From October 5 to 18, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 1,474 inspection entries, along with inspection reports from previous weeks.

So far this year, DEP took these actions as of October 4-- 

-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 27 conventional, 13 unconventional

-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 6,264 conventional and 791 unconventional

-- Enforcements 2024: 398 conventional and 101 unconventional (orders, agreements)

-- Inspections Last Week: 313 conventional and 318 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Inspections: 13,117 conventional and 18,768 unconventional

-- Wells Drilled Last Week: 4 conventional and 9 unconventional

-- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 131 conventional and 235 unconventional

            7 Violations For Abandoned Conventional Wells

On October 3, 2024, DEP did follow-up inspections of 2 conventional wells-- GE Klayer 2 and Rahl & Burnwell 524--  serving the Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage Inc. North Summit Gas Storage Reservoir in Wharton Township, Fayette County and found them abandoned, not plugged and leaking gas.

            The original violations for abandonment were issued on August 16, 2024 and the well owner failed to permanently plug the wells and stop the gas leaks.

            DEP’s inspection reports [example] requested the well owner to again submit a plan by November 10, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

On October 11, 2024, DEP inspected the WK Stewart 1 conventional well owned by Big Sand Drilling Co Inc. in Lower Burrell City, Westmoreland County and found it to be abandoned and not plugged with a faint odor of gas.

            The owner also failed to submit production, waste generation and well integrity reports for at least five years.

            DEP’s inspection report requested the owner to submit a plan by October 31, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

On October 15 & 16, 2024, DEP inspected 3 conventional oil and gas wells-- Detwiler Unit 1, James Noel 1, Walker 1616-- in Addison Township, Somerset County owned by Oil & Gas MGMT Inc. and found them all to be abandoned and not plugged.

            The original violations for abandonment were issued on or about November 14, 2023 and the well owner failed to do anything in response to the violations.

            DEP’s inspection reports [example] continued the abandonment violations and others for failure to submit annual production and waste reports and requested the well owner to submit a plan by October 25, 2024 on how the wells will be brought into compliance.

            Abandoned Conventional Well/Stray Gas Investigation

On October 8, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection of the Allshouse 3492 conventional gas well owned by Diversified Prod LLC in Knox Township, Jefferson County and found the abandoned well was in the process of being plugged.

            DEP inspected the well on October 2 as part of a stray gas investigation and had issued violations related to abandonment on May 6, 2024.  Read more here.

            DEP’s inspection report noted the plugging operation found the well casing was compromised by holes in multiple locations.

            DEP said the violations related to abandonment will be continued until the job is done.

            18 Other Abandoned Conventional Wells

DEP also inspected at least 18 other conventional oil and gas wells with Unknown owners to confirm their coordinates and evaluate them for consideration under the federal conventional oil and gas well plugging program.

767 Abandoned Conventional Well, 26 Abandoned Shale Gas Well Violations In 2024

So far in 2024, DEP issued 767 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells.

So far in 2024, 26 violations were issued or continued to 10 shale gas well owners [Diversified Prod LLC; Big Dog Energy LLC follow-up; Big Dog Energy LLC; EQT Production Co.; Diversified Prod LLC;  Chesapeake Appalachia LLC, Atlas Resources, LLC; Atlas Resources, LLC (follow-up inspection)’ Repsol Oil & Gas, EQT Chap LLC; M4 Energy; M4 Energy (follow-up inspection);  EQT (Rice Drilling B LLC); and Roulette Oil & Gas LLC; Roulette Oil & Gas LLC (follow-up inspection)] for abandoning wells and not plugging wells.

            Shale Gas Wastewater Spills

On October 17, 2024, DEP reported sample results confirmed a spill of shale gas wastewater occurred at the Donna shale gas well pad in Terry Township, Bradford County owned by Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC.

            DEP found the spill on September 30 during a routine inspection.

            DEP’s inspection report includes additional violations related to the spill, and for failing to notify DEP. 

            Because an unknown quantity of wastewater was released, DEP recommended Chesapeake remediate the area under the Act 2 Land Recycling Program.

            DEP again requested the well pad owner to submit a plan by November 8, 2024 on how the pad will be brought into compliance.

On October 17, 2024, DEP reported sample results confirmed a spill of shale gas wastewater occurred at the Tract 726D shale gas well pad in Plunketts Creek Township, Lycoming County owned by PA General Energy Co LLC.

            The spills were discovered during a routine DEP inspection on October 3.

            Because an unknown quantity of wastewater was released, DEP recommended PA General Energy remediate the area under the Act 2 Land Recycling Program.

            DEP’s inspection report again requested the well pad owner to submit a plan by November 8, 2024 on how the pad will be brought into compliance.

On October 7, 2024, DEP did a routine inspection of the Bowers 408 shale gas well pad in Jackson Township, Tioga County owned by Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC and found a build up of wastewater in secondary containment around the waste storage tanks.

            Elevated levels of conductivity were also found outside the containment indicating there may be a leak.

            A Repsol representative contacted DEP the following day and said the wastewater had been removed from a well cellar and that it had been constructed of corrugated metal that deteriorated over time.

             DEP’s inspection report requested the well owner to submit a plan by October 24, 2024 on how the well pad will be brought into compliance.

2024 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups

            So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 228 Act 2 Land Recycling notices and reports related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.  Read more here.

            Gas Leaking From UIC Observation Well

On October 1, 2024, DEP and a representative of EPA’s Underground Injection Control Program inspected the Green Glen Corp 4 conventional well being used as an observation well for the Povlik #1 underground oil and gas wastewater injection well owned by Danken-Sammer LLC in Huston Township, Clearfield County.

            The inspection found the Green Glen Corp 4 well was leaking gas and had increasing fluid levels indicating casing and/or cementing failures.

            DEP’s inspection report included violations related to failure to notify DEP of casing/cementing defects and failure to correct the problems.

            The well owner was requested to submit a plan by October 25, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

            DEP returned to the well on October 7, 2024 to take a sample of the gas for molecular and isotopic analysis to see if it matches gas from the Povlik #1 wastewater injection well.  [DEP inspection report]

            Gas Leaking From Storage Area Injection Wells

On October 1, 2024, DEP inspected 7 conventional gas wells used as gas injection wells to service the Donegal Gas Storage Reservoir in Donegal Township, Washington County owned by Columbia Gas Transmission LLC and found them to be leaking gas.

            The wells included Columbia Gas 4078, Daisy Defrance 0, Stanley Buick L4077, Stanley Buick UX 3, Montgomery 1, Martin L3702 and Patterson L4079.

            DEP’s inspection reports [example] include multiple violations for leaking gas and request the well owner to submit a plan by November 2, 2024 to bring the wells into compliance.

On October 6, 8 & 17, 2024, DEP inspected 6 more conventional gas wells used as gas injection wells to service the Donegal Gas Storage Reservoir in Donegal Township, Washington County owned by Columbia Gas Transmission LLC and found them all to be leaking gas.

            The wells included Patterson L3555, Grcich ET UX 0, DeFrance L4074, WS Main 4757; Daisy DeFrance 2 and Stanley Buick UX 0.

            DEP’s inspection reports [example] requested the well owner to submit plans by between November 9 and 17 (depending on the inspection date) for bringing the wells into compliance.

            These inspections continue DEP’s compliance review of Columbia’s Donegal Gas Reservoir which in the last several weeks found multiple abandoned and leaking gas wells.  Read more here.

            $1,000 Penalty For Emergency Contacts Violation

On October 15, 2024, DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database shows a $1,000 penalty was assessed against BJS, LLC for failing to keep emergency contacting postings at three conventional well sites in the City of Warren up-to-date.

            On October 2, 2024, DEP was called to the site of three conventional wells in Warren after a lawnmower damaged a gas pipeline causing a leak. Read more here.

            The Warren Fire Department said incorrect information on emergency contact postings on the wells delayed a response to the incident.

            Conventional Wastewater Leaking From Bullet Hole

On October 8, 2024, DEP inspected the C&K Coal 13 conventional well in Boggs Township, Centre County owned by Capital Oil & Gas Inc. in response to a notification by the Capital well tender and the property owner of a wastewater spill.

            DEP found evidence of a spill and what “appeared to be a bullet hole” in the wastewater storage tank that caused the release of wastewater.

            DEP’s inspection report included violations for the spill and requested the well owner to submit a plan by October 28, 2024 on how the well site will be brought into compliance.

            A follow-up inspection on October 9 found a contractor at work cleaning up the spill area.

            Multiple Erosion Violations At Pipeline Exposure Project

On October 9 & 10, 2024, DEP inspected the M2N Jumper Pipeline exposure project in Morris Township, Washington County owned by CNX Midstream OPR Co LLC in response to a referral from DEP’s Deep Mine Safety Program and found multiple erosion and sedimentation violations.

            Pipeline exposure projects are done ahead of underground longwall coal mining to prevent damage to natural gas and wastewater/water pipelines used by the shale gas industry that might otherwise subside and break as mining comes through the area.

DEP’s inspection report includes violations related to erosion and sedimentation issues and requests CNX to submit a plan by October 28, 2024 on how the violations will be resolved.

            October 10 DEP inspection report includes more photos.

            18,900 Gallons Released From Broken Water Pipeline

On October 11, 2024, DEP inspected a surface water pipeline in Ward Township, Tioga County in response to a notification from Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC the pipeline ruptured on October 10 and released an estimated 18,900 gallons of what the company was fresh water from an impoundment on DCNR State Forest land.

            The water washed out an area immediately at the site of the rupture, flowed into a roadside ditch and then into a culvert and across the lawn of a residence.

            DEP’s inspection report said conductivity measures confirmed it was fresh water and no violations were issued.

             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.

(Photos:  Row 1-- Six Columbia Gas Transmission LLC gas storage area wells leaking gas;    Danken-Sammer LLC gas leaking from observation well associated with oil/gas wastewater injection well; One of two Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage Inc. abandoned wells serving gas storage reservoir; Big Sand Drilling Co Inc. abandoned conventional well with faint gas odor near occupied buildings;  Row 2-- Diversified Prod LLC abandoned well casing compromised with holes leaking gas; sample results confirm wastewater spill on Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC shale gas well pad; sample results confirm shale gas wastewater spills at PA General Energy Co LLC shale gas well pad; a bullet hole in Capital Oil & Gas Inc. conventional storage tank leaking wastewater; Row 3-- 2 photos of CNX Midstream OPR Co LLC gas pipeline exposure project ahead of longwall coal mining; water accumulating at Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC shale gas well pad; Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC fresh water pipeline ruptured spilling 18,900 gallons of water.)

[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 - October 5 to 18 - Conventional Well Owners Issued 767 Violations For Abandoning Their Wells - So Far, More Than Double Number In 2019; Leaking Gas Storage Area Wells  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - October 12 [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - October 19 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 87 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 12 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 57 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 19 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

Related Articles This Week:

-- Pennsylvania Voters Overwhelmingly Support Stricter Regulations On Fracking, New Poll Finds  [PaEN]

-- Saint Vincent College Study Finds Counties With Shale Gas Fracking Wells Using Chemicals That Target Certain Hormones Have Greater Incidence Of Pre-Term Births, Low Birth Weights     [PaEN]

-- Beaver County Residents Invited To Join An Oct. 23 In-Person Tour Of Shale Gas Fracking Sites & Infrastructure In Washington County And Discover Its Costs  [PaEN]

-- Observer-Reporter Letter: There’s Another Side To The 'Shale Gas Revolution'  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Bartolotta, Sen. Yaw Announce Bill To Withhold Gas Drilling Impact Fees To Municipalities That Set More Protective Standards On Natural Gas Development Than State Law, And While There Is a Legal Challenge To Local Restrictions  [PaEN]

-- Observer-Reporter Guest Essay: Why Politicians Want You To Pay More For Natural Gas - By Patrick McDonnell, CEO of PennFuture, Former Secretary of DEP  [PaEN]

-- PJM Interconnection Winter Outlook: Adequate Power Supplies Available Under Normal Conditions; PJM Delays Next Power Auction After Prices Spike  [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: PUC Judge Issues Emergency Order Appointing Aqua Pennsylvania As Temporary Operator For 6 Rhodes Estate Water Companies [Serious Community Impacts Continue From Conventional Oil Well Spill In Venango County]  [PaEN]

-- DEP Begins Accepting Applications For New Methane Reduction Grants To Plug Conventional Oil, Gas Wells Oct. 16  [PaEN]

-- Evangelical Environmental Network Delivers Over 36,000 Comments From Pro-Life Christians To Gov. Shapiro, DEP In Support Of Strong Oil & Gas Industry Methane Emission Controls  [PaEN]

-- Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community Receives Grant To Strengthen Communications and Community Engagement Initiatives   [PaEN] 

-- Susquehanna River Basin Conditions Trigger Low-Flow Water Use Restrictions At 9 Shale Gas Water Withdrawals In Bradford, Susquehanna, Tioga Counties  [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Proposed Air Quality General Permit (GP-16) Covering Gaseous Fuel-Fired Spark Ignition Internal Combustion Engines  [Copy Of Documents ]

-- Team PA & Clean Air Task Force Convene Leaders To Discuss Challenges, Opportunities Of Industrial Decarbonization; DOE Provides Update On Decarbonization Investments In PA  [PaEN]

-- Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community Urges EPA To Move Forward With Strong Regulation Of Vinyl Chloride Under Federal Toxic Substances Control Act, While Calling For A Ban  [PaEN]

-- EPA Files $4.2 Million Settlement Of Air Pollution Violations For 2019 Philadelphia Refinery Explosion, Fire; Public Comments Invited  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- The Energy Age Blog: ‘Amity & Prosperity’ By Eliza Griswold Thrust Fracking In Washington County, PA Into The National Spotlight

-- Observer-Reporter: ‘Amity And Prosperity’ Book By Eliza Griswold Thrust Fracking [And Its Environmental & Health Impacts In] Washington County, Into National Spotlight  [PDF of Article]  [Part 5]

-- Observer-Reporter: 20 Years On, Fracking’s Potential Health Impacts Eyed  [Part 4]  [PDF of Article]

-- Observer-Reporter Letter: There’s Another Side To The 'Shale Gas Revolution'  [PaEN]

-- KDKA: Saint Vincent College Study Drills Down On Relationship Between Fracking Chemicals And Adverse Birth Outcomes

-- KDKA: Penn Township Residents Voice Concerns About Potential Zoning Changes To Allow More Industrial Development, Gas Facilities In Westmoreland County

-- Environmental Health Project: Health Professional’s Toolkit On Oil & Gas Development Health Impacts

-- Olean Times Herald: ‘Swiss Cheese’ Below McKean County Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Site Causes Concern  [PDF of Article]

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Plugging Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned By Their Owners Creates Jobs And A Healthier Planet - By Deb Haaland, Secretary, US Dept. of the Interior

--Washington & Jefferson College: October Marks 20th Anniversary Of Marcellus Shale In Appalachia

-- Observer-Reporter Editorial: Use Reason With Fracking

-- The Economist: The Shale Revolution Helped Make America’s Economy Great  [‘It’s Like A Giant Factory Producing Energy’]  [PDF of Article]

-- Spotlight PA: No One Is Using $2.6 Billion Hydrogen, Natural Gas Tax Credit, Shapiro Wants To Rewrite The Law To Boost Electricity Production

-- Ohio River Valley Institute: Is The Appalachian Hydrogen Hub Coming Apart?  Sure Looks Like It

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Appalachian Hydrogen Hub Plan Struggles-- One-Third Of Projects Scrapped, 4 Partners Have Left, Study Says

-- Utility Dive: Possible PJM Market Changes Could Lower Near-Term Capacity Prices, But Ultimately Give Rise To Higher Prices For A Longer Period Of Time - Morgan Stanley

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

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: EPA Reaches $4.2 Million Settlement, Largest Of Its Kind, Over 2019 Philadelphia Refinery Explosion  [Includes Copy Of Proposed Settlement]

-- WHYY - Sophia Schmidt: EPA Reaches Historic $4.2 Million Settlement Over 2019 South Philly Refinery Explosion, Fire

-- AP:  EPA Reaches $4.2 Million Settlement Over 2019 Explosion, Fire At Philadelphia Refinery

-- WPXI: Cranberry Twp. Families Left With Unanswered Questions After Natural Gas Leak Complaints From 70 Homes

-- WPXI: Small Natural Gas Leaks Found In More Than 30 Homes In Cranberry Twp., Butler County 

[Posted: October 19, 2024]

10/21/2024