From December 7 to 14, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 643 inspection entries and posted reports from previous weeks. 

Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring  between December 7 to 14--

Click Here for violations issued between December 7 - 14.

Click Here for inspection entries between December 7 - 14.

            Enforcement Actions Taken Last Week

So far this year, DEP took these actions as of December 6--

-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 0 conventional, 18 unconventional

-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 7,119 conventional and 1,049 unconventional

-- Enforcements 2024: 483 conventional and 128 unconventional (orders, agreements)

-- Inspections Last Week: 187 conventional and 437 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Inspections: 16,659 conventional and 22,760 unconventional

            2 Abandoned Conventional Well

Prozan Furniture & Upholstery - Violations - Abandoned Well

December 12, 2024 inspection of the Douglas A. Prozan 1 conventional well in Millcreek Township, Erie County in response to a complaint found the well abandoned and not plugged. Multiple violations were issued including failure to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Well owner of record said he has not owned the well for years and the well went with the property after a sale. DEP found no record of a well transfer to a new owner. Prozan holds one conventional well permit. Response requested by January 7.  DEP inspection report.

Fred M. Schrecengost - Violations - Abandoned Well

December 6, 2024 inspection of the James I. Campbell 30 conventional well in Concord Township, Butler County in response to a well transfer request found it abandoned and not plugged. The original violation for abandonment was issued on December 4, 2018 and the owner did nothing.  DEP said the current well owner is deceased and attempted to reach the new owner Henry Duckstein.  There are 42 conventional well permits under the Schrecengost name.  DEP inspection report.

            Abandoned Wells With Unknown Owners

DEP did multiple inspections of abandoned and orphan wells to evaluate them for federal well plugging program--

-- Armstrong County, Redbank Twp: 223  Hartman RD 1

-- Jefferson County, Barnett Twp: R&T Powell 1

-- McKean County, Foster Twp: Delo B4; Delo D8

-- Washington County, Smith Twp: Buchannan 1; SS McWilliams

-- Washington County, Somerset Twp: Burgan 2

-- Westmoreland County, Penn Twp: A.McWilliams

            DEP attempted to inspect other abandoned wells, but they could not be found.

            849 Abandoned Conventional Well, 42 Abandoned Shale Gas Well Violations In 2024

So far in 2024, DEP issued 849 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells, more than in all of 2023.

So far in 2024, 42 violations were issued or continued to 12 shale gas well owners [Diversified Prod LLC;  Roulette Oil & Gas LLC; Hilcorp Energy Co;  Hilcorp Energy Co (3);  Hilcorp Energy Co (3);  T & F Exploration LP; EQT Production Co. follow-up;  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.

            Failure To Restore Shale Gas Pad, Impoundment For 12 Years

Nucomer Energy LLC - Violations - Failure To Restore Well Site, Impoundment For 12 Years

December 11, 2024 follow-up inspection of the DR02 shale gas well pad and related impoundment in Hickory Township, Forest County found the well owner failed to comply with all the provisions of a December 6, 2023 order to restore the well pad 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.” The original restoration violations were issued on April 27, 2022.  Response requested by December 27. Nucomer Energy holds permits for 49 conventional and shale gas wells, including one abandoned conventional well.   DEP inspection report.  Read more here

            Wastewater Spills & Releases

EQT Production Co. - Violations - Continuous Release Of Conventional Wastewater

December 5, 2024 inspection of the CS Day 661 conventional well site in Morris Township, Greene County in response to a reported discharge found an unnamed tributary of Enlow Fork flowing under the Northwest corner secondary containment at the well site with field testing showing elevated conductivity, salinity, pH and dissolved solids in the tributary.  The Southwest corner of containment had an ice accumulation that appeared to collapse the containment allowing fluid with a sheen and gray color flow into the unnamed tributary. Multiple violations issued.  Response requested from the well owner by December 23.  DEP inspection report.

Follow-up inspection on December 11, 2024 found remediation of the spill was not yet complete and violations were continued.  DEP inspection report.

            Other EQT spills--

December 4, 2024 inspection of the Gregor 7H shale gas well site in West Bethlehem Township, Washington County in response to a notification by the company found a spill from the overfilling of a tanker truck contaminating an area 60 x 60 feet. Contaminated soil was excavated and remediation was nearly complete at the time of the inspection. Multiple violations issued.  Response requested by December 26.  DEP inspection report.

December 6, 2024 inspection of the Henderson shale gas well pad in Morris Township, Greene County in response to a notification by the company of a wastewater spill on the well pad following a dump line washout. Contaminated soil was excavated and the well owner intends to clean up the site under the Act 2 Land Recycling Program.  Multiple violations issued.  Response requested by December 27.  DEP inspection report.

Greylock Production LLC - Violations - Multiple Related To Spills

December 9, 2024 follow-up inspection at the Ron shale gas well pad in Hector Township, Potter County related to December 3 spill found remediation was still not complete and new spills found by DEP Environmental Cleanup staff on the pad.  Wastewater was found overtopping the secondary containment structure in the wastewater truck offloading area. Fracking of wells was continuing at the pad.  Multiple violations continued. Response requested by December 23.   DEP inspection report.

Seneca Resources Co, Inc. - Violations - Multiple Related To Spills

December 11, 2024 inspection of the Bauer 849 shale gas well pad in Middlebury Township, Tioga County in response to a notification of a hydraulic fluid spill on the well pad found the spill had been cleaned up and impacted gravel excavated.  However, DEP found a multicolored sheen on a pool of water 100 x 30 feet outside of containment near the gas wells on the pad. DEP issued and closed violations related to the hydraulic fluid spill, but asked the well owner to identify the cause of the contaminated pool of water and “repair and clean as necessary.”  DEP inspection report.

Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co LLC - Violations - Gas Storage Area Wastewater Spills

On December 11, 2024 DEP reported sample results at the Phelps 4861 conventional well serving the Hebron Gas Storage Reservoir in Hebron Township, Potter County that added another violation for failing to report a wastewater spill at the well site.

On September 11, 2024, DEP reported sample results showed a subsurface release of approximately 1,000 gallons of drilling wastewater from the conventional Phelps 4861 gas injection well that impacted two nearby water supplies.  Read more here.

DEP’s September 4, 2024 inspection report said the release came from a hole in the well casing about 195 down from the surface.

On October 28, 2024, DEP did a follow-up inspection and found evidence of contamination around the wellhead and vegetation was missing from an area 120 by 70 feet down gradient of the well as well as dead vegetation in other areas.  Read more here.

The December 11 inspection report confirmed there was a wastewater spill and a new violation was issued for failing to report the spill.

DEP requested a response from the well owner by December 26 on how the well and site will be brought into compliance.  DEP inspection report.

There was no indication in any of DEP’s inspection reports the well owner has done much to address the violations.

            Bittinger #4 Wastewater Injection Well Back In Operation

Bear Lake Properties LLC

December 12, 2024 routine inspection of the Bittinger #4 oil and gas wastewater injection well in Columbus Township, Warren County found it back in operation and accepting wastewater for disposal.  There as no mention in the inspection report of the status of cleaning up a significant wastewater spill that was discovered by DEP on October 25 that went unreported for 109 days [Read more here.]  DEP inspection report.

            2024 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 268 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.  Read more here.

            Wells Venting Gas

Dale F & Dale R Fox - Violations - Venting Gas, No Annual Reports

December 10, 2024 inspection of the Fox 2 conventional gas well in Rome Township, Crawford County prompted by a request to transfer the well to the landowner found the well venting gas and with no annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports submitted.  Original violations September 18, 2020. No actions taken to address violations.  Multiple violations continued. Landowner was advised of responsibilities once transfer is made. Dale F & Dale R Fox hold 3 conventional oil and gas well permits.  DEP inspection report.

Washington Energy Co LLC - Violation - Well Venting Gas

December 10, 2024 routine inspection of the Welsh 320-1 conventional gas well in Chartiers Township, Washington County found the well venting gas. Violation issued. Washington Energy holds 121 conventional oil and gas well permits.  Response requested by January 10, 2025.  DEP inspection report.

            Erosion & Sedimentation Violations

Snyder Brothers, Inc. - Violations - Pipeline Erosion Violations Continue

December 9, 2024 inspection of the White Station To Hays Run Pipeline in Rayburn Township, Armstrong County found the pipeline owner failed to correct erosion and sedimentation violation originally found on November 22.  A significant part of the pipeline right-of-way has not been stabilized with mulch.  No requests made of pipeline owner.  DEP inspection report.

MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC - Violations - Slope Failure, Failed To Stabilize Site

December 11, 2024 inspection of the Brownlee To Timber Lake Pipeline at the Brownleee Michael Shale Gas Well Pad in Buffalo Township, Washington County in response to a request to terminate Erosion and Sedimentation GP-3 found a previously unreported slope failure, multiple areas not permanently stabilized and discharge of sediment into Buffalo Creek (High Quality).  Multiple violations issued.  Response requested by December 16.  DEP inspection report.

            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: Row 1-- EQT Production Co. stream flowing under secondary containment with wastewater release + follow-up inspection found remediation not complete; Greylock Production LLC shale gas spills not remediation, new ones found; Row 2-- Washington Energy Co LLC conventional well venting gas; MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC pipeline right-of-way sediment discharge into High Quality stream; Nucomer Energy LLC unrestored shale gas well pad, impoundment for 12 years; Row 3-- Prozan Furniture & Upholstery abandoned conventional well;  Seneca Resources Co, Inc. contaminated water outside containment on shale gas well pad; Fred M. Schrecengost abandoned conventional well (owner deceased))

[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]

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Down 1 From Last Week To 15; 21 On Aug. 21

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves New Fee Schedule, Water Withdrawals, Including 4 Shale Gas Withdrawals, Contribution To Abandoned Mine Drainage Remediation Project  [PaEN]

-- Rep. Martin Causer Returns As Republican Chair Of House Environmental Committee; Priority- Getting Government 'Out Of The Way' Of Energy Production  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Farm & Dairy: Western PA Residents Fight For Increase In Shale Gas Well Pad Setbacks

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: PA’s Shale Gas Impact Fee Project To Drop This Year

-- WTAE: PennEnergy Resources Agrees To Settlement After Alleged Environmental Law Violations

-- The Allegheny Front: PennEnergy Shale Gas Company Agrees To Reduce Harmful Emissions From Oil & Gas Sites In Western PA

-- Mountain State Spotlight: WV Landowners Lawsuit Settlement With Diversified Energy Company, EQT Corporation Will Result In Plugging 2,600 Wells In WV, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania Over 10 Years

-- AP: Fatal Natural Gas Explosion At Reading Chocolate Factory Caused By Faulty Gas Pipeline Fitting, Federal Safety Board Finds

-- PUC: Investigation Into Reading Chocolate Factory Natural Gas Explosion Can Help Drive Gas Pipeline Safety

-- PUC Approves PECO 12.5% Natural Gas Rate Increase, 7.1% Electric Rate Increase

-- WHYY: PECO To Hike Gas Rates 12.5%, Electric Rates 10%  Starting In January

-- NPR: Proposed Federal Rule Requires Gas Utilities To Find and Fix More Climate-Warming Leaks

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.02  Ohio- $3.05  PA- $3.24 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Republican Administration’s Big Oil/Gas Cronies Poised To Prop Up Fossil Fuels With $17 Billion In Subsidies, Incentives To Export Gas To China, Other Overseas Markets

-- Bloomberg: No Winners Seen In Republican Administration’s ‘Destructive’ Energy Tariffs

-- PA Capital-Star: It’s Do Or Die Time For Philly Hydrogen Hub, Green Groups Are Rallying Against It

-- Beaver Times: Shell Petrochemical Plant To Host Free Smoke Detector Distribution Dec. 12 

-- The Guardian: Locals In Beaver County Pennsylvania Feel ‘Sacrificed’ For Shell Petrochemical Plastics Plant

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Northern Oil & Gas To Invest In Appalachian Natural Gas Drilling

-- WHYY: New Jersey, Home To Many Oil And Gas Producers, Eyes Fees To Fight Climate Change

[Posted: December 14, 2024]

12/16/2024