.

DEP’s inspection report requested the owner to submit a written report by April 11, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

On April 4, 2024, DEP did an inspection of the Niemeyer 3 conventional well owned by Medina Res Dev Co. LLC in Le Boeuf Township, Erie County and found it to be abandoned and not plugged.

So far this year, DEP has issued 212 violations to Medina Res Dev Co. LLC for not plugging conventional wells it abandoned. Read more here.

The original violation for abandonment for this well was issued on March 5, 2024.

DEP’s inspection report requested the owner to submit a written report by May 2, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

415 Conventional Abandoned Well Violations In 2024

So far in 2024, DEP issued 415 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well operators for abandoning wells and not plugging them.

Abandoned Wells Found At Bottom Of Elevator Shaft

On April 3, 2024, DEP did a follow-up file review for information purposes on conventional wells-- owner unknown-- located at the bottom of the elevator shaft of the Braddock Carnegie Library, Braddock Borough, Allegheny County.

One well was originally found in 2022 and then vented to the roof of the Library. A second well was found that was probably the water well for the first well.

DEP inspection report - Well 1. DEP inspection report - Well 2.

No Secondary Containment Around Equipment

On March 27, 2024, DEP inspected the Herminie shale gas well pad owned by Apex Energy (PA), LLC in Sewickley Township, Westmoreland County and found continued violations for failing to install secondary containment around holding wastewater and drilling cuttings.

These violations were originally issued on March 13, 2024 by DEP and the well owner failed to take any action to comply. They kept drilling their wells.

DEP’s inspection report included no follow-up actions required by the well owner.

Conventional Well Leaking Iron Water

On April 4, 2024, DEP did an inspection of Allegheny National Forest 1459 conventional well owned by Bradford Pipe & Supply Co. in Hamilton Township, McKean County and found the well was leaking orange iron water.

The report said the well was preact and plugged in the protective area of East Branch Gas Storage Area.

The inspection also found other iron water seeps in the area that could be the source of the water leaking from the well.

DEP’s inspection report did not include violations, but the inspector said a follow-up inspection was required.

Failure To Cleanup Spill Contaminating Reno Water Supply

On April 1, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the Lower Reno 6 conventional oil well site owned by Petro Erie, Inc. in Sugarcreek Borough, Venango County that was the site of a significant wastewater spill that contaminated the Village Of Reno water supply.

DEP’s inspection report found the well site unchanged since the previous inspections on February 22 and 29.. The well owner has done nothing more to clean up the area contaminated by the wastewater from its wells..

DEP’s orders to cleanup the well site and restore water to the Village of Reno are pending an appeal before the Environmental Hearing Board. Read more here.

Multiple Failures Of E&S Controls/Spill

On March 25 & 28, 2024, DEP did follow-up inspections of four impoundments and other shale gas facilities owned by Geopetro LLC in South Beaver Township, Beaver County and found significant, continuing violations related to erosion and sedimentation control failures.

The facilities included the David L. Thompson freshwater impoundment, Powell BEA Shale Gas Well A, the David Burdick Pad A, Fedorchak Well Pad, and Game Commission Well Pad.

Many of the original violations were issued between December 29, 2023 and February 14, 2024 and the owner failed to address them.

DEP’s inspection report of the David Burdick shale gas pad also identified a spill area affecting the vegetative cover.

DEP did not request follow-up actions on most of the reports, but did on the Burdick well pad related to the spill. [DEP inspection report]

On March 28, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection on progress cleaning up a spill at the Beacon shale gas well pad owned by Greylock Prod LLC in Greene Township, Greene County and found a new slope failure and erosion and sedimentation violations.

DEP’s inspection report requested the owner to submit a written report by April 18, 2024 on how the area will be brought into compliance.

2024 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 93 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups. Read more here.

Continuing Failure To Submit Well Integrity, Other Reports

On April 1, 2024, DEP did follow-up inspections on the Lambert UX 1, Benson Unit 2 and Thomas Benson 1 conventional wells owned by DRI Opr Co. in Stonycreek Township Somerset County and found the operator still has not submitted mechanical integrity, production and waste generation reports dating back to 2009.

The reports noted the owner and fixed equipment leaks in response to violations issued on November 1, 2023, but has not removed accumulated, unused equipment from the site.

DEP’s inspection report requested the owner to submit a written report by April 9, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

Report Violations

To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.

Text photos and the location of abandoned wells to 717-788-8990.

Check These Resources

Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database webpage to search their compliance records by date and owner 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: Row 1- Abandoned conventional well owned by Daniel C. Gray; Shale gas well owner Apex Energy (PA), LLC failed to install secondary containment; Gas storage area well owner EQT Gathering Of PA, LLC abandoned, unplugged conventional well; Row 2- Area at the edge of a shale gas well pad impacted by a spill owned by Geopetro LLC affected by a spill; conventional well venting gas owned by Rejiss Assoc. Holdings; conventional well owner DRI Opr Co failed to submit annual reports since 2009 and did not remove unused equipment from well site; Bradford Pipe & Supply Co.; Row 3- Abandoned conventional wells in the elevator shaft of the Braddock Carnegie Library.)

[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 - March 30 to April 5 - 19 Abandoned Well Violations; Venting Gas; Spills; No Containment; Erosion BMP Failures [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - April 6 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 75 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 6 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- DEP Reports Only 1 Shale Gas Well Permit Under Review Drastically Reducing The Revenue Needed To Run Its Entire Oil & Gas Regulatory Program [PaEN]

-- Road Dumping Continues At Will As Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners Get Rid Of Their Wastewater [PaEN]

-- Spotlight PA: Little Information Made Public About Free Water Testing Ordered As Part Of Mariner East Natural Gas Liquids Pipeline Settlement To Criminal Charges By Attorney General [PaEN]

-- ReImagine Appalachia Applauds EPA’s $500 Million Grant To Appalachian Community Capital To Stimulate Green Energy Investments In Low-Income Rural Communities Affected By Fossil Fuel Industry’s Decline [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- The Allegheny Front: PennEnergy Plan To Withdraw Water From Big Sewickley Creek In Beaver County For Fracking Revives Worry About Threatened Fish

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Zefiro Methane; Plants & Goodwin Looking To Plug Abandoned Conventional Gas Wells To Generate Carbon Credits