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Pennsylvania – Landscaping – Energy – Environment
Pennsylvania Oil & Gas: Permits/Compliance Record/PA Bulletin
By David E. Hess | PA Environment Digest Blog
PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment
The following DEP notices were published in the January 7 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities. Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.
This post also includes DEP’s 2022 Year End Oil & Gas Program Workload Report. Click Here to compare to 2021.
Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups
— Newpark Drilling Fluids: DEP received Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with oil-based drilling fluids in City of Williamsport, Lycoming County. (PA Bulletin, page 94)
— Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC – Hattie BRA Drill Pad: DEP received Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with drilling wastewater in Wilmot Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 94)
— Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC – Koromlan Property: DEP received Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with releases of drilling wastewater in Auburn Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 96)
— CNX Gas Company – GH5 Well Pad: DEP received Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with aluminum, barium, boron, iron, lithium, manganese, selenium, strontium, vanadium, and zinc in Center Twp., Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 95)
— EQT Corporation – Kevech Well Pad: DEP received Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with aluminum, barium, boron, iron, lithium, manganese, selenium, strontium, vanadium, zinc, and chloride in Fallowfield Twp., Washington County. (PA Bulletin, page 96)
— EQT Corporation – Trax Farm Well Pad: DEP received Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with aluminum, barium, boron, iron, lithium, manganese, selenium, vanadium, zinc, and chloride did NOT demonstrate attainment of Statewide Health Standards in Union Twp., Washington County. (PA Bulletin, page 96)
Waste Permits
— Hydro Recovery, LP – Hydro Recovery Washington Facility: DEP issued modification to WMGR123 for the installation of temporary pipeline to support completion of nearby well in Hanover Twp., Washington County. (PA Bulletin, page 97)
Air Quality Permits
— NFG Midstream Wellsboro, LLC – Wellsboro Compressor Station: DEP issued Air Quality Plan Approval for Wellsboro Tract 007 Compressor Station in Delmar Twp., Tioga County. (PA Bulletin, page 98)
— Susquehanna Gathering Company – CDP No. 1 Compressor Station: DEP issued Air Quality Plan Approval for compressor station in New Milford Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 98)
— Buckeye Terminals, LLC – Greensburg Terminal: DEP issued renewal of State Air Quality Permit for terminal in Hempfield Twp., Westmoreland County. (PA Bulletin, page 99)
— Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage, Inc.: DEP issued Air Quality Plan Approval Extension for temporary operation of a source previously authorized in Leidy Twp., Clinton County. (PA Bulletin, page 98)
— Empire Pipeline, Inc. – Jackson Compressor Station: DEP issued Air Quality Plan Approval Extension for temporary operation of sources in Jackson Twp., Tioga County. (PA Bulletin, page 99)
— Diversified Production, LLC – NV-34 Well Pad: DEP issued De Minimis Emissions Authorization for well pad located in Morris Twp., Washington County. (PA Bulletin, page 101)
— Diversified Production, LLC – NV-58 Well Pad: DEP issued De Minimis Emissions Authorization for well pad located in Morris Twp., Washington County. (PA Bulletin, page 101)
— Panda Patriot Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant: DEP issued Air Quality Plan Approval Extension for temporary operation of a source previously authorized in Clinton Twp., Lycoming County. (PA Bulletin, page 99)
Chapter 105 Encroachment Permits
— Williams Field Services Co LLC – Natural Gas Pipeline Project. DEP invites comments on pipeline project with multiple stream and wetlands crossings in Jessup and Rush Townships, Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 83)
— Chesapeake Appalachia LLC: DEP issued after-the-fact Chapter 105 permit for fresh water impounding impacting wetlands in Standing Stone Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 102)
— Chesapeake Appalachia LLC: DEP issued after-the-fact Chapter 105 permit for well pad development work impacting wetlands in Auburn Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 102)
Erosion & Sedimentation Permits
— EQM Gathering Opco, LLC: DEP issued Chapter 102 permit for project impacting Sharp Run, Roberts Run and Rush Run in Wayne Twp., Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 85)
— Delmar Midstream LLC: DEP issued Chapter 102 permit for pipeline project impacting Campbells Run (High Quality), West Branch Stoney Fork (Exceptional Value) in Delmar and Shippen Townships, Tioga County. (PA Bulletin, page 104)
— Williams Field Services Co, LLC: DEP issued Chapter 102 permit for pipeline project impacting Thomas Creek in Springville Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 104)
— Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC: DEP issued Chapter 102 permit for project impacting Towanda Creek in Franklin Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 104)
2022 Year End Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [12.31.22]*
— Last Week – Permits: DEP issued 0 conventional and 4 unconventional
— Year To Date – Permits: DEP issued 295 conventional and 748 unconventional
— Year To Date – Wells Drilled: 216 conventional and 574 unconventional
— Year To Date – Inspections: 12,846 conventional and 21,627 unconventional
— Year To Date – NOVs Issued: 5,059 conventional and 1,148 unconventional
*DEP’s 2022 Year End Oil & Gas Program Workload Report. Click Here to compare to 2021.
DEP Issued These New Oil & Gas Permits *
*Click Here to find oil and gas well permits recently issued near you
Sign Up! DEP eNotice: The Only Way You’ll Know When Applications Come In To DEP
Did you know DEP can send you email notices when permit applications are submitted to DEP in your community?
This is the only way you can get notified of when oil and gas-related permits are submitted to DEP.
You’ll also get notice of new technical guidance documents and regulations.
Click Here to sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE today!
DEP Public Notice Dashboards:
— Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard – Dec. 31 to Jan. 6 [PaEN]
— PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment – Jan. 7 [PaEN]
— DEP Posts 60 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In Jan. 7 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Oil & Gas Industry Compliance Reports:
Related Articles This Week:
— Guest Essay: Counties, PEMA Need To Include A Complete Vulnerability Assessment Of All Natural Gas Facilities In State, County Hazard Mitigation Emergency Plans – By Cat (Cathy) Lodge, Washington County Resident [PaEN]
NewsClips:
— Post-Gazette – Anya Litvak: Christmas Fire At Energy Transfer’s Revolution Natural Gas Cryogenic Plant Keeps Facility Offline
— The Center Square – Anthony Hennen: DEP Report: Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Fines Total $1.3 Million, Environmental Costs Of $1.8 Billion For Taxpayers
— Williamsport Sun: DEP Issued Thousands Of Violations To Conventional Oil & Gas Operators For Newly Abandoned Wells That Can Cost PA Taxpayers $1.8 Billion
— Bucks County Beacon Guest Essay: Delaware River Basin Commission’s New Fracking Wastewater Regulations Fall Short – By Delaware River Frack Ban Coalition
[Posted: January 7, 2023] PA Environment Digest | Source
Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard – Dec. 31 to Jan. 6
From December 31 to January 6, DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 634 inspection reports that resulted in 29 violations of environmental regulations– 17 violations by the conventional oil and gas industry and 12 violations by unconventional shale natural gas industry.
In 2022, DEP issued a record 5,059 notices of violation to conventional oil and gas operators and 1,148 notices of violation to unconventional shale gas operators. Read more here.
The conventional oil and gas operators had these major violations last week–
— Diamond Energy Partners: Failure to plug a well upon abandoning it (Crawford County)
— Marco Drilling Inc. (Allegheny County), Dannic Energy Corp (Westmoreland County) and Kriebel Acquisition Co, LLC (Westmoreland County) all had these violations–
— Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth
— Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater
— Failed To Properly Dispose Of Fluids, Wastes, Drill Cuttings
The unconventional shale gas operator Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC had major problems with a well at the Jacobson Unit 3HX pad, including–
— Casing & Cementing Failed To Prevent Migration Of Gas, Prevent Pollution
— Failed to Prevent Gas Flow in the Annulus
— Failed to Report Casing & Cementing Failed To Prevent Migration Of Gas, Prevent Pollution
— Well Construction & Operation Failed To Prevent Brine, Servicing Fluid From Discharging
Report Violations
To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.
Check These Resources
Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database webpage to search their compliance records by date and operator.
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.
Violation Details
Violations Reported – Conventional
1 — Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It
4 — Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth
3 — Failed To Properly Dispose Of Fluids, Wastes, Drill Cuttings
2 — Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit
3 — Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater
1 — Failed To Design, Implement Erosion & Sedimentation Controls To Prevent Pollution
1 — Failed To Stabilize the Well Site
Company/Location/Violations – Conventional
Allegheny County
— Marco Drilling Inc. – Harmar Twp. – DFGT Properties LLC
— Failed To Properly Dispose Of Fluids, Wastes, Drill Cuttings
— Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater
— Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth
Crawford County
— Diamond Energy Partners – West Mead Twp. – Molan 1
— Failure To Plug The Well Upon Abandoning It
McKean County
— Amer Energy Inc. – Lewis Run Borough – Swamp Angele Section IV
— Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth
— Failed To Design, Implement Erosion & Sedimentation Controls To Prevent Pollution
— Failed To Stabilize the Well Site
Westmoreland County
— Dannic Energy Corp – Derry Twp. – Janoscrat 1
— Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth
— Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater
— Failed To Properly Dispose Of Fluids, Wastes, Drill Cuttings
— Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit
— Kriebel Acquisition Co, LLC – North Huntingdon Twp. – Bozich 2
— Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth
— Failed To Properly Dispose Of Fluids, Wastes, Drill Cuttings
— Failed To Collect Brine And Properly Manage Wastewater
— Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit
Violations Reported – Unconventional Shale Gas
2 — Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth
2 — Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit
1 — Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures
1 — Casing & Cementing Failed To Prevent Migration Of Gas, Prevent Pollution
1 — Failed to Prevent Gas Flow in the Annulus
1 — Failed to Report Casing & Cementing Failed To Prevent Migration Of Gas, Prevent Pollution
1 — Well Construction & Operation Failed To Prevent Brine, Servicing Fluid From Discharging
Company/Location/Violations – Unconventional Shale Gas
Bradford County
— Blackhill Energy LLC – Springfield Twp. – Jackson 2H
— Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth
— Failed To Contain Wastes Or Regulated Substances In Tanks Or Other Storage Structures
— Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit
— Chesapeake Appalachia LLC – Franklin Twp. – Jacobson Unit 3HX
— Casing & Cementing Failed To Prevent Migration Of Gas, Prevent Pollution
— Failed to Prevent Gas Flow in the Annulus
— Failed to Report Casing & Cementing Failed To Prevent Migration Of Gas, Prevent Pollution
— Well Construction & Operation Failed To Prevent Brine, Servicing Fluid From Discharging
— Chesapeake Appalachia LLC – Troy Twp. – J. Brown Unit 2H
— Failure To Prevent Substances From Reaching Waters of Commonwealth
— Operated A Residual Waste Processing Or Disposal Facility Without A Permit
[Note: If you believe your company was listed in error, contact DEP’s Oil and Gas Program.]
DEP Public Notice Dashboards:
— Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard – Dec. 31 to Jan. 6 [PaEN]
— PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment – Jan. 7 [PaEN]
— DEP Posts 60 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In Jan. 7 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Oil & Gas Industry Compliance Reports:
Related Articles This Week:
— Guest Essay: Counties, PEMA Need To Include A Complete Vulnerability Assessment Of All Natural Gas Facilities In State, County Hazard Mitigation Emergency Plans – By Cat (Cathy) Lodge, Washington County Resident [PaEN]
NewsClips:
— Post-Gazette – Anya Litvak: Christmas Fire At Energy Transfer’s Revolution Natural Gas Cryogenic Plant Keeps Facility Offline
— The Center Square – Anthony Hennen: DEP Report: Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Fines Total $1.3 Million, Environmental Costs Of $1.8 Billion For Taxpayers
— Williamsport Sun: DEP Issued Thousands Of Violations To Conventional Oil & Gas Operators For Newly Abandoned Wells That Can Cost PA Taxpayers $1.8 Billion
— Bucks County Beacon Guest Essay: Delaware River Basin Commission’s New Fracking Wastewater Regulations Fall Short – By Delaware River Frack Ban Coalition
[Posted: January 7, 2023] PA Environment Digest | Source
DEP Posts 60 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In Jan. 7 PA Bulletin
Highlights of the environmental and energy notices in the January 7 PA Bulletin—
— The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the January 7 PA Bulletin it is rescinding the Chapter 105 PA Function-Based Aquatic Resources Compensation Protocol Guidance (310-2137-001) for reevaluation. Read more here.
— Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard – Dec. 31 to Jan. 6 [PaEN]
— PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment – Jan. 7 [PaEN]
— DEP State Board for Certification of Sewage Enforcement Officers published notice in the January 7 PA Bulletin of the 2023 Examination Schedule.
— DEP published notice in the January 7 PA Bulletin rescheduling the February 1 Aggregate Advisory Board meeting to March 1 from February 1.
— The Department of Agriculture’s Controlled Plant And Noxious Weed Committee is scheduled to hold a virtual meeting January 19 at 1:00 p.m. to consider adding seven more plants to the Noxious Weeds List. Read more here.
— The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published two notices in the January 7 PA Bulletin–
— Actions taken during the December meeting
— Water withdrawal projects approved in November
PA Bulletin – January 7, 2023
Note: The Department of Environmental Protection published 60 pages of public notices related to proposed and final permit and approval/ disapproval actions in the January 7 PA Bulletin – pages 47 to 107.
Sign Up For DEP’s eNotice: Did you know DEP can send you email notices of permit applications submitted in your community? Notice of new technical guidance documents and regulations? All through its eNotice system. Click Here to sign up.
Related Tools ———————-
Visit DEP’s Public Participation Center for public participation opportunities.
NEW! Allegheny County Health Department Public Comment Notices
DEP Proposals Out For Public Review
Other Proposals Open For Public Comment – DEP webpage
Submit Comments on Proposals Through DEP’s eComment System
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Other Proposals – DEP webpage
Other Proposals Recently Finalized – DEP webpage
DEP Regulations In Process
Proposed Regulations Open For Comment – DEP webpage
Submit Comments on Proposals Through DEP’s eComment System
Proposed Regulations With Closed Comment Periods – DEP webpage
Recently Finalized Regulations – DEP webpage
DEP Regulatory Update – DEP webpage
DEP Technical Guidance In Process
Draft Technical Guidance Documents – DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Comment Deadlines – DEP webpage
Submit Comments on Proposals Through DEP’s eComment System
Recently Closed Comment Periods For Technical Guidance – DEP webpage
Technical Guidance Recently Finalized – DEP webpage
Copies of Final Technical Guidance – DEP webpage
DEP Non-Regulatory/Technical Guidance Documents Agenda [February 2022] – DEP webpage
[Posted: January 7, 2023] PA Environment Digest | Source