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What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: DEP: Nucomer Energy LLC Fails To Restore Shale Gas Well Pad, Water Impoundment In Forest County For More Than 12 Years After Drilling Was Completed

A December 11 Department of Environmental Protection inspection of a shale gas well pad and water impoundment owned by Nucomer Energy LLC in Hickory Township, Forest County found they have still not been restored more than 12 years after the wells were completed and 33 months after DEP issued the original violations for failure to restore the site.

An April 27, 2022 DEP inspection report said the last well on the pad was completed in September 2012 and violations were issued on that date for failing to restore the well pad and related impoundment nine months after the last well was fracked as DEP regulations require.

DEP also issued violations for spills from wastewater storage tanks and failure to submit monthly production reports in that same inspection report.

Faced with no action by the well owner, DEP issued an administrative order to Nucomer Energy on December 6, 2023 requiring the well owner to restore the well site and impoundment and address other violations. DEP December 11 inspection report

During a May 1, 2024 inspection, DEP found Nucomer had addressed only one of the requirements in the order-- “violations associated with the deficient secondary containment liner.”

On December 11, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection and found Nucomer had failed to comply with the December 6, 2023 order requiring the restoration of the well site and impoundment.

“The Impoundment remains filled with water. There is no earth moving equipment on site. There has been no observable attempt made to restore the Well Site or the Well Development Impoundment prior to this inspection.”

DEP requested a response by the well owner by December 27 on how the site will be brought into compliance. DEP December 11 inspection report

Nucomer Energy holds permits for 49 conventional and shale gas wells, including one abandoned well.

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 and Inspection Reports Viewer webpages to search their compliance records by date and owner.

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: April 2022 photos of impoundment, breached wastewater containment; December 2024 photos of impoundment, unrestored well site from DEP 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 - Dec. 7 to 14 - Failed To Restore Shale Gas Well Pad, Impoundment For 12 Years; Spills On Top Of Spills [PaEN]

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: DEP: Nucomer Energy LLC Fails To Restore Shale Gas Well Pad, Water Impoundment In Forest County For More Than 12 Years After Drilling Was Completed [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - December 14 [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On 2 PA General Energy Company Pipeline Projects Impacting Exceptional Value Streams And Wetlands In Lycoming County To Support Shale Gas Development [PaEN]

-- DEP To Hold Jan. 28 Hearing On Title V RACT 3 Air Quality Permit For Monroe Energy LLC Trainer Refinery In Delaware County [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 107 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In December 14 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- DEP Forms Internal Work Group To Develop Position On Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater; Shapiro Administration Supports Legislative Ban On Road Dumping [PaEN]

-- Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners Now Operate As Many As 95% Of Conventional Wells To Vent Methane Gas Making It Too Expensive To Comply With New EPA Methane Emission Reduction Regulations [PaEN]

-- EPA, Justice Dept., DEP Settlement With PennEnergy Resources LLC Requires Payment Of $2 Million Penalty, $3.6 Million Investment In Reducing Oil & Gas Facility Air Pollution Emissions [PaEN]

-- Independent Fiscal Office Estimates Act 13 Drilling Impact Fee Revenue Of $163.8 Million In 2024, Down $115 From 2022 [‘Lower Expectations’ Of Shale Industry Support] [PaEN]