If you discover an abandoned well, DEP is available to ensure that it has been properly identified and that any potential environmental, health and safety issues are addressed, as resources allow. You can contact DEP by calling one of the Oil and Gas District offices at Meadville District Office: 814.332.6860
Webinar
Penn State Extension Service is working on a program to get more wells into the DEP database by having landowners report abandoned wells on their property to DEP for future plugging.
Penn State Extension Service is planning future in person public meetings to further explain the program.
Lee highlights Pennsylvania’s abandoned gas wells problem March 28, 2024
A Pennsylvania Community Wins a Reprieve on Toxic Fracking Wastewater June 13, 2023
Pennsylvania Expects $400 Million in Infrastructure Funds to Begin Plugging Thousands of Abandoned Oil Wells Stacey Burling, June 11, 2023
‘We don’t feel safe’: US community in shock after record methane leak March 6, 2023
Plugging Pennsylvania’s Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells January 27, 2023
Colorado ponders storing carbon in defunct oil and gas wells
Pa. drillers abandoned thousands of natural gas wells in 5 years, ignored state law, report says January 2023
NETL Story Map Rediscovery of Abandoned Wells in the World's First Oil Field
To find old methane-leaking oil wells, researchers look to history
PA Environmental Digest Blog - Federal Infrastructure Well Plugging (Feb 7, 2022)
Unplugged - Pittsburgh Post Gazette - April 3, 2020
Old oil and gas sites are a climate menace. Meet the company that owns more of America’s decaying wells than any other. By Zachary R. Mider and Rachel Adams-Heard of Bloomberg Green
Video of Methane Hunting trip by Zachary R. Mider and Rachel Adams-Heard of Bloomberg Green
With Billions in Federal Dollars, Will Pennsylvania Finally Cap Its Abandoned, Polluting Oil Wells? (Capital & Main) - December 8, 2021
Surge in funds gives hope for plugging wells. How to distribute money next challenge for state. (By LAURA LEGERE AND ANYA LITVAK PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE)
Plugging abandoned wells boosts local economies
CBS News Video: Abandoned gas and oil wells becoming an environmental threat in the U.S.
Who owns the stream in PA.
The title to the beds of public waters is held in trust by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the benefit of the public. In case of rivers and streams, the Commonwealth's ownership extends to ordinary low water mark, and the adjacent riparian landowner owns above the low water mark.
Impaired Streams [ Click on number 2 -- Click on red stream to get additional info. ]
Integrated Water Quality Report – 2024
Radioactivity from Oil and Gas Wastewater Persists in Pennsylvania Stream Sediments
Who owns groundwater in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, as in most of the Eastern United States, the right to water is not a property right to which title can be acquired, but rather a "right of use" of the water resources, called the "usufructuary right." The usufructuary right is one of those in the bundle of rights that goes with property ownership.
Roadside Springs and other Unsafe Sources Penn State Extension
Video Retired Oil Exec Wants to Plug Up Millions of Abandoned Wells Across the US
Repairing the Damage from Hazardous Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells - Ohio River Valley Institute
Well Plugging Liabilities by State
Oil and Gas Firms Are Saddling States with Billions in Cleanup Costs
Pennsylvania confirms first fracking-related earthquakes
Spate of small earthquakes shuts down fracking activity in Lawrence County
A map that shows the locations of Abandoned Wells found by Venango PaSEC and wells plugged by DEP
See the Map
A map showing the locations of unconventional gas wells and our stream monitoring locations.
Clicking on a stream location will provide a link to our data.
Stream Monitoring Map
Locate Leaking Abandoned Well
Water Monitoring
Macro-invertebrate Collection
Watershed Education
Revegetating a Stream Bank
Water Flowing From Abandoned Well
Orphan Well Hunters