Diversified Energy is Dominating with “Orphaned” Gas Wells

by Duane Nichols on December 12, 2022

The WV Surface Owners Rights Organization supports the plugging of abandoned & orphaned oil & gas wells

Don’t let (leaking) orphaned wells be taxpayers’ problem

From a Letter by Jim Kotcon to Dominion Post, Sunday, December 11, 2022

The Nov. 26 article regarding well plugging by Diversified Energy is a welcome turn-around. The article correctly indicated that significant new funding to close orphaned wells is available thanks to the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 and that wells owned by existing companies are not “orphaned” but are the responsibility of the private businesses that own them.

One important issue is worth bringing to the attention of readers. More so than any other West Virginia company, Diversified has acquired so many old declining wells that its current rate of capping and plugging would require hundreds of years.

Over the last few years, it has acquired more of these old wells much faster than it is plugging non-producing ones, which means it keeps getting further and further behind. Thus, there is a real risk that Diversified may join the long list of companies that are bankrupt, dead and gone before all those old wells get capped, creating a large pool of “orphaned” wells that become the responsibility of the taxpayer.

That is why I hope that companies such as Diversified would support legislation to prevent more orphan wells from being created, so their plugging costs would not be passed on to the taxpayer.

The Orphan Well Protection Act would require adequate bonding in an escrow account to assure that, even if large companies go bankrupt, West Virginia taxpayers will not be on the hook to pay the business expenses of a private company. We know that existing orphaned wells will need to be plugged but let’s at least stop the situation from getting worse.

As the old saying goes: “If you find yourself stuck in a hole, stop digging!”

>>> Jim Kotcon, W.Va. Chapter of Sierra Club, Morgantown

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See Article from WVSORO ~ If you find out there is a proposal to plug an oil or gas well on your land, what should you do?WV Surface Owners’ Rights Organization

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Skylark Overview December 13, 2022 at 11:45 pm

PA Permit Violation Issued to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene County
Description: Environmental Health & Safety violation issued on 12/08/2022 to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene county. 102.22(b)1 – SITE STABILIZATION – TEMPORARY STABILIZATION – Permitee failed to temporarily stabilize the site to protect it from accelerated erosion and sedimentation where cessation of earth disturbance activities exceeded 4 days. Incident Date/Time: 2022-12-08

PA Permit Violation Issued to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene County
Description: Environmental Health & Safety violation issued on 12/08/2022 to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene county. SWMA 301 – MANAGEMENT OF RESIDUAL WASTE – Person operated a residual waste processing or disposal facility without obtaining a permit for such facility from DEP. Person stored, transported, processed, or disposed of residual waste inconsistent with or unauthorized by the rules and regulations of DEP. Incident Date/Time: 2022-12-08

PA Permit Violation Issued to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene County
Description: Environmental Health & Safety violation issued on 12/08/2022 to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene county. 78.54 – GENERAL REQUIREMENTS – Operator failed to control and dispose of fluids, residual waste and drill cuttings, including tophole water, brines, drilling fluids, drilling muds, stimulation fluids, well servicing fluids, oil, and production fluids in a manner that prevents pollution of the waters of the Commonwealth.
Incident Date/Time: 2022-12-08

PA Permit Violation Issued to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene County
Description: Environmental Health & Safety violation issued on 12/08/2022 to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene county. 78.57(a) – CONTROL, STORAGE AND DISPOSAL OF PRODUCTION FLUIDS – Operator failed to collect the brine and other fluids produced during operation, service and plugging of the well in a tank, pit or a series of pits or tanks, or other device approved by the Department or Operator discharged brine or other fluids on or into the ground or into waters of the Commonwealth. Incident Date/Time: 2022-12-08

PA Permit Violation Issued to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene County
Description: Environmental Health & Safety violation issued on 12/08/2022 to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene county. CSL 301 – PROHIBITION AGAINST DISCHARGE OF INDUSTRIAL WASTES – Industrial waste discharged into Waters of the Commonwealth.
Incident Date/Time: 2022-12-08

PA Permit Violation Issued to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene County
Description: Environmental Health & Safety violation issued on 12/08/2022 to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene county. 91.34(A) – ACTIVITIES UTILIZING POLLUTANTS – Failure to take necessary measures to prevent the substances from directly or indirectly reaching waters of this Commonwealth, through accident, carelessness, maliciousness, hazards of weather or from another cause. Incident Date/Time: 2022-12-08

PA Permit Violation Issued to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene County
Description: Environmental Health & Safety violation issued on 12/08/2022 to DIVERSIFIED PROD LLC in Cumberland Twp, Greene county. CSL 307(a) – INDUSTRIAL WASTE DISCHARGES – Industrial waste discharged, directly or indirectly, into Waters of the Commonwealth, without a permit, authorization, or contrary to rules and regulations of the Department. Incident Date/Time: 2022-12-08

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Shepherdstown, WV 25443
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