On January 11, 2024, the Department of Environmental Protection approved a permit for the Catalyst Energy, Inc. oil and gas wastewater injection well in Keating Township, McKean County over the objections of the residents of the community of nearby Cyclone.

Residents said both DEP and the US Enviromental Protection Agency ignored the history of significant conventional oil and gas well drilling in the area, pointing to more than 100 wells around the proposed injection well site they felt would not provide a secure disposal area for the wastewater.  Read more here.

Residents were concerned about potential impacts to their water supplies and many other issues.  Read more here.

In February, more than 40 residents filed formal appeals of DEP's permit with the Environmental Hearing Board, many of them handwritten, and those appeals are now making their way through the EHB process.  Read more here.

Meanwhile, the injection well is being prepared to start operations.  DEP's most recent inspection on October 23 found most of the construction complete, although several deficiencies were found.  Read more here.

Bradford Era

On October 3, the Bradford Era began a seven-part series of articles written by Sara Furlong, Managing Editor of the newspaper, reporting on the many concerns Cyclone residents have with the injection well.

This series offers a detailed view of the concerns rural residents have with injection wells and conventional oil and gas development.

Here is their story--

-- Bradford Era: ‘I Regret Purchasing This Home:’ Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Permitted Next Door In Cyclone, McKean County  [PDF of Article]

-- Bradford Era: Pool And Uneducated: Cyclone Residents Feel Community Was Targeted By Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Owner In McKean County.  [PDF of Article]

-- Bradford Era: Cyclone: Subterranean ‘Swiss Cheese’ Around Area Where Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Was Permitted In McKean County  [PDF of Article]

-- Bradford Era: ‘No Help From Any Quarter’ Residents Fighting Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Cyclone, McKean County  [PDF of Article]

-- Bradford Era: A Heavy Weight To Bear - Truck Traffic, Noise From Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Operations In McKean County  [PDF of Article]

-- Bradford Era: ‘I Just Want Help With My Exploding Water’ Flaming Cyclone Water No Party Trick Near Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well  [PDF of Article]

-- Bradford Era: New Water Authority Coming To Hilltop Area: Residents Of Cyclone Worried About Their Well Water From Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well  [PDF of Article]

[Note: Catalyst Energy, Inc. did not comment to the Bradford Era for this series.]

(Photo: DEP map of many of the old conventional oil and gas wells around the injection well site.)

Resource Link:

-- Exploding Water Well Shed Triggers DEP Investigation Of 59+ Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Cyclone, McKean County; Highlights Limits On Providing Temporary Water For Well Owners Impacted  [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Oct. 26 to Nov. 1 - No Attempt To Contain, Cleanup Injection Well Spill; Gas Storage Area Well Release; More Abandoned Conventional Wells  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - November 2 [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On New Air Pollution Permit For Revolution Natural Gas Cryogenic Processing Plant In Washington County; Plant Suffered Major Explosion, Fire In 2022  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 82 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In November 2 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

Related Articles - Gas:

-- DEP Discovers Wastewater Release At Bear Lake Properties Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Warren County During Routine Inspection  [PaEN]

-- Bradford Era:  7-Part Series Details Concerns Residents Of Cyclone, McKean County Have With Catalyst Energy Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well [PaEN]

-- PUC Approves Emergency Order Appointing Aqua Pennsylvania Temporary Operator For 6 Rhodes Estate Water Companies As Fallout Continues From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill In Venango County  [PaEN]

-- Joint Meeting Of DEP Citizens Advisory Council, Environmental Justice Advisory Board Nov. 12 On Oil & Gas Methane Emissions Reductions; Hydrogen Hubs  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Quality Board To Consider Proposed Spill Notification Regulation; Blasting; NOx & VOC Corrections Nov. 12  [PaEN] 

-- Low-Flow Water Conditions Trigger Big Jump In Susquehanna River Basin Water Withdrawal Restrictions, Most Shale Gas-related  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Groups File Notice Of Intent To Sue The Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County For Air Pollution Violations: Similar Action In 2023 Resulted In $10 Million Settlement  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro, Joins 4 Other Governors To Call On PJM To Reform Its Electric Generating Capacity Auction Rules To Prevent Billions Of Dollars In 'Unnecessary’ Costs To Their Residents, Businesses  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: As Fracking Turns 20 In Pennsylvania, Towns Consider New Regulations For Distance Between Homes And Well Pads [Cecil Twp., Washington County]  [PDF of Article]

-- The Derrick - Randy Bartley: Priority To Plug Old Conventional Oil, Gas Wells Deepens For DEP  [PDF of Article]

-- The Derrick - Randy Bartley: Plugging A Problem Abandoned Conventional Gas Well  [PDF of Article]

-- Institute For Energy Economics & Financial Analysis: Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County 'Unlikely To Meet Financial Targets'

-- Inquirer: Electric Bills Are Rising In PA, NJ; Governors Want PJM To Help Cut Costs

-- National Fuel Gas Increases Natural Gas Costs 3.7% On Nov. 1

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drill Rigs Increase One To 13 From Last Week, Still Down From 21 On Aug. 23

-- S&P Global: US Natural Gas Producer Coterra Signs LNG Gas Supply Deals With Vitol, UK’s Centrica Linked To LNG Prices

-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Post Biggest Weekly Decline Since January

-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Drop As Goldman Warns Of Bearish Risks

[Posted: November 1, 2024]

11/4/2024