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PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - June 15 to 21 - More Failed Shale Gas Well Plugs; Landslides; Venting Gas; Injection Well Issue?
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From June 15 to 21, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 537 inspection entries, and catching up posting last week’s inspection reports. So far this year, DEP took these actions as of June 14-- -- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 76 conventional, 8 unconventional -- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 4,134 conventional and 500 unconventional -- Enforcements 2024: 261 conventional and 66 unconventional -- Inspections Last Week: 355 conventional and 348 unconventional -- Year To Date - Inspections: 7,729 conventional and 11,359 unconventional -- Wells Drilled Last Week: 2 conventional and 9 unconventional -- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 65 conventional and 153 unconventional More Failed Shale Gas Well Plugs On June 17, 2024, DEP did a routine inspection of the Cowden 9H shale gas well at the Cowden 16 well pad in Hopewell Township, Washington County owned by Atlas Resources LLC and found the well had been improperly plugged and was leaking gas. Staining was also observed on the ground around the wellhead. DEP’s eFACTS database shows Atlas Resources LLC - not to be confused with Atlas Resources or Atlas Resources LLC with the same office address-- holds 1,067 conventional oil and gas and shale gas well permits-- 2 abandoned, many inactive or that did not materialize, according to DEP. DEP’s inspection report included a violation for well abandonment and improper plugging and requested the owner to submit a plan by July 2, 2024 to bring the well into compliance. On June 5, DEP found two other supposedly plugged shale gas wells leaking gas owned by Chesapeake Appalachia LLC in Susquehanna County. Read more here. On May 15, DEP found three other plugged shale gas wells leaking gas owned by EQT Chap LLC in Greene County (2 wells) and one plugged well owned by Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC in Tioga County. Read more here. Conventional Abandoned Wells - Unknown Owners From June 17 to 21, 2024, DEP inspected more than 15 conventional wells with Unknown owners to confirm their status for federal, contractor and state abandoned well plugging programs-- -- Warren County, Glade Twp. - Otterbein 1: Abandoned well survey -- Warren County, Glade Twp. - Booth 1: Abandoned well survey -- Warren County, Glade Twp. - Booth 2: Abandoned well survey -- Warren County, Glade Twp. - Booth 3: Abandoned well survey -- Warren County, Glade Twp. - Booth 5: Abandoned well survey -- Warren County, Glade Twp. - Booth 6: Abandoned well survey -- Warren County, Glade Twp. - Booth 8: Abandoned well survey -- Warren County, Glade Twp. - Steffan 3: Abandoned well survey -- Warren County, Glade Twp. - Maley 5: Abandoned well survey -- Warren County, Glade Twp. - Schumann 1: Abandoned well survey -- Warren County, Glade Twp. - Zigler 4: Abandoned well survey -- Warren County, Mead Twp. - Wolfe 224: Another operator intends to plug -- Warren County, Mead Twp. - Kinzua Road 3: Abandoned well survey -- Warren County, Sheffield Twp. - Lot 437 Orphan 9: Another operator plugged well -- Westmoreland County, Allegheny Twp. - JF Young: Abandoned well survey 520 Conventional, 9 Shale Gas Abandoned Well Violations In 2024 So far in 2024, DEP issued 520 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging wells; and 9 violations were issued to five shale gas well owners [Atlas Resources, LLC; Repsol Oil & Gas, EQT Chap LLC; M4 Energy; EQT (Rice Drilling B LLC); and Roulette Oil & Gas LLC)] for abandoning wells and not plugging wells. Shale Gas Well Pad Spill Violations Continue On June 18, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the Whispering Pines Shale Gas Well Pad in Delmar Township, Tioga County owned by Clean Energy Exploration & Production LLC and found areas of water accumulation on the unprotected well pad with elevated conductivity. DEP’s inspection report continued the spill violations originally issued on January 16, 2024 and recommended the owner assess the areas with elevated readings under the Act 2 Land Recycling Program. Conventional Well Fails To Provide Tank Containment On June 11, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the PGH Coal 1 conventional well in North Fayette Township, Allegheny County owned by Michael D. Graham and found nothing was done to comply with secondary containment requirements around a storage tank on site. DEP issued the original violation on April 6, 2023 and got an email from the owner on February 15, 2024 saying he would get to it “as soon as I can.” DEP’s eFACTS database shows Graham has permits for 31 conventional wells, two are inactive. DEP notes the well is in the process of being transferred to Ashley May [May Ashley] who has no other oil or gas wells, according to DEP’s eFACTS database, and lives in Oakdale, Allegheny County. DEP’s inspection report continues the 14-month old violation and asks the owner -- again-- to submit a plan by July 8, 2024 to bring the site into compliance. 2024 Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 154 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups. Conventional Wells Venting Gas On June 12, 2024, DEP did an inspection of the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp 1 conventional gas well owned by Dorso LP in California Boro, Washington County and found it was leaking gas. A well tender onsite clearing brush was advised of the issue. He told DEP the well was in the process of being sold to Apollo Resources, LLC. DEP’s inspection report includes violations related to the leaking gas and requests the owner to submit a plan by July 2, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance. On June 17, 2024, DEP inspected the Ruhlman 7 conventional gas well in Brokenstraw Township, Warren County owned by Anderson Energy SVC LLC and found it had been drilled to its total depth and is open to the atmosphere at the wellhead [uncontrolled gas venting is a normal procedure with new wells]. Drilling cuttings were contained onsite in a pit. DEP’s inspection report included no violations. On June 18, 2024, DEP inspected the Warrant 4791 4791 9 conventional gas well in Howe Township, Forest County owned by Cameron Energy Co. and found it had been drilled to its total depth and is open to the atmosphere at the wellhead [uncontrolled gas venting is a normal procedure with new wells]. Drill cuttings were contained onsite in a pit. DEP’s inspection report included no violations. On June 21, 2024, DEP did routine inspections of the WT 2850 Lot 9 23, Lot 9 24 conventional gas wells in Howe Township, Forest County owned by PennHills Resources LLC and found drilling was complete and the wells were vented to the atmosphere [uncontrolled gas venting is a normal procedure with new wells]. Drill cuttings were contained onsite in a pit. DEP’s inspection report included no violations. On June 21, 2024, DEP inspected three conventional gas wells owned by Elder Oil & Gas Co. in Perry Township, Clarion County-- Tremba 1, 4 and 6-- and found them venting gas and seemed abandoned from the DEP photos. DEP’s inspection reports [Karl D. Tremba 1 - example] included no violations “at this time,” and only the locations were confirmed. There was this notation in the reports: “This well falls within part of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Project, also referred to as the Bloomberg Project.” Landslides On Pipeline Rights-of-Way On June 11, 2024, DEP did an inspection of the RHL22 Gathering Pipeline in Richhill Township, Greene County owned by CNX Midstream OPR Co LLC in response to their report of a landslide on the pipeline right-of-way on June 6, 2024. CNX said the slope failure was first noticed outside the right-of-way in April and was monitored since then as it migrated into the right-of-way. CNX was in the process of addressing the slide during the inspection. DEP’s inspection report said the pipeline is not in jeopardy at this time, and included a violation for the landslide. DEP requested the owner to submit a plan by June 28, 2024 to bring the area into compliance. On June 21, 2024, DEP did follow-up inspections at three locations along the ETC Northeast Pipeline LLC’s Revolution Pipeline right-of-way in Robinson Township, Washington County and Independence Township, Beaver County concerning landslides and slips-- -- STA 2048+15: Original violations issued on May 15, 2024, soil crack appeared unchanged from June 13 inspection, continuing monitoring daily 5 days per week, repair plan is being developed, violations continued, DEP inspection report. -- STA 2044+00: Original violations issued on April 8, 2024, soil crack appeared unchanged, continuing monitoring daily 5 days per week, repair plan is being developed, violations continued, DEP inspection report. -- STA 1777+25: Original violations issued on April 8, 2024, soil crack appeared unchanged, continuing monitoring daily 5 days per week, repair plan is being developed, violations continued, DEP inspection report. No further follow-up actions noted in the reports. DEP and the company are monitoring landslides along this pipeline route closely because landslides in 2018 caused the pipeline to explode. Wastewater Injection Well Issue? On June 20, 2024, DEP did a routine inspection of oil and gas wastewater injection wells at the Bear Lake Prop LLC site in Columbus Township, Warren County and found an issue with the Joseph Bittinger 1 well. While other three wells on the site appeared to be functioning properly, but not disposing of any wastewater, the Bittinger 1 well annular pressure was zero when it was 175 psi six days ago. DEP’s inspection report said the annular pressure issue “is being diagnosed,” but “well integrity appears to be good.” No violations were included in the report and no follow-up actions by the owner were required. 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. Act 14 Notices To Municipalities Many communities and citizens are not aware that a state law passed in 1984 gives them the first chance to comment on Department of Environmental Protection permit applications even before they are submitted to the agency. Read more here. (Photos: Row 1-- Dorso LP conventional well leaking gas; CNX Midstream OPR Co LLC pipeline right-of-way landslide; Bear Lake Prop LLC wastewater injection well; Row 2-- Atlas Resources LLC plugging failed on shale gas well, venting gas; Clean Energy Exploration & Production LLC areas DEP said should be evaluated as spills on shale gas pad; Elder Oil & Gas Co. one of three conventional wells leaking gas; Row 3-- PennHills Resources LLC new conventional gas well venting to atmosphere, lined pit with drill cuttings; Michael D. Graham fails to install containment around storage tank for 14 months.) [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 Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 22 [PaEN] -- DEP Posted 53 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 22 PA Bulletin [PaEN] Related Articles This Week: -- PUC: Act 13 Drilling Impact Fee Revenue Drops $100 Million From Last Year’s Record To $179.6 Million; Puts Hole In State, Local Budgets [PaEN] -- PUC To Hold July 15 Prehearing Conference On Future Of Venango Water Company, Related Companies As Follow-Up To Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill In Venango County [PaEN] NewsClips: -- Williamsport Sun: Mid State Trail Assn., Susquehanna Chapter Trout Unlimited Challenge PA General Energy Multiple Shale Gas Pipeline Plan In Northwestern Lycoming County -- Marcellus Drilling News: Onerous New Regulations Approved For PA Liquids Pipelines, Landmen -- Warren Times Guest Essay: Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Still Pose A Threat - By Amanda Veazey, Geologist, CSR Services, LLC, Crawford County -- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Shale Gas Drilling Impact Fees Bring In $180 Million For 2023 On Lower Gas Price, Less Drilling -- Observer-Reporter: Shale Gas Impact Fee Funds Plummet Due To Low Natural Gas Prices -- The Energy Age Blog: Act 13 Shale Gas Impact Fee Drops $100 Million From Last Year’s Record, Even Though Gas Production Increased In 2023 -- TribLive: Natural Gas Well Impact Fee Allocations Drop; But ‘Every Little Bit Helps’ -- Marcellus Shale Coalition: Shale Gas Impact Fee Returns $180 Million [$100 Million Less Than Last Year]; Natural Gas Prices Drop $1.8 Billion In 2023, [Down From International Price Spikes Of 2022] -- TribLive: North Huntingdon Twp Could Get Nearly $7,000 For Gas Rights Under Township Land In Westmoreland County -- Kleinman Center For Energy Policy Podcast: How Potential For Global LNG Gas Oversupply Could Affect The Competitiveness Of The US Industry -- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: CNX Plan To Turn Mine Methane Gas Into Jet Fuel A ‘Win-Win’ Or Carbon Accounting ‘Gimmick’? -- BeaverCountian.com: Shell Petrochemical Plant’s Sirens Caused Alarm In Beaver County; Company Took Nearly A Month To Address Middle-of-the-Night Alarms -- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Shell Petrochemical Plant Explains Nighttime Fire Alarms At Beaver County Plant, Warns Sirens Will Sound Later This Week -- KDKA: Shell Petrochemical Plant Holding Emergency Drill TODAY In Beaver County -- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Will Creating Hydrogen Hubs In PA Get Us Away From Fossil Fuels? But How To Do It, And Whether It’s Possible Are Open Questions -- CNHInews: Advocates Urge True Clean Energy Approach For Hydrogen, Others Pine For PA’s Natural Gas -- Bloomberg: Cracks Appearing In LNG Gas Demand By China As Gas Supply Via Pipelines Grows -- Reuters: Oil Companies Flare More Natural Gas, Defying Effort To Eliminate Practice -- Reuters: Fossil Fuel Use, Emissions Hit Records In 2023, Report Says [Posted: June 22, 2024] |
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6/24/2024 |
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