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PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Feb. 22 to 28 - 11 More Abandoned Shale Gas Wells; 12,600 Gallon Wastewater Spill; Failure To Comply With Shale Well Plugging Order
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From February 22 to 28, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 886 inspection entries. Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between February 22 to 28-- Click Here for violations issued between February 22 to 28. Click Here for inspection entries between February 22 to 28 Enforcement Actions Taken Last Week So far this year, DEP took these actions as of February 21-- -- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 1 conventional, 10 unconventional -- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 281 conventional and 124 unconventional -- Enforcements 2025: 48 conventional and 13 unconventional (orders, agreements) -- Inspections Last Week: 245 conventional and 293 unconventional -- Year To Date - Inspections: 2,437 conventional and 4,009 unconventional 12,600 Gallon Shale Gas Wastewater Spill Coterra Energy, Inc. - 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. Read more here. Failure To Comply With Shale Gas Well Plugging Order LPR Energy LLC - Violations: Failure To Comply With Plugging Order February 28, 2025 inspections of two shale gas wells found the owner failed to comply with a well plugging consent order issued by DEP on August 31, 2021 requiring the plugging of these two wells by the end of 2024-- -- Somerset County, Lower Turkeyfoot Twp.: PMG Baird 1H - Drilled in 2011 [DEP inspection report] Well listed as abandoned on December 7, 2023 [DEP inspection report] -- Fayette County, Henry Clay Twp.: Humberston Unit 1H - Drilled in 2011. [DEP inspection report] Well listed as abandoned on December 7, 2023 [DEP inspection report] Response requested by March 16. LPR Energy holds 42 permits. 4 Abandoned Conventional Wells Red Lion Gas Coop Assn. - Violations: Abandoned, Unplugged Conventional Well February 7, 2025 inspection of the Mark Williams 1 conventional well in Jefferson Township, Fayette County found it abandoned and not plugged. Owner also failed to submit production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Violations issued. Response requested by April 7. Red Lion holds 2 conventional well permits. DEP inspection report. PA Mineral SVCS LLC - Violations: Abandoned, Unplugged Conventional Well February 13, 2025 inspection of the Ackerman 2 conventional well in Derry Township, Westmoreland County found it abandoned and unplugged. An intent to plug the well was received on January 29, but no work was done to prepare the site for plugging. Violations continued. Response requested by February 27. PA Mineral holds 764 conventional well permits. DEP inspection report. Myers Gas - Violations: Abandoned, Unplugged Conventional Well February 24, 2025 inspection of the Danner 3 conventional well in Victory Township, Venango County found the well abandoned and unplugged. Failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Original violations issued October 30, 2024. Owner was supposed to start plugging the well on February 3. Some plugging equipment onsite. Violations continued. No request of well owner. Myers Gas holds 12 conventional well permits. DEP inspection report. Charles E. Myers - Violations: Abandoned, Unplugged Conventional Well February 25, 2025 inspection of the WM T. Baum 1 conventional well in Clinton Township, Venango County found it abandoned and not plugged. Failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Violations issued. No request of well owner. “Operator is currently plugging wells in vicinity and plans to plug this well also. Violations will be removed upon completion of plugging.” Charles Myers holds 4 conventional well permits. DEP inspection report. 11 Abandoned Shale Gas Wells Anegada Energy LLC - Violations: 4 Abandoned, Unplugged Shale Gas Wells February 24, 2025 inspection of the Halterlein 2064 shale gas well pad in Mercer Township, Butler County found 4 shale gas wells abandoned and not plugged. The wells included-- -- Halterlein 2064 Well 4HM: Abandoned, not plugged, failed to submit well integrity report - drilled in 2012 - [DEP inspection report] -- Halterlein 2064 Well 4HD 8HM: Abandoned, not plugged, failed to submit well integrity report - drilled in 2012 - [DEP inspection report] -- Halterlein 2064 Well 1HB 8HS: Abandoned, not plugged, failed to submit well integrity report - drilled in 2012 - [DEP inspection report] -- Halterlein 2064 Well 6HM: Abandoned, not plugged, failed to submit well integrity report - drilled in 2012 - [DEP inspection report] DEP requested a response from the well owner by March 10. Anegada Energy holds 8 permits. Anegada Energy LLC - Violations: 5 Abandoned, Unplugged Shale Gas Wells February 24, 2025 inspection of the Williams 2062 shale gas well pad in Slippery Rock Township, Butler County found 5 shale gas wells abandoned and not plugged. The wells included-- -- Williams Well 5HM: Abandoned, not plugged. Drilled in 2012. [DEP inspection report] -- Williams Well 5HS: Abandoned, not plugged, failed to submit well integrity report. Drilled in 2012. Original violation for abandonment April 12, 2021 [DEP inspection report] -- Williams Well 6HS: Abandoned, not plugged, failed to submit well integrity report. Drilled in 2012. [DEP inspection report] -- Williams Well 5HD: Abandoned, not plugged, failed to submit well integrity report. Drilled in 2012. Original violation for abandonment April 12, 2021. [DEP inspection report] -- Williams Well 6HM: Abandoned, not plugged. Drilled in 2012. [DEP inspection report] DEP requested a response from the well owner by March 10. Taft Operating LLC - Violations: 2 Abandoned, Unplugged Shale Gas Wells February 26-27, 2025 inspection of two shale gas wells in Greene County found them abandoned and not plugged. Other violations include failure to have an emergency plan onsite, failure to submit production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Violations were issued -- Dunkard Twp.: Miller 48 - Drilled In 2007 - DEP inspection report -- Cumberland Twp.: Glendenning Unit 1 - Drilled in 2009 - DEP inspection report Response requested by March 19 and 20. Taft Operating holds 4 permits. Methane Reduction Plugging Grants Armac Resources LLC February 24, 2025 inspections of 8 conventional wells in Brokenstraw Township, Warren County related to MERP Well Plugging Grant Program. Armac holds 88 permits. Bear Lake Energy February 27, 2025 inspections of the Anthony T. Lambert 1 and Allen Gourley 2 conventional wells in Sugar Grove Township and Freehold Township, Warren County related to MERP Well Plugging Grant Program. Bear Lake Energy holds 32 permits. Greenway Energy LLC February 26, 2025 inspections of 3 conventional wells in Limestone and Redbank Townships, Clarion County related to MERP Well Plugging Grant Program. Greenway holds 289 permits. Roulette Oil & Gas LLC February 25 & 27, 2025 inspections of 7 conventional wells in Hebron Township, Potter County related to MERP Well Plugging Grant Program. Roulette Oil holds 347 permits. Unknown Well Owners DEP also did several dozen inspections of conventional wells with unknown owners or abandoned or orphan wells to assess them for plugging under the federally-funded well plugging program. 39 Abandoned Conventional, 22 Abandoned Shale Gas Well Violations 2025 So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 39 violations to 22 conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells- [WB Anderson; Baird Oil Co.; Diversified Production LLC; EQT Production Co.; Kiski Valley Gas Co. ; Manufacturers Light & Heat Co; MTN Energy; Charles E. Myers; Myers Gas; Oil & Gas MGMT Co. LLC, PA Mineral SVCS LLC; Pillar Energy PA, LLC; Pin Oak Energy Partners, LLC; Red Lion Gas Coop Assn; Reel Resources, Inc; Fred C. Scheel; SK Opr Inc.; Stonehaven Energy MGT Co. LLC; Andrew F. Suchko; Timberline Energy, Inc.; Washington Energy Co LLC; Ronald Wise; Mary A. Woodring]. In 2024, DEP issued 860 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells. In 2023, DEP issued 512 violations to conventional well owners for abandonment. So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 22 violations to four shale gas drilling companies for abandoning and not plugging their wells-- [Anegada Energy LLC; Diversified Production LLC, Roulette Oil & Gas LLC; Taft Operating LLC]. In 2024, 47 violations were issued or continued to 12 shale gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells. In 2023, DEP issued or continued 20 violations to 10 shale gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells. Read more here. Drinking Water Investigations Chesapeake Appalachia LLC - Drinking Water Investigation On February 10, 2025, Chesapeake Appalachia started an investigation of methane contamination of a drinking water well near the Lasher S shale gas well pad in Auburn Township, Susquehanna County. A DEP inspection report on February 28 said Chesapeake did preoperational well water samples which identified a landowner with a preoperational water sample that was previously non-detect in 2013, but which now had an elevated methane reading. As part of its investigation, Chesapeake did pressure build-up tests and gas screenings on the five shale gas wells on the Lasher well pad. The February 28 inspection report also corrected an error in the February 10 report which erroneously said the testing was being done as a result of a landowner complaint. Armstrong County Drinking Water Investigation February 25, 2025 inspection of the Kriebel Natural Gas Co. LLC Brink 001 conventional gas well in North Buffalo Township, Armstrong County is part of an ongoing investigation of a stray gas migration into a water well. Slam bar holes and other gas readings found no gas leaking at this well. DEP inspection report. A MDS Energy Dev. LLC conventional well was also tested as part of this investigation and found to have no gas leaking. DEP inspection report. Butler County Drinking Water Investigation On February 27, 2024 DEP began a complaint investigation concerning gas migration into a water well in Center Township, Butler County by inspecting several registered conventional wells, but could not locate them. DEP inspection report (example). Spills & Releases Coterra Energy Inc. - Violations: Major Wastewater Spill (12,600 Gallons) February 20, 2025 inspection of the Diaz Family shale gas well pad 2 in Bridgewater Township, Susquehanna County in response to a notification of a spill of 12,600 gallons of production wastewater on and off the pad as a result of a defective valve. It was discovered at 2:00 p.m. February 19. DEP inspection report. 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.” Cleanup was underway at the time of the inspection and an estimated 3,780 gallons of wastewater had been recovered. Violations for a previous spill incident were issued on November 21, 2024. New and continued violations were issued. Response requested by March 11. Read more here. Apex Energy (PA) LLC [CNX] - Violations: Diesel Fuel Release February 18, 2025 inspection of the Herminie shale gas well pad in Sewickley Township, Westmoreland County in response to a notification from CNX of a diesel fuel spill on February 14, 2025. During construction of secondary containment on the pad, diesel fuel began pooling in holes dug in an area 60 by 90 feet. CNX said the spill occurred before they bought Apex. DEP asked the owner to investigate the spill and determine the extent of contamination. Violations were issued. Response requested by March 11. DEP inspection report. 2025 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups So far in 2025, DEP received or acted on 21 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups. Read more here. Venting Gas Lola Energy Resources, LLC - Violations: Venting Gas (6 Months) February 26, 2025 inspection of the O&M Scherich ETAL 603146 conventional gas well in Morris Township, Washington County found the well was still venting gas and no steps had been taken to correct the violation. Also failed to submit a well integrity report. Original violations issued September 17, 2024. Violations continued. No requests made of well owner. Lola Energy holds 2 permits. DEP inspection report. Apollo Resources LLC - Violations: Venting Gas (3 Months) February 14, 2025 inspection of the State Game Lands 51B 3 conventional well in Dunbar Township, Fayette County found the well continued to vent gas from a wastewater storage tank. Original violations issued on November 8, 2024 for visible and audible gas venting. Violations continued. Response requested by March 14. Apollo Resources holds 1,894 permits. DEP inspection report. Frank D. Washabaugh - Violations: Venting Gas, Plug Failed February 26, 2025 inspection of the Wilson 1 conventional gas well in North Fayette Township, Allegheny County found the well heavily venting gas. Unknown substance spilled near tanks onsite. Water Quality requested to inspect. Failed to submit production, waste generation and well integrity reports. The well is listed as plugged on DEP records. Violations issued. Response requested by March 13. Frank Washabaugh holds 20 permits for conventional oil and gas wells. DEP inspection report. Slope Failures EQT Production Co. - Violations: Slope Failure, Erosion February 20, 2025 inspection of the Secretariat shale gas well pad in Gilmore Township, Greene County in response to a February 14 notification of a slope failure along the access road to the pad. The impacted area is about 20 x 30 feet. Temporary stabilization was put in place. Violations issued. Response requested by March 11. DEP inspection report. Equitrans Water SVC (PA) LLC [EQT] - Violations: Slope Failure, Erosion February 25, 2025 inspection of the NIDBH015 water pipeline in Aleppo Township, Greene County in response to a February 18 notification by the owner found a 30 x 20 foot slope failure upslope from a pipeline stream crossing. Temporary stabilization measures were put in place. Violations issued. Response requested by February 27. 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- Two of 9 abandoned Anegada Energy LLC shale gas wells; Two abandoned Taft Operating LLC shale gas wells; Row 2-- Equitrans Water SVC (PA) LLC [EQT] water pipeline slope failure; Lola Energy Resources, LLC conventional well venting gas for 6 months; Frank D. Washabaugh conventional gas heavily venting gas; Row 3-- Apex Energy (PA) LLC [CNX] shale gas pad with diesel fuel pooling in holes market with cones; Coterra Energy Inc. 12,600 gallon spill of shale gas wastewater.) [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: -- 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 Issues Violations For Abandoning 11 More Shale Gas Wells; Shale Gas Well Owner Fails To Comply With Plugging Order [PaEN] -- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 1 [PaEN] -- DEP Issues Air Quality Permit For Nova Energy LLC Cryptocurrency Data Center In Venango County [PaEN] -- DEP Posted 66 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 1 PA Bulletin [PaEN] Related Articles This Week: -- Delaware Currents: Federal Judge Dismisses Wayne County Land & Mineral Group Lawsuit Against Delaware River Basin Commission Over Fracking Ban [PaEN] -- Marcellus Drilling News: Federal Judge Tosses Landowner Lawsuit Against Delaware River Basin Commission For Fracking Ban [PDF of Article] -- Protect PT Hosts In-Person March 9 Living Near Shale Gas Workshop In Westmoreland County [PaEN] -- Penn State, Project InnerSpace Report: Leverage Oil & Gas Workers To Generate Enough Geothermal Energy To Meet 100% Of Pennsylvania's Electricity, Heating, Medium Industrial Process Needs [PaEN] -- Independent Fiscal Office Reports 2024 PA Natural Gas Production Down 1.8%, PA Natural Gas Price Up 19.1% In Last Year [PaEN] -- Guest Essay: Significant Electricity Load Growth Can Be Accommodated Without A Stampede To New Natural Gas Generation Just By Increasing Efficiency At Existing Power Plants - By John Quigley, Senior Fellow, Kleinman Center For Energy Policy [PaEN] -- Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community Launches Eyes On Air Webpage To Provide Real-Time Air Quality For Beaver County [PaEN] -- PA Master Well Owner Network, Penn State Extension Updates Online Drinking Water Results Interpretation Tool [PaEN] -- Senate DEP Budget Hearing Focuses On Permit Reviews; Governor’s Lightning Energy Plan; Bringing On More Baseload Power Generation; Firing ‘Intractable’ DEP Employees [PaEN] -- DEP Budget Testimony: DEP Moving At The Speed Of Business; Lightning Energy Plan; Most Inspections; Commitment To Environmental Justice [PaEN] NewsClips: -- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Bucks County Residents Fear Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leak Could Be More Widespread Than Company Acknowledges; Class Action Lawsuit Expected To Be Filed -- Courier Times: Energy Transfer/Sunoco Disputes Findings, Recommended Fixes Of Federal Pipeline Regulator In Jet Fuel Pipeline Leak Investigation In Bucks County -- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: A Geothermal Push In Pennsylvania Enlists Oil & Gas Industry: ‘Hot Everywhere Underground’ -- Marcellus Drilling News: PA Study Promotes Geothermal With Aim To Kill Off Shale Energy [PDF of Article] -- Washington & Jefferson College Contributes To Penn State, Project Innerspace Geothermal In PA Report -- Marcellus Drilling News: Natural Gas Price Up 150% From 1 Year Ago, Not Coming Down Soon [PDF of Article] -- UGI Natural Gas Costs Will Increase 7% On March 1 -- MCall: UGI Gas Customers To See 7% Increase In Natural Gas Costs Starting March 1 -- ABC27: Sen. Muth Looks To Keep Radium, Other Oil & Gas Waste Out Of Drinking Water -- WHYY: Ruptured Gas Line Prompts Evacuations Near Philly’s Central High School -- MCall Guest Essay: PA Will Benefit From Tighter Methane Emissions Standards For Oil & Gas Industry - By John Walliser, PA Environmental Council -- AP: President’s Tariffs On Mexico, Canada To Start March 4 [Will Impact United Refining In Warren That Uses Canadian Oil ] -- Bloomberg: Federal Pipeline Safety Agency’s Senior Leaders Exit Amid Presidential Push [PHMSA] -- Reuters: Congress Kills Biden Era Methane Fee On Oil, Gas Producers -- Bloomberg: President Wants Canada’s Keystone XL Oil Pipeline Built ‘Now;’ Pipeline Developer Says It Has ‘Moved On’ [Posted: March 1, 2025] |
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3/3/2025 |
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