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What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: Coterra Energy Spills 12,600 Gallons Of Wastewater From Shale Gas Well Pad In Bridgewater Twp., Susquehanna County

The Department of Environmental Protection posted a February 20 inspection report this week saying there was a spill of an estimated 12,600 gallons of wastewater at the Diaz Family Shale Gas Drilling Well Pad 2 owned by Coterra Energy, Inc. in Bridgewater Township, Susquehanna County.

Coterra Energy said it discovered the spill at 2:00 p.m. on February 19 and notified DEP at 3:14 p.m. DEP was on site to do an inspection at 10:43 a.m. on February 20.

According the inspection report, Coterra Energy said, “An estimated (300) barrels [12,600 gallons] of fluid [wastewater] released out of a fluid hose connected to a valve on the frac [water storage] tank, due to the valve being defective.”

Wastewater “spilled to the frac tank secondary containment structure, escaped containment, infiltrated into the pad surface, seeped onto the pad perimeter berm on the fill slope, flowed into a drainage swale at the toe of the fill slope down-gradient of the pad, and then into a sediment basin, according to Coterra.”

“Coterra also stated that fluid in the basin released out of a riser in the basin to a drain outlet and into a wetland down-gradient and south of the basin.

DEP conductivity testing during the inspection confirmed elevated readings indicating a wastewater spill.

DEP’s inspection report noted previous wastewater spills were discovered by DEP during a September 30, 2024 inspection and violations were issued on November 21, 2024 after water sampling confirmed spills occurred.

DEP February 20 inspection report noted Coterra Energy was taking steps to characterize the extent of the spill impacts on and off the well pad.

At the time of the inspection, about 3,700 gallons of wastewater had been recovered from a sediment basin down slope from the spill area.

“The plan is to start excavating the frozen impacted material on the pad today, 2/19/25, then transfer the material into lined Diaz half round containers, and melt the material in the containers with heating units so it can be hauled off site.”

The February 20 inspection report included new violations for illegally discharging substances into waters of the Commonwealth resulting in pollution and for mishandling wastewater.

It also continued the violations for the previous spill incident issued on November 21, 2024.

DEP asks Conterra Energy to formally respond to the violations by March 11.

Click Here for a copy of the 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-- Wastewater in sediment basin; Conductivity testing wastewater; Row 2-- Blue frac wastewater storage tanks and area where the fluid went down slope; Wastewater contaminated drainage swale.)

[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 Oil & Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind:

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: DEP Issues Violations For Abandoning 11 More Shale Gas Wells; Shale Gas Well Owner Fails To Comply With Plugging Order [PaEN]

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: Coterra Energy Spills 12,600 Gallons Of Wastewater From Shale Gas Well Pad In Bridgewater Twp., Susquehanna County [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: 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 [PaEN]

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

-- 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 [PaEN]

-- 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 [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]

-- 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 [PaEN]