Last week the Department of Environmental Protection issued violations to seven shale gas well drillers for failure to submit monthly waste generation, disposal and gas production reports-- one for the last three years.

These are the first violations of this type PA Environment Digest has seen this year.

The companies include Baker Gas, Inc., Diversified Prod LLC, Inflection Energy (PA) LLC, John E. McCool, Medina Res Dev Co LLC, Nucomer Energy LLC, and Ows Energy LLC.

None of the NOVs identified the shale gas wells or their locations.

DEP also issued violations to two more shale gas drillers-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC and STL Resources-- for failing to disclose fracking chemicals at an unknown number of wells, bringing DEP actions against shale drillers to six companies so far in 2024 for this violation.

In the last month, DEP has issued violations for not submitting fracking chemicals to Apex Energy (PA) LLC covering 37 shale gas wells in Westmoreland County  [Read more here]; EQT Production Company for 8 shale gas wells in Greene County [Read more here]; Range Resources-Appalachia, LLC for one well in Washington County [Read more here]; and Greylock Production LLC for an unknown number of wells in an unknown location [Read more here].

Failure To Report Waste

Here are the details available--

-- On October 2, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to Ows Energy LLC for failure to submit monthly gas production and waste generation and disposal reports for shale gas well(s) it owns for-- January through December 2022; January through December 2023; and January through July 2024.

            The report(s) have not been submitted to DEP as of October 3, 2024.

            DEP’s eFACTS database shows Ows Energy LLC holds 2,623 DEP permits for most conventional oil and gas wells and an unknown number of shale gas wells.

-- On October 2, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to Nucomer Energy LLC for failure to submit monthly gas production and waste generation and disposal reports for shale gas well(s) it owns for April, May, June and July 2024.

            The report(s) have not been submitted to DEP as of October 3, 2024.

            DEP’s eFACTS database shows Nucomer holds 49 DEP permits for conventional oil and gas wells-- including 1 abandoned well in Erie County-- and an unknown number of shale gas wells.

-- On October 2, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to Baker Gas, Inc. for failure to submit monthly gas production and waste generation and disposal reports for shale gas wells it owns for June and July 2024.

            DEP noted in the Oil & Gas Compliance Database the reports were submitted.

            DEP’s eFACTS database shows Baker Gas holds 217 permits for  both shale gas and mostly conventional oil and gas wells.

-- On October 2, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to Diversified Prod LLC for failure to submit monthly gas production and waste generation and disposal reports for shale gas wells it owns for July 2024.

            DEP noted in the Oil & Gas Compliance Database the reports were submitted.

            DEP’s eFACTS database shows Diversified Prod LLC holds permits for 21,696 mostly conventional oil and gas wells which require annual reports, but some shale gas wells which require monthly reports.

-- On October 2, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to Inflection Energy (PA) LLC for failure to submit monthly gas production and waste generation and disposal reports for shale gas wells it owns for July 2024.

            The report(s) have been submitted to DEP as of October 3, 2024.

            DEP’s eFACTS database shows Inflection Energy holds 60 permits for shale gas well pads, related pipelines and other infrastructure.

-- On October 2, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to John E. McCool for failure to submit monthly gas production and waste generation and disposal reports for shale gas well(s) he owns for July.

            The report(s) have not been submitted to DEP as of October 3, 2024.

            DEP’s eFACTS database shows McCool holds 461 permits from DEP for mostly conventional oil and gas wells-- including 4 abandoned wells in McKean County and 1 abandoned well in Warren County-- and an unknown number of shale gas wells.

-- On October 2, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to Medina Res Dev Co LLC for failure to submit monthly gas production and waste generation and disposal reports for shale gas well(s) it owns for July.

            The report(s) have not been submitted to DEP as of October 3, 2024.

            DEP’s eFACTS database shows Medina holds 486 DEP permits for conventional oil and gas wells-- including 66 abandoned conventional wells-- and an unknown number of shale gas wells.

            Failure To Disclose Chemicals

-- On October 1, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to Chesapeake Appalachia LLC for failure to provide a list of chemicals used in fracking claiming the chemicals were “proprietary” information.

            The violation was not available online, so the shale gas wells, their location and the dates of the violation are unknown.

            DEP’s eFACTS database shows Chesapeake Appalachia holds 1,507 permits for shale gas wells and related infrastructure.

-- On October 1, 2024, DEP issued a notice of violation to STL Resources for failure  to provide a list of chemicals used in fracking claiming the chemicals were “proprietary” information.

            The violation was not available online, so the shale gas wells, their location and the dates of the violation are unknown.

            DEP’s eFACTS database shows STL Resources holds 35 DEP permits for shale gas wells and related gas infrastructure.

            DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database webpage and search by the date and shale gas driller name to find these violations.

            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.

Use DEP’s Oil and Gas Mapping Tool to find if there are oil and gas wells near or on your property and to find wells using latitude and longitude on well inspection reports.

[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 - Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 - Five More Abandoned  Shale Gas Well Violations; Failure To Disclose Fracking Chemicals; Failure To Report Waste Generation & Disposal; Lawnmower Causes Conventional Pipeline Gas Leak [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Violations To 7 Shale Gas Drillers For Failure To Submit Monthly Waste Generation, Disposal, Production Reports - 1 Company For 3 Years; 2 More Drillers Fail To Disclose Fracking Chemicals  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - October 5 [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Sets Oct. 30 Hearing On The Proposed 2025 Fee Schedule; Water Withdrawal Requests, Including 4 Supporting Shale Gas Development  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 72 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 5 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- DEP Begins Accepting Grant Applications Oct. 9 To Plug Orphan Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned By Their Owners  [PaEN]

-- DEP Advisory Group To Hear How DEP Proposes To Implement New Federal Methane Reduction Rule For Conventional Oil & Gas, Shale Gas Wells, Infrastructure Oct. 10  [PaEN]

-- State Fire Commissioner Now Accepting Applications From Local Fire, Emergency Services For Training, Equipment To Respond To Shale Gas Infrastructure Fires, Emergencies  [PaEN]

-- Center For Coalfield Justice Hosts Oct. 16 In-Person Program In Waynesburg, Greene County On Protecting Public Health, Resources From Shale Gas Development   [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw Introduces Bill To Prohibit State Government From Owning Any Clean Energy Credits; Would Force The Use Of More Taxpayer Money To Plug Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Routinely Abandoned By Conventional Well Owners  [PaEN]

-- PennFuture: Lawmakers Move Bill To Require Clean Solar Energy Facilities To Have Bonds; But Fail To Have Adequate Plugging Bonds For Dirty Oil & Gas Wells Leaving Taxpayers To Pick Up The Cost  [PaEN]

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets Oct. 8 On Hydrogen Hubs, Data Centers, Food Processing Residuals, PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Regulation  [PaEN]

-- No Decision Posted Yet From DEP On Whether Flare Gas Chemical Makeup, Volume At Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County Is Confidential Business Information  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: Fracking In Pennsylvania Hasn’t Gone As Well As Some May Think

-- The Allegheny Front - Susan Phillips: Fracking In Pennsylvania Hasn’t Gone As Well As Some May Think

-- LancasterOnline Letter: Remembering The Reality Of Fracking - Doing It Safely Or The Wild West - Not For Or Against - By Bruce Riefenstahl, Mount Joy

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Ad Crable: Pennsylvania Factions Spar Over Treating Roads With Drilling Wastewater

-- Olean Times Herald (NY): Marine Vet In McKean County Deals With Fracking Wastewater Injection Well Next Door: ‘I Regret Purchasing This Home’

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Work On Shale Gas Wastewater Injection Well In McKean County Progresses  [PDF of Article]

-- The Energy Age Blog: Update: Emergency DEP Conventional Well Plugging Continues In Allegheny County

-- PennLive - John Beauge: Construction Of PA General Energy Natural Gas Pipelines In Lycoming County Can Begin Despite Concerns For Trail, Wild Trout Streams  [Read more here ]

-- Federal Pipeline Safety Agency Increases Grants To State With Pipeline, Underground Gas Safety Programs [PA PUC Receive $2.6 Million In Base Grant In 2023]

-- Senate Passes Sen. Baker’s Extension Of PA One Call Program For Underground Utility Safety

-- The Allegheny Front - Kara Holsopple: New Guidelines Center On The Needs Of People With Disabilities During Petrochemical Disasters

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Federal Court Certifies Class Action Lawsuit Against Range Resources For Potentially 204 Landowners Over Lease/Royalty Issues  [PDF of Article ]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: EQT Natural Gas Driller Announces Plan To Cut 15% Of Its Workforce-- About 250 Employees

-- Reuters: Natural Gas Producer EQT To Lay Off 15% Of Workforce

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Rigs Up 1 To 15 From Last Week [Down 28% Since Aug. 23]

-- Observer-Reporter: Marcellus Shale Has Wealth Of Natural Gas And More [Royalty Payments, Act 13 Drilling Impact Fees]  [PDF of Article]  [Part 3]

-- Utility Dive: Natural Gas Association Warns Of Colder Winter, Higher Gas Prices On Heels Of North American Electric Reliability Corp Concerns About Sufficient Gas Supplies

-- The Guardian: LNG Gas Has Far Worse Climate Emissions Than Coal, Cornell Study Finds

-- Bloomberg: LNG Gas Traders Choose To Pay Penalties For Not Shipping Gas To Germany To Chase Higher Profits In Asia

-- Bloomberg: LNG Gas Exporter New Fortress Energy Stock Plunges After Delaying Dividend Payment  [Proposing Gas Export Facilities In PA]

-- Reuters: Big US Oil/Gas Companies Reveal ‘Massive’ $42 Billion In Payments To Foreign Governments; US Gets Worst Natural Resource Extraction Deals

[Posted: October 4, 2024]

10/7/2024