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What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: DEP Signs Consent Order With Roulette Oil & Gas To Plug Shale Gas Well Abandoned For 8 Years In Hebron Twp., Potter County

On January 21, the Department of Environmental Protection and Roulette Oil & Gas Co., LLC signed a consent order and agreement requiring the company to plug a shale gas well that was abandoned for 8 years in Hebron Township, Potter County.

The Guardian Pad B 6H shale gas well was drilled in February 2011 and then granted inactive status on September 7, 2012 that expired on September 7, 2017, according to the order.

On August 23, 2023, Roulette applied to extend inactive status and was sent a final denial of that request on February 14, 2024 by DEP.

DEP issued a notice of violation to Roulette on August 25, 2023 for abandoning and failing to plug the well.

DEP inspected the Guardian well at least four times in 2024-- January 8, April 17, July 29 and November 21 and continued well abandonment violations.

DEP said in the order the well is “not known to present a threat to public health and safety or the environment.”

The order requires the well to be plugged by October 31, 2025 and a final report is due December 31, 2025.

The order stipulates penalties of $1,000 a day for each violation of the order.

Click Here for a copy of the consent order.

Troubled Compliance History

Roulette Oil and Gas LLC has a troubled environmental compliance history.

Roulette holds permits for 347 conventional and shale gas wells and related infrastructure, including for 19 wells DEP says are abandoned and not plugged.

Inspection reports and the Save Our Streams PA citizens group have documented the fact Roulette has been issued violations for abandoning and not plugging eight oil and gas wastewater injection wells in Clara and Hebron Townships, Potter County. Read more here.

In December 2023, Roulette withdrew a permit application for a new oil and gas wastewater injection well in Clara Township, Potter County after public opposition centered on its compliance history. Read more here.

Shale Well Abandonments Increasing

So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 11 violations to one shale gas drilling company for abandoning and not plugging their wells-- [Diversified Production LLC].

In 2024, a record 47 violations were issued or continued to 12 shale gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells. Read more here.

In 2023, DEP issued or continued 20 violations to 10 shale gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells. 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 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: Guardian shale gas well; wastewater storage tank at site.)

[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.]

What The Shale Gas, Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind:

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: DEP: Southwestern Energy Prod Co. Failed To Comply With Act 2 Cleanup Standards At The Greenzweig Shale Gas Wastewater Impoundment In Bradford County After 5 Years [PaEN]

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: DEP Signs Consent Order With Roulette Oil & Gas To Plug Shale Gas Well Abandoned For 8 Years In Hebron Twp., Potter County [PaEN]

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: Diversified Production LLC Starts 2025 With 11 Violations For Abandoning, Not Plugging Shale Gas Wells [1.17.25]

-- What The Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells On Federal Lands - Shenango River Lake, Allegheny National Forest [1.17.25

-- What The Shale Gas, Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: Record Number Conventional, Shale Gas Abandoned Well Violations In 2024; Gas Storage Area Well Leaks [1.8.25]

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: DEP: Diversified Production LLC Failed To Plug 2 Abandoned Shale Gas Wells For 42 Months + At Least 9 Other Shale Gas Wells Abandoned [12.22.24]

-- 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 [12.13.24]

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: DEP Issues 10 Violations To Big Dog Energy, LLC, Diversified Production LLC For Abandoning Shale Gas Wells; Violations For Shale Gas Abandonments More Than Doubled In 2024 [12.7.24]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Jan. 25 to Feb. 14 - Shale Gas Well Ordered Plugged After 8 Years; 20 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Shale Gas Well Leaking Gas For 23 Months And Counting [PaEN]

-- DEP: Southwestern Energy Prod Co. Failed To Comply With Act 2 Cleanup Standards At The Greenzweig Shale Gas Wastewater Impoundment In Bradford County After 5 Years [PaEN]