PA Environment Digest

Share this:

DEP Soliciting Bids For Plugging 20 Conventional, Abandoned Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Wells Owned By Pennzoil In The Allegheny National Forest

On June 28, the Department of Environmental Protection posted a solicitation for bids on BidExpress.com to plug up to 20 conventional, abandoned and permitted oil and gas wastewater injection wells in Highland Township, Elk County on Allegheny National Forest land.

The wells are owned by the Pennzoil Company, a multinational oil company which makes a range of products for the consumer motor oil market, and were generally in use in the 1980s.

DEP estimated the cost of cleaning out and plugging the wells is between $1 million and $5 million.

In June of 2023, DEP issued two contracts for cleaning out and plugging 23 abandoned, conventional and permitted oil and gas wastewater injection wells also in Highland Township, Elk County. Read more here.

These wells were owned by ARG Resources, a company related to the American Refining Group which owns and operates the Bradford Oil Refinery in Bradford, PA, and Pennzoil.

The plugging contracts are funded by well plugging bonds forfeited to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Underground Injection Well Program, not the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Conventional Well Plugging Program.

Visit DEP’s Well Plugging Program webpage to learn more about abandoned and orphan oil and gas well plugging in Pennsylvania.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - June 22 to 28 - 12 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Failure To Comply With Cleanup Order [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 29 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 81 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 29 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

Related Articles - Gas:

-- Sen. Camera Bartolotta: PA Should Be Producing 4 Times The Gas We Are Now, Exporting It Around The World: ‘We Just Need To Get Government The Hell Out Of The Way’ [PaEN]

-- PA Natural Gas Prices Follow International Market Prices Which Have Caused 40% to 60%+ Increases To PA Ratepayers, And Will Again. Diversification Of Energy Sources Is The Key To Prevent Spikes, Lower Prices Read more here.

-- Independent Fiscal Office Projects Another Drop In Act 13 Shale Gas Drilling Impact Fee Revenue In 2024 By As Much As $114 Million From 2022 [PaEN]

-- House Committee Told Governor’s Energy Plan Diversifies Energy Generation, Avoids One-Fuel Dependence, Improves Grid Reliability, Lowers Consumer Costs, Generates Jobs; Or Upends Competitive Markets And Is A ‘Death Wish’ For Our Economy [PaEN]

-- DEP: Reminder Of July 2 Virtual Hearing On PA General Energy Triple Shale Gas, Water Pipeline Proposal In Lycoming County

-- Legislative Budget & Finance Committee Report Finds DEP Issued Shale Gas Well Drilling Permits In Less Than 40 Days Required By Law Over Last 5 Years; By 2022 It Was Down To 21 Days [Page 63]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Revised Oil & Gas Erosion & Sediment Control General Permit (ESCGP-4) [PaEN]

-- DEP Reviewing Shell Petrochemical Plant Title V Air Quality Operating Permit Application For Administrative Completeness [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Air Quality Permits For Installation Of A 5.8 Million Gallon Gasoline/Naphtha Storage Tank At The United Refining Company Refinery In Warren, PA [PaEN]

-- Comments Invited By DEP On Renewal Of Air Quality Permit For American Refining Group Facility In Bradford, McKean County [PaEN]

-- DEP Soliciting Bids For Plugging 20 Conventional, Abandoned Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Wells Owned By Pennzoil In The Allegheny National Forest [PaEN]

-- Center For Coalfield Justice Hosts July 17 Meeting In Washington County On How To Protect Your Families' Health Living Near Shale Gas Facilities [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves Water Withdrawals, Including 7 More For Shale Gas Development In June; Total Of 15 In 2024 [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved, Renewed 33 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In May; 133 General Permits In 2024 [PaEN]