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PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 5 to 11 - Late Night Conventional Wastewater Road Dumping; Failure To Comply With Cleanup Order; Pipeline Leak Investigation Expands To 2 Other Counties; More Abandoned Wells
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From April 5 to 11, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 616 inspection entries. Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between April 5 and 11-- Click Here for violations issued. Click Here for inspection entries. Enforcement Actions Taken Last Week So far this year, DEP took these actions as of April 4-- -- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 33 conventional, 14 unconventional -- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 1,249 conventional and 353 unconventional -- Enforcements 2025: 132 conventional and 46 unconventional (orders, agreements) -- Inspections Last Week: 324 conventional and 268 unconventional -- Year To Date - Inspections: 5,323 conventional and 7,451 unconventional Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Continues On March 21, 2025 surveillance cameras caught the latest incident of conventional oil and gas wastewater being dumped on a section of a dirt road paved with tar and stone chips at about 9:25 p.m. Read more here. Photos of the telltale sheen and the smell the next morning confirmed the all too familiar fingerprint of road dumping, showing evidence where the wastewater was spread. This was far from an isolated incident. Road dumping oil and gas wastewater continues unabated throughout the state where conventional oil and gas wells are being tended. In this case, the vehicle in the surveillance photos was a very large pickup truck. Some quick research found there are dedicated, self-contained, portable liquid storage bladders available that turn pickups into oil and gas wastewater disposal units similar to the larger sized vac truck. A close-up view of the truck shows the nozzles spraying the wastewater on the road in the distinctive triangular spray pattern. The target of this particular dumping was Siri Lawson in Warren County who testified before Senate [Read more here] and House [Read more here] committees last April and June on road dumping oil and gas wastewater. Read more here. Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leak Expands Into 2 More Counties DEP said during an April 10 update on the Energy Transfer/Sunoco Twin Oaks Pipeline leak in Bucks County, the investigation into the possibility of other leaks in the same pipeline has expanded to Delaware and Montgomery counties. Read more here. The is approximately 105.5 miles in length and runs from the Twin Oaks Terminal in Aston, Delaware County through Montgomery and Bucks counties to Newark, New Jersey. DEP’s Twin Oaks Pipeline webpage shows the agency issued Chapter 105 permits at three other locations Energy Transfer/Sunoco is investigating for possible leaks-- Upper Chichester Township and Middletown Township, Delaware County and Dublin Township, Montgomery County. The briefing held by the Department of Environmental Protection and the state Department of Health April 10 is now available on demand. Read more here. 3 Abandoned Conventional Wells Diversified Prod LLC - Violations: 2 Abandoned Conventional Wells On April 8, 2025, DEP inspected the JH Weaver & Company 13 [DEP inspection report] conventional well in Grant Township, Indiana County and the Essie E. Dible #4 [DEP inspection report] conventional well in Armstrong Township, Indiana County and found them both abandoned and not plugged. Original violations issued on March 17 and March 19 respectively. The owner said in its response to those violations “this well will be listed on the second Consent Order and Agreement report that is currently pending approval with DEP.” Meaning these wells were covered by a COA, but the owner failed to plug them. No response requested from owner. Crude A Co Randy L. Larkin DBA - Violations: Abandoned Conventional Well April 1, 2025 follow-up inspection of the O. Thomas 2Q conventional well in Parker Township, Butler County found it abandoned and not plugged. Owner also failed to submit production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Violations originally issued March 5, 2025. Violations continued. Owner was along on the inspection and said he would respond to the violations in writing. No response requested in report. DEP inspection report. Crude A. holds 42 permits. 128 Abandoned Conventional, 39 Abandoned Shale Gas Well Violations 2025 Abandoned Conventional: So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 128 violations to 41 conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells- [3D Resources LLC ; Amer Natural Resources LLC; WB Anderson; Apollo Resources LLC; Baird Oil Co.; Bialy Gas Production LLC; Chris E. Burke; Edward E. & Frederick J. Craig; Crude A Co - Randy L. Larkin; Randy A. Dietterich; Diversified Production LLC; Equitrans LP; EQT Production Co.; Keystone Crude LLC; Kiski Valley Gas Co.; Leechburg Gas Co.; Manufacturers Light & Heat Co; Mid East Oil Co.; MTN Energy; Charles E. Myers; Myers Gas; Oil & Gas MGMT Co. LLC, PA Mineral SVCS LLC; PBS Coals Inc; Pencan Explorations Inc.; Pillar Energy PA, LLC; Pin Oak Energy Partners, LLC; Red Lion Gas Coop Assn; Reel Resources, Inc; Raymond Sawyer; Fred C. Scheel; SK Opr Inc.; Larry A. Shaffer Jr.; Stockman LLC; Stonehaven Energy MGT Co. LLC; Andrew F. Suchko; Thomas Thurma Jean; Timberline Energy, Inc.; Vessels Coal Gas 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. Abandoned Shale Gas: So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 40 violations to 10 shale gas drilling companies for abandoning and not plugging their wells-- [Anegada Energy LLC; Apex Energy (PA) LLC; Blackhill Energy LLC; Diversified Production LLC; Diversified Production LLC; EQT ARO LLC; EQT Chap LLC; EQT Production Co.; Rice Drilling B 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. Spills & Releases Raymond D. Langer - Violations: 3 Conventional Wells Failed To Comply With Spill Cleanup (15 Months), Failed to Comply With Order April 3, 2025 follow-up inspections of the Lorish 1 [DEP inspection report], Choeller 1 [DEP inspection report] and J. Riddle 2 [DEP inspection report] conventional well sites in Robinson Township, Allegheny County found continuing evidence of the impacts of a wastewater spill, erosion and sedimentation issues, down trees and branches and unused production equipment. No action was taken to clean up the spill related to violations issued on January 11, 2023. DEP said a Compliance Order was issued on March 24, 2025 requiring steps taken to start the cleanup. No action taken by owner. New violation issued for failing to comply with an order and others may be forthcoming. Response requested by April 18. Langer holds 22 permits. Keystone Crude LLC - Violations: Multiple Conventional Spills Not Cleaned Up (20 Months) April 3, 2025 follow-up inspection of the John Panner 4 conventional well in Robinson Township, Allegheny County found no action had been taken to cleanup multiple spills on the well site. Original violations issued August 10, 2023. No response to those violations. Violations continued. Response requested by April 30. DEP inspection report. Keystone holds 34 permits. Keystone Crude LLC - Violations: Multiple Conventional Spills Not Cleaned Up (20 Months) April 3, 2025 follow-up inspection of the McCurdy 10 conventional well in Robinson Township, Allegheny County found no action had been taken to cleanup multiple spills on the well site. Original violations issued August 10, 2023. No response to those violations. Violations continued. Response requested by April 30. DEP inspection report. Keystone holds 34 permits. Trinity Mineral Partners LLC - Violations: Conventional Wastewater Release April 3, 2025, inspection of the RH Stevenson Lease Well in Sugar Grove Township, Warren County discovered multiple wastewater releases at the well site. Standing pools of fluid were present in a wastewater tank containment area and fluid was actively flowing from one containment area to another. Evidence of contamination was also found outside the containment area were it traveled nearly 300 feet to an unnamed tributary of Jackson Run. Multiple violations were issued. Response requested by April 22. DEP inspection report. Trinity holds 125 permits. Diversified Prod LLC - Violations: Conventional Wastewater Release April 7, 2024 inspection of the Bracken 448 conventional well in Bell Township, Clearfield County found a wastewater storage tank with standing wastewater in secondary containment and impacted areas outside containment. Violations issued. Response requested by April 25. DEP inspection report. Redmill Drilling - Violations: Unreported Conventional Wastewater Release April 9, 2025 routine inspection of the Oris Schrecengost 2 98 conventional well in Kittanning Township, Armstrong County found the wastewater storage tank had overflowed and contaminated the ground around the tank. The owner failed to report the spill and attempted an inadequate cleanup. Multiple violations issued. Response requested by April 30. DEP inspection report. Redmill holds 135 permits Thomas Thurma Jean - Violations: Failure To Cleanup Conventional Spill April 3, 2025 follow-up inspection of the Barnhart 4 conventional well in Independence Township, Beaver County found no action had been taken to cleanup a spill originally discovered on February 26, 2025. No response from owner to original violations. Violations continued. Response requested by April 14. DEP inspection report. Thomas Thurman Jean holds 7 permits. Greylock Prod LLC - Violations: Improper Shale Gas Wastewater Management (4 Months) April 7, 2025 inspection of the Ron shale gas well pad in Hector Township, Potter County found continuing wastewater management issues, including failure to locate 6 wastewater storage tanks in secondary containment. Violations issued on December 3 & 9, 2024 were continued. No response requested. DEP inspection report. Greylock holds 57 permits. 2025 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups So far in 2025, DEP received or acted on 49 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups. Read more here. Leaking Gas Apollo Resources LLC - Violations: Leaking Gas (5 Months) April 8, 2025 inspection of the State Game Lands 51B 3 conventional gas well in Dunbar Township, Fayette County found the well leaking gas into a wastewater tank. DEP said the hissing of the gas could be heard from the ground. Failed to remove production equipment Wastewater tank two-thirds full, secondary containment nearly full of water. Violations originally issued on November 8, 2024. Violations continued. Response requested by May 8. DEP inspection report. Apollo Resources holds 1,896 permits. Defective Shale Gas Well Casing/Cement Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - Violations: Defective Casing/Cement (2025) March 25, 2025 inspection of the Masso 2H, 5H, 6H, 101H, 106H and 24H shale gas wells in Auburn Township, Susquehanna County for ongoing monitoring of casting pressure and detected no gas, except for in the 5H well. Violations originally issued January 27, 2025. Monitoring to continue. Violations continued. DEP inspection report. SWN Prod Co LLC [Expand Energy] - Violations: Defective Casing/Cement (2023) April 4, 2025 inspection of the Hoffman shale gas wells 2H & 6H in Liberty Township, Tioga County for ongoing monitoring of casing pressure and found no leaks. Monitoring will continue. Violations originally issued on February 16, 2023 were continued. DEP inspection report. DEP inspection report. Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - Violations: Defective Casing/Cement (2022) February 27, 2025 inspection of the Folta 1H, 3H, shale gas well in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County for ongoing monitoring of casing pressure and methane was detected. Original violations issued October 13, 2022. Monitoring will continue. Violations continued. DEP inspection report. Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - Violations: Defective Casing/Cement (2022) February 27, 2025 inspection of the Hattie 3H shale gas well in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County for ongoing monitoring of casing pressure and methane was detected. Original violations issued October 13, 2022. Monitoring will continue. Violations continued. DEP inspection report. Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - Violations: Defective Casing/Cement (2019) February 26, 2025 inspection of the Angie 6H shale gas well in Auburn Township, Susquehanna County for ongoing monitoring of casing pressure. Test ended 25 hours early due to pressure build up in cemented annulus. Original violations issued August 6, 2019. Monitoring to continue. Violations continued. DEP inspection report. Pipeline Land Slips Energy Transfer/ETC Northeast Pipeline LLC - Violations: Failure to Stabilize Pipeline Route April 10, 2025 inspection of a portion of the Revolution Natural Gas Pipeline route in Independence Township, Beaver County found a land slip and soil movement along the right-of-way. Multiple violations were issued. DEP requested a geotechnical evaluation of whether the land slips present any threat to pipeline integrity. Response requested by April 14. DEP inspection report. Land slips and bad construction practices caused a section of the brand new Revolution Pipeline to explode in Beaver County in September 2018. Erosion & Sedimentation Eastern Gas Trans & Storage, Inc. - Violations: Recurring Erosion & Sedimentation April 7, 2025 inspection of the EJ Kingensmith 1 conventional well serving the Oakford Gas Storage Reservoir in Penn Township, Westmoreland County found multiple erosion and sedimentation violations along the access road, including recurring washout areas into a stream. Multiple, recurring violations issued. Response requested by April 10. 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-- Apollo Resources LLC hissing gas leak thru conventional wastewater storage tank; Diversified Prod LLC leaking conventional wastewater storage tank; Eastern Gas Trans & Storage, Inc. access road washout at gas storage reservoir; Row 2--Greylock Prod LLC shale gas wastewater tanks not in containment; Trinity Mineral Partners LLC conventional wastewater spill flowed nearly 300 feet (2 photos) Raymond D. Langer failed to comply with a cleanup order for spills discovered 15 months ago; Rows 3-4-- Road dumping conventional wastewater; Energy Transfer/Sunoco Twin Oaks Pipeline leak investigation expands to two other counties..) [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: -- Late Night Road Dumping: Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Continues To Be Dumped On Dirt, Gravel, Paved Roads; DEP Expected To Provide Update At April 24 Meeting [PaEN] -- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - April 12 [PaEN] -- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For EQT ARO LLC 3 Mile Natural Gas Gathering Pipeline In Cascade Twp., Lycoming County [PaEN] -- DEP Posted 73 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 12 PA Bulletin [PaEN] Related Articles This Week: -- Environmental Quality Board Tables Vote On Accepting Petition For Study To Increase Setbacks From Shale Gas Wells Until Last Minute Comments Can Be Reviewed [PaEN] -- Conventional/Shale Oil & Gas Industry Association Acknowledges 1.4 Million People ‘Are Impacted By General Oil & Gas Operations’ In Pennsylvania [PaEN] -- House Environmental Committee Reports Out Bill To Require DEP To Consider Cumulative Impacts Of Certain New Sources Of Pollution On Already Impacted Communities [PaEN] -- Liberty Energy, Range Resources Announce Support For Developing A Natural Gas Data Center Power Plant In Robinson Twp., Washington County [PaEN] -- PUC: NTSB Releases Report, Recommendations From Investigation Of West Reading Chocolate Plant Natural Gas Explosion [PaEN] -- Center For Coalfield Justice, MIT Researchers Host April 17 Public Meeting In Washington County On An Upcoming Seismic Study In Southwestern PA [PaEN] -- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA Hosts May 8 In-Person Oil & Gas Industry Waste Worker Safety Workshop, Webinar In Scranton [PaEN] -- President Signs Executive Orders Directing US Attorney General To Take Action Against States Impeding Domestic Energy Production; Rescinds Policies Transition Away From Coal; Lifts Toxics Standards For Coal Power Plants [PaEN] -- President Issues Executive Orders Requiring 1 Year Sunset Dates On Existing Regulations Affecting Energy; Identifying Regulations Limiting Competition [PaEN] -- PJM Interconnection Supports Presidential Exemptions From Clean Air Act Standards Requested By 13,900 MW Of Electric Generation In PJM Region, Including Keystone And Conemaugh Power Plants In PA [PaEN] -- PJM, Google & Tapestry Join Forces To Apply A.I. To Enhance Regional Planning, Generation Interconnection [PaEN] NewsClips: -- The Center Square: Environmental Justice Bill Moves Forward From PA House Committee -- Pittsburgh Business Times: Environmental Quality Board Tables Petition To Increase Natural Gas Well Setbacks In Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh Business Times: Liberty Energy, Range Resources Partner On Natural Gas Power Plant For Data Center In Washington County -- The Derrick: Tempers In Frenchcreek Township Subside Over Nova Energy LLC Cryptocurrency Mining Operation In Venango County [PDF of article] -- Reading Eagle: NTSB Final Report On Fatal West Reading Chocolate Factory Natural Gas Explosion Issued -- Inquirer: NTSB Issues Final Report On Natural Gas Explosion At West Reading Chocolate Factory that Killed 7 Workers -- Scranton Times: Residents, Officials Rail Against UGI 10.8% Natural Gas Rate Hike At Hearing -- Wilkes-Barre Times: UGI Natural Gas Customers, Elected Officials Testify At Rate-Hike Hearing -- TribLive: Gasoline Prices Jump 17 Cents In PA, But Don’t Expect Them To Stay There, Experts Say -- Wilkes-Barre Times Guest Essay: Make Polluters Pay For Climate Impacts - By Wenonah Hauter, Food & Water Watch -- The Center Square: $748 Million Chevron Verdict In Louisiana Could Mark Turning Point In Litigation Against Oil/Gas Industry For Climate Impacts [Bucks County Lawsuit Noted] -- WPXI: Keystone Oil Pipeline Ruptures Again, Portion Shut Down -- Reuters: The Keystone Oil Pipeline’s History Of Spills -- Bloomberg: President’s Tariffs Herald Higher Costs For A.I. Boom; New Measure Hit Power Industry Already Struggling To Procure Vital Equipment -- Bloomberg: President’s New ‘Order’ Seeks To Tap Coal Power In Quest To Dominate A.I. -- E&ENews/Politico: President To Sign Executive ‘Orders’ Aimed At Reviving Coal To Keep Plants Running -- Utility Dive: US Electricity Demand Will Grow By 50% (2% a Year) By 2050, Electrical Manufacturer Study Finds [Posted: April 12, 2025] |
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4/14/2025 |
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