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PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 4 to 10 - 32 More Abandoned Conventional Well Violations; Failure To Cleanup Spills; Failure To Get Permits

From May 4 to 10, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 891 inspection entries, and caught up posting inspection reports from last week.

So far this year, DEP took these action as of May 3--

-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 20 conventional, 14 unconventional

-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 3,159 conventional and 405 unconventional

-- Enforcements 2024: 195 conventional and 56 unconventional

-- Inspections Last Week: 311 conventional and 312 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Inspections: 5,815 conventional and 8,811 unconventional

-- Wells Drilled Last Week: 8 conventional and 4 unconventional

-- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 46 conventional and 116 unconventional

32 Abandoned Conventional Wells

On May 1, 2024, DEP did follow-up inspections on six conventional wells owned by Questa Petro Co. in East Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County and found one well abandoned and not plugged and five venting gas.

The wells included--

-- Calvin & Evelyn Miller 1: abandoned, not plugged

-- Dryburgh 2: Venting gas

-- Fretts 2: Venting gas

-- Nemec 1: Venting gas

-- Price Junior 4: Venting gas

-- Sovich 1: Venting gas

DEP originally issued violations for venting gas on or about February 26, 2024 and for the abandoned well March 11, 2024 and the owner did nothing.

Violations were also issued for failure to submit well integrity reports and site restoration.

DEP’s eFACTS database says Questa Petro has 379 permits for conventional wells.

DEP’s inspection report [Dryburgh 2 - example] requested the owner-- again-- to submit a written report by June 1, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

On May 2, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the Anderson 1 conventional gas well in Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County owned by C & D Gas Co and found it was still venting gas and was still abandoned and not plugged.

DEP issued violations for abandonment, venting and failure to submit annual production, waste generation and mechanical integrity reports on March 7, 2024.

The well is also located within a few feet of a People Gas pipeline.

DEP did receive a notice of intent to plug the well on April 24, but no actions have been taken by the owner.

DEP’s eFACTS database says C & D Gas has 217 permits for conventional wells.

DEP’s inspection report-- again-- requests the well owner to submit a write report by June 2, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

On May 3 & 6, 2024, DEP did routine inspections of 21 conventional wells owned by All Amer Energy, Inc. in Cecil Township, Washington County and found 21 wells were abandoned and not plugged.

The wells include: JD Saunters 3, JD Saunters 8, Gallagher Stering 2, W. Patterson 2, WE Woods 6, WE Woods 8, R Gladden 14, GH Miller 5, Cubbage Heirs 3, Cubbage Heirs 5, Cubbage Heirs 6, Cubbage Heirs 10, Berry Heirs 2, GH Miller 5, JP Scott 23, M Moorhead 1, Shane Bros 10, Carlisle 2, Elliott Bros 1, Little 19, and R Gladden 10.

Seven of the wells were also venting gas-- WE Woods 8, R Gladden 14, Cubbage Heirs 3, Cubbage Heirs 10, R Gladden 10, Little 19 and M Moorhead 1.

DEP issued violations for abandonment, venting gas and for failure to submit annual production, waste generation and disposal and well integrity reports.

DEP’s eFACTS database says All Amer Energy has 101 permits for conventional wells.

DEP’s inspection reports [Cubbage Heirs 3 example] requested the owner to submit a written plan between May 20 and May 30 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

On May 6, 2024, DEP did an inspection of two conventional gas wells owned by Energy Exploration & Dev LTD in West Salem Township, Mercer County and found--

-- John Patterson 1: abandoned, not plugged, owner did not submit well integrity reports since 2015, last production/waste report in 2014

-- Reeher 1: owner did not submit well integrity reports since 2015, last production/waste report in 2014

DEP’s inspection reports requested the owner to submit a written report by June 7, 2024 to bring the wells into compliance.

DEP’s eFACTS database says Energy Exploration has 12 permits for conventional wells.

On May 6 & 7, 2024, DEP inspected multiple conventional gas wells owned by Diversified Prod LLC in Knox Township, Jefferson County as a result of a complaint of contaminated private water supply.

The wells included--

-- Allshouse 3492: Found to be abandoned and not plugged; Methane readings in slam bar holes show methane leaks

-- NFG 39011: Methane readings in slam bar holes show methane leaks

-- Fee Knox Station 1 38125: Methane readings in slam bar holes show methane leaks. This well was issued violations for methane leaks on August 23, 2023.

DEP inspection reports found each of the wells exhibiting signs of casing failure and the soil gas readings outside the well-bore “which is a source of pollution to the groundwater.”

The wells were less than 2,500 feet from the complaint’s drinking water well.

DEP’s inspection reports [Allshouse example] included violations for casing failure and in the case of Allshouse 3494, well abandonment.

The well owner was requested to do an investigation of the possible source of methane leaks and provide a written report by May 21, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

On May 7, 2024, DEP did routine inspections of four conventional wells owned by Bialy Gas Production in Allegheny and Beaver counties and found all four wells were abandoned and not plugged.

The wells included--

-- Allegheny County, Moon Twp.: J. Kerr HRS JKH2 (abandoned, not plugged)

-- Beaver County, Baden Boro: Fisher 1A (abandoned, not plugged)

-- Beaver County, Economy Boro: Roy Musgrave 7 (abandoned, not plugged)

-- Beaver County, Economy Boro: Alan C. Martin 1 (abandoned, not plugged, leaking gas)

DEP’s eFACTS database says Bialy has 36 permits for conventional wells.

DEP’s inspection reports [Alan C. Martin 1 example] requested the owner to submit a written response by May 20, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

On May 9, 2024, DEP did follow-up inspections on three conventional wells in Upper Burrell Township, Westmoreland County owned by Vernard L. Shumaker and found three wells abandoned and not plugged.

The wells included-- Alcoa 3, Alcoa 4 and John Kline 2.

Violations were issued for abandonment and continued for failure to submit well integrity, production and waste generation reports.

DEP’s eFACTS database says Shumaker has 306 permits for conventional wells.

DEP’s inspection report [Alcoa 4 example] requested the well owner to submit a written report by June 10, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

475 Conventional, 2 Shale Gas Abandoned Well Violations In 2024

So far in 2024, DEP issued 475 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well owners and 2 shale gas well owners for abandoning wells and not plugging wells.

Not counting Quaker State/Pennzoil’s nearly abandoned 12,505 conventional wells… yet. Read more here.

Shale Gas Well Pad Water Contamination Not Cleaned Up

On May 2, 2024, DEP did a routine inspection of the Taft 851 shale gas well pad in Middlebury Township, Tioga County owned by Seneca Resources Co LLC and found polluted water in a sediment pond and on unprotected areas of the pad.

The original violations for these infractions were issued on March 6, 2024.

DEP’s inspection report continues these violations, but does not include any further direction to the well pad owner.

On May 9, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the Folta 22HC shale gas well pad in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County owned by Chesapeake Appalachia LLC and found a spill area has not yet been cleaned up since May 2.

Elevated conductivity levels were found in fluids outside of secondary containment in a truck off-loading area where an unknown quantity of fluid was spilled, the owner is pursuing an Act 2 Land Recycling Program cleanup.

DEP’s inspection report requests the owner to submit a written report by May 30, 2024 on how the area will be brought into compliance.

Leaking Conventional Wastewater Tanks

On May 8, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection at the Cowden 55 conventional well in West Bethlehem Township, Washington County owned by Diversified Prod LLC and found evidence a wastewater tank was still leaking.

The violation was originally issued on November 15, 2023 and there was still evidence of staining and conductivity readings indicating contamination remains.

DEP’s inspection report had no follow-up for the well owner.

On May 9, 2024, DEP did a complaint investigation at the Walls 3 conventional well in Bloom Township, Clearfield County owned by Stonehaven Energy Mgt Co LLC and found evidence of a large area impacted by a wastewater release.

The inspector said a screw had been inserted into the wastewater tank to try to stop the leak.

DEP’s inspection report included violations related to the release and requested the well owner to submit a plan by May 30, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

2024 Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 118 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups. Read more here.

Conventional Well Continues To Vent Gas

On May 3, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the Kamerer 1 conventional well in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County owned by Vernard L. Shumaker and found it was still venting gas.

DEP issued the original violation on March 12, 2024 and for failure to submit mechanical integrity, production and waste generation reports.

DEP’s eFACTS database says Shumaker has 306 permits for conventional wells.

DEP’s inspection report continues these violations and-- again-- requests the owner to submit a report by June 2, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

Olympus Energy Failed To Get Pipeline Permit

On May 8, 2024, DEP issued a formal notice of violation to Olympus Energy, LLC for failure to obtain a Chapter 102 Erosion and Sedimentation General Permit for a 2.8 mile section of the Morchesky to Athena water pipeline in Salem and Washington townships and the Municipality of Murrysville in Westmoreland County.

DEP requested the company to respond to the violation within five days.

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-- Diversified Prod LLC one of 3 conventional wells leaking methane, this one also abandoned; Energy Exploration & Dev LTD abandoned conventional well; All Amer Energy, Inc. abandoned conventional well 20 feet from drinking water well, house 150 feet away; Row 2-- Bialy Gas Production classic abandoned conventional well; C & D Gas Co abandoned conventional well and Peoples Gas pipeline; Questa Petro Co. conventional well venting gas; Seneca Resources Co LLC contaminated water in shale gas pad sediment pond; Row 3-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC shale gas well pad spill area not cleaned up; Stonehaven Energy Mgt Co LLC conventional wastewater tank release.)

[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.]

Special Link:

-- We’re Heard This Before: ‘We’re Providing Jobs - Stopping Pollution Threatens Jobs’ - A Brief Review Of Pennsylvania’s Conservation History [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 4 to 10 - 32 More Abandoned Conventional Well Violations; Failure To Cleanup Spills; Failure To Get Permits [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - May 11 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 80 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In May 11 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Hundreds Of Residents Warn Against Impacts Of Shale Gas Development In Cecil Township, Washington County [PaEN]

-- Two Months: Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Continues To Surround The Home Of A Senate Witness Who Opposes The Illegal Practice [PaEN]

-- Moody & Associates Study Finds Discharge Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater To The Ground Surface ‘Not A Viable Management Practice'; Supports Ban On Road Dumping; Onsite Disposal [PaEN]

-- DEP To Propose Changes To Coproduct Determination Process In Residual Waste Regulations; Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners Tried To Use This Process To Legalize Road Dumping Their Wastewater [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw To Introduce Bill To Punish Counties That Seek To Protect Their Residents From Impacts Of Natural Gas Thru Lawsuits [PaEN]