From October 26 to November 1, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 657 inspection entries, and added reports from previous weeks..

So far this year, DEP took these actions as of October 25--

-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 87 conventional, 35 unconventional

-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 6,665 conventional and 872 unconventional

-- Enforcements 2024: 443 conventional and 114 unconventional (orders, agreements)

-- Inspections Last Week: 341 conventional and 312 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Inspections: 14,626 conventional and 19,990 unconventional

-- Wells Drilled Last Week: 5 conventional and 16 unconventional

-- Year To Date Wells Drilled: 144 conventional and 269 unconventional

            4 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations

On October 9, 2024, DEP did an inspection of the Hillman COAL 2 conventional well in Luzerne Township, Fayette County owned by The Production Co LLC and found the well abandoned, not plugged and leaking gas.

            Other violations included failure to submit production, waste generation and well integrity reports.

            DEP’s inspection report requested the well owner to submit a plan by October 29, 2024 on how the well will be brought into compliance.

            DEP’s eFACTS database shows The Production Co LLC holds 19 conventional oil and gas well permits, none of them abandoned.

On October 28, 2024, DEP did a routine inspection of the A.Bell 7 and J.Gromley 14 conventional wells in North Fayette Township, Allegheny County owned by Rocksauce OPR LLC and found them both abandoned and not plugged.

            DEP’s inspection reports [A.Bell 7 example] included violations for well abandonment and requested the owner to submit a plan by November 16, 2024 to bring the wells into compliance.

            DEP’s eFACTS database shows Rocksauce holds 88 conventional oil and gas well permits, none of them abandoned.

On October 29, 2024, DEP did a routine inspection of the Hickman Speerstra 5 conventional well in Cranberry Township, Venango County owned by Pennfield Energy, Inc. in response to a proposed transfer of the well to Lakeshore Energy Development, LLC and found the well was abandoned and not plugged.

            DEP’s Inspection Report also included violations for failing to submit production, waste generation and well integrity reports for several years and for abandoning well servicing equipment.

            No follow-up actions were requested of the well owner.

            DEP’s eFACTS database shows Pennfield Energy holds 69 permits for conventional oil and gas wells, none of them abandoned.

Between October 26 to November 1, DEP reported inspecting at least 29 abandoned conventional oil and gas wells with Unknown owners to determine their eligibility for the federal well plugging program--

-- Allegheny County, Fawn Twp.: William Wylie; Nancy Dellinbaugh

-- Allegheny County, Marshall Twp.: Venango Trails 1

-- Allegheny County, Plum Boro: Long

-- Clarion County, Porter Twp.: Ruth Dwyer 1

-- Fayette County, Jefferson Twp.: Inman 1

-- Fayette County, Nicholson Twp.: ST Gray

-- McKean County, Bradford City: Nesselson Longfellow 13, 14, 15; Nesselson Buchannan 44, 46A; WT 3489 Johnston & Matthews 1

-- McKean County, Foster Twp.: Murphy 20, 29, 37

-- Warren County, Mead Twp.: Tiona Farm Lot 164 6 & 164 24; C.Miller 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 38

-- Washington County, South Franklin Twp.: Murray Cooper

-- Westmoreland County, North Huntingdon Twp.: Irwin

-- Westmoreland County, Sewickley Twp.: Sewickley Creek Watershed Assn. 1

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

So far in 2024, DEP issued 818 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.

            No Effort Made To Contain Release At Oil & Gas Injection Well

During a routine inspection on October 25, 2024, the Department of Environmental Protection discovered an oil and gas wastewater release from the Bear Lake Properties LLC Bittinger #4  conventional injection well site in Columbus Township, Warren County.  Read more here.

            The wastewater release traveled approximately 1,770 feet from the Bittinger 4 well, down drainage swales, across an ATV trail and into unnamed tributaries to Brokenstraw Creek, according to DEP’s inspection report.

            No effort was made by the owner to contain the release or start cleanup.

Click Here for a copy of DEP’s inspection report.   Read more here.

             As of November 3, DEP posted no update on the status of this spill or any communication with the injection well owner.

              Injection Well Waste Permit Renewed

             On November 2, DEP published notice in the PA Bulletin the agency had approved a waste permit renewal for the Bear Lake Properties LLC Saltwater oil and gas wastewater injection well and transfer facility located in Columbus Township, Warren County.  (PA Bulletin, page 7270) 

            Shale Gas Wastewater, Petroleum Releases

On October 18, 2024, DEP inspected the Kovalick 13 shale gas well in Nicholson Township, Fayette County owned by Diversified Production LLC in response to a notification of a release.

            DEP found a valve broke and caused pressure to build up in an underground plastic pipeline causing it to rupture. 

An estimated 2,300 gallons of fluid was released on the well pad and traveled across the well pad and downslope from the failure for an estimated 180 feet.

DEP’s inspection report requested the owner to submit a plan by November 5, 2024 on how the well pad will be brought into compliance.

On October 28, 2024, DEP inspected the Mallory Group Shale Gas Well Pads B & C in Plunketts Creek Township, Lycoming County owned by EQT ARO LLC in response to a reported release of a petroleum based fluid.

            DEP found a contaminated area of about 100 by 50 feet impacted by fluid leaking from one of the onsite dumpsters.

            DEP’s inspection report included violations related to the release and a request to the pad owner to submit a plan by November 19, 2024 on how the area will be brought into compliance.

            The Mallory well pad also had spills in March and May of this year that were not cleaned up by May 23.  Read more here.

On October 29, 2024, DEP inspected the Elwell Shale Gas Well Pad in Wilmot Township, Bradford County owned by Chesapeake Appalachia LLC in response to a report from the owner of a release of an unknown volume of production wastewater.

            The exact date and volume of the release are unknown.

            Approximately 50 tons of contaminated soil was excavated in the area of the release on October 24, 2024 and the area was backfilled.

            DEP’s inspection report said there did not appear to be any impacts off the well pad.

            DEP’s report included multiple violations related to the release and a request to submit a plan by November 20, 2024 on how the site will be brought into compliance.

On November 1, 2024, DEP inspected the Folly Hollow Farm shale gas well pad in South Franklin Township, Washington County owned by Range Resources Appalachia LLC in response to multiple complaints from landowners about a release of fluid at the pad on October 31.

            DEP’s inspection found fluid had been sprayed out of the flare stack in a mist that impacted the well pad during a plug removal operation and was also released into secondary containment.

            The flare stack was broken down and removed and the contaminated pad material was being excavated during the inspection.

            DEP’s inspection report included violations related to the release-- no violation for failing to notify DEP of the release.  No follow-up actions were requested of the well owner.

            Gas Storage Area Well Release

On October 28, 2024, DEP did a routine inspection of the Phelps 4861 conventional gas well at the Hebron Gas Storage Reservoir owned by Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. LLC in Hebron Township, Potter County and found evidence of contamination around the well head.

            Vegetation was missing from an area 120 by 70 feet down gradient of the well and dead vegetation was observed in other areas.

            A fenced off excavation pit was located near the wellhead with fine black particulate on the ground.

            DEP collected soil samples to be analyzed for chemicals related to production wastewater.

            DEP’s inspection report included a violation related to the observed release impacts and the owner was requested to submit a plan by November 13, 2024 on how the area will be brought into compliance.

            2024 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 240 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.  Read more here.

             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-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC shale gas well pad contaminated by release of wastewater; release from Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. LLC gas storage area well; Petroleum fluid release at EQT ARO LLC shale gas well pad;  Row 2-- Abandoned Pennfield Energy, Inc. conventional well and equipment; Range Resources Appalachia LLC fluid release during shale gas well plug removal; Rocksauce OPR LLC abandoned conventional well; Plastic pipeline leak on Diversified Production LLC shale gas well pad; Abandoned The Production Co LLC conventional well leaking gas; Row 3-- Bear Lake Properties LLC Bittinger #4 injection well wastewater release.)

[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 - 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 2, 2024]

11/4/2024