Equitrans Faces Criminal Charges Over Natural Gas Leak

Criminal charges were recently filed against a Canonsburg-based pipeline company over a massive leak of natural gas from a Cambria County storage well in 2022.

Pa. Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that Equitrans, which was purchased last year by natural gas producer EQT, was charged in Cambria County Court with 14 counts of unlawful conduct, prohibition against discharge of industrial wastes, and prohibition against other pollutions. The action stems from leak at the Rager Mountain natural gas storage field, which went uncontrolled for 14 days while a company worked to plug the well.

Estimates provided by Equitrans indicated that more than 1 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas vented into the atmosphere, which contained about 223 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) and 27,040 tons of methane, representing approximately 10% of the methane emissions in the state for 2022. CO2 and methane are both greenhouse gases, with methane trapping more than 25 times as much heat in the atmosphere as CO2. Also released were 106 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to ozone formation and contain hazardous chemicals that can cause health effects.

A grand jury investigation found that Equitrans used insufficient programs to monitor and mitigate corrosion of well sites, resulting in a corroded casing that failed. “The lack of maintenance caused one of the wells to corrode and rupture. As a result, the natural gas that had been stored within the Rager Mountain Storage Field escaped out of the well and into the atmosphere, extending across southern Pennsylvania, as well as portions of Maryland, Delaware, and over the Atlantic Ocean,” a release from the attorney general’s office indicates.

A well control company hired by Equitrans to plug the leak attempted to pump a brine solution into the well to stop the leaking gas. Several attempts had to be made, with the brine heavily contaminating the soil, groundwater and vegetation in the area.

Pa. Department of Environmental Protection employees and those living nearby described odors and a noise like that of a jet engine as massive amounts of natural gas vented from the well. A DEP investigation determined that Equitrans violated air quality, waste, and oil and gas regulations. Equitrans agreed in 2024 to pay $1.14 million in civil penalties to resolve those violations.