Conservation Law

Conservation Law Waiver Request Process (PDF)

On August 10th, 2015, Hilcorp Energy Company submitted to DEP a permit application to drill and operate an unconventional well.  This well will penetrate the Onondaga Formation; therefore the well bore is subject to the Oil and Gas Conservation Law and the regulations at Title 25, Chapter 79 of the Pennsylvania Code.  The well bore is proposed to be constructed within 330 feet of an unleased tract of land.  Hilcorp Energy Company submitted a request to DEP to waive this setback requirement.  On September 16, 2015, DEP hosted a public hearing to accept comment regarding this request.  The following is the written transcript of this public hearing.

Transcript of Public Hearing - Hilcorp Energy Company Waiver Request 

Conservation Law Public Hearing (PDF)

Hearing officer Michael Bangs has canceled the Oct. 27 and 28 public hearing sessions and formally closed the docket on Hilcorp Energy Co.'s Application for Gas Well Spacing Units.

On Friday, Aug. 29, Hilcorp withdrew its application for a well spacing order to establish four gas well drilling units on 3,267 acres to drill into the Utica Shale Formation in Pulaski Township, Lawrence County and Shenango Township, Mercer County.

Pennsylvanians looking for more information should call 717-772-2199.

• Conservation Law Background (PDF)
• Hearing Rescheduled for Hilcorp Application for Gas Well Spacing Units
• DEP Advocates for Additional Public Input Opportunity on Application for Gas Well Spacing Units
• DEP Announces Hearing on Application for Gas Well Spacing Units is Postponed
• DEP Announces Hearing Dates for Hilcorp Application for Gas Well Spacing Units
• Hearing Canceled after Hilcorp Withdraws Application for Gas Well Spacing Units

Laws and Regulations

• PA ACT 359 - Oil and Gas Conservation Law (PDF)
• Chapter 79 - Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations
• Administrative Agency Law (2 Pa.C.S. §§ 101 – 754)
• General Rules of Administrative Practice and Procedure (1 Pa.Code §§ 31.1 – 35.251)

Individual Dockets

Please Note: "Individual Dockets" contains copies of the correspondence, briefs, orders and other papers filed in Conservation Law proceedings. The documents listed in "Individual Dockets" do not constitute the official docket. The official docket is maintained by the Docket Clerk and is available for inspection and copying by the public during office hours. The Docket Clerk, Glenda Davidson, may be contacted at 717-787-4449 or gldavidson@pa.gov.

In Re. The Matter of The Application of Hilcorp Energy Company for Well Spacing Units (Docket No. 2013-01)

• Environmental Hearing Board – Hilcorp Energy Company v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection, EHB Docket No. 2013-155-SA-R
• Application Materials
• December 2, 2013 Hilcorp Application for Well Spacing Units (PDF)
• February 26, 2014 Supplemental Documents (PDF)
• Affidavit of Confidentiality (PDF)
• Exhibit A (PDF)
• Exhibit B (Document maintained under seal pursuant of Protective Order, dated February 19, 2014)
• Exhibit C (PDF)
• February 28, 2014 Supplemental Documents - Alternative Proposed Well Spacing Plan Exhibits (A-1, B-1, C-1, G-1, H-1) (PDF)
• Ryder Scott Company Report (Document maintained under seal pursuant of Protective Order, dated February 19, 2014)
• Names and Addresses of Property Owners in the Proposed Spacing Order
• Unleased 110H and 111H (Excel)
• Revised Unleased 110H and 111H (Excel)
• December 23, 2013 Docket Clerk Letter to Hilcorp (PDF)
• December 23, 2013 Request for Hearing Officer (PDF)
• December 30, 2013 DEP letter appointing Hearing Officer (PDF)
• January 2, 2014 Docket Clerk Letter to Hearing Officer (PDF)
• January 13, 2014 Hearing Officer Letter re: Pre-Hearing Conference Call (PDF)
• January 17, 2014 Standing Practice Order (Corrected) (PDF)
• January 22, 2014 Deficiency Letter (PDF)
• January 23, 2014 DEP's Pre-Hearing Statement (PDF)
• January 23, 2014 Hilcorp's Pre-Hearing Statement (PDF)
• February 11,2014 Hilcorp's Joint Motion for Protective Order (PDF)
• February 19, 2014 Order and Protective Order (PDF)
• February 27, 2014 Hilcorp's Notice of Production of Supplemental Documents (PDF)
• March 7, 2014 DEP Status Report (PDF)
• March 10, 2014 Hilcorp Letter re: DEP Status Report (PDF)
• March 10, 2014 DEP Witness List (PDF)
• March 14, 2014 DEP Notification for Hearing (PDF)
• March 14, 2014 Hilcorp Letter re: Public Participation (PDF)
• March 14, 2014 DEP Letter re: Public Participation and Proposed Order (PDF)
• March 14, 2014 Hilcorp Witness List (PDF)
• March 17, 2014 Hilcorp Hearing Officer Public Participation Order (PDF)
• March 17, 2014 Rosenburg Protest (PDF)
• March 18, 2014 DEP Exhibit List (PDF)
• March 24, 2014 DEP/Hilcorp Proposed Order for a Continuance (PDF)
• March 25, 2014 Postponement Order for Hilcorp Hearing (PDF)
• March 31, 2014 Motion to Depose Department's Expert Witness (PDF)
• April 4, 2014 Hearing Officer Ltr. Re. Motion to Depose(PDF)
• April 4, 2014 DEP Response to Hearing Officer Ltr. (PDF)
• April 4, 2014 Hilcorp Proposed Order for Deposition (PDF)
• April 4, 2014 DEP Response to Hilcorp's Motion to Depose (PDF)
• April 14, 2014 Hilcorp Amended Witness List (PDF)
• April 15, 2014 Order re. Hilcorp's Motion to Depose (PDF)
• April 22, 2014 DEP's Summary of Testimony (PDF)
• April 25, 2014 Petition to Intervene (PDF)
• April 29 2014 DEP Answer to Petition to Intervene (PDF)
• April 30 2014 Hilcorp Response to Petition to Intervene (PDF)
• May 1, 2014 Hearing Officer Letter (PDF)
• May 2, 2014 Secretary Intervention Order (PDF)
• May 2, 2014 Continuance Order (PDF)
• May 5, 2014 Intervenors Motion to Stay
• May 5, 2014 DEP Answer to Motion to Stay
• May 8, 2014 Hilcorp Answer to Motion to Intervene(PDF)
• May 12, 2014 Nogee Petition to Intervene(PDF)
• June 2, 2014 Hearing Officer Bangs Letter (PDF)
• June 9, 2014 Hilcorp Motion to Schedule Hearing
• June 18, 2014 DEP Answer Hilcorp Motion to Schedule Hearing (PDF)
• July 11, 2014 DEP Hilcorp letter (PDF)
• July 18, 2014 Hilcorp - Secretary Abruzzo Letter and Order (PDF)
• July 29, 2014 Entry of Appearance for Attorney Michael Oliverio on behalf of Gerard and Claudia Nogee (PDF)
• July 30, 2014 Hilcorp Letter re Hearing Dates (PDF)
• August 1, 2014 Hearing Officer Letter re. Hearing Dates (PDF)
• August 4, 2014 Letter and Praecipe to Enter Appearance - Hilcorp (DEP) (PDF)
• August 5, 2014 Hilcorp - Renewed Motion for Stay of Proceedings (PDF)
• August 8, 2014 DEP's Answer Re. Renewed Motion to Stay (PDF)
• August 11, 2014 Letter re Hearing Date and Order Denying Motion to Stay (PDF)
• August 11, 2014 Property Owners' Motion for Enlargement of Time (PDF)
• August 12, 2014 DEP Letter re Hearing Dates (PDF)
• August 12, 2014 Hilcorp Answer re Hearing Dates (PDF)
• August 12, 2014 Nogees Letter re. Hearing Dates (PDF)
• August 13, 2014 Order Granting Motion for Enlargement of Time (PDF)
• August 20, 2014 Letter Re. Agreed Hearing Dates (PDF) 
• August 25, 2014 Order Setting Hearing for Oct 27-28 (PDF)
• August 29, 2014 DEP Ltr Request to Cancel Docket
• August 29, 2014 Hilcorp Withdrawal of Application
• September 2, 2014 DEP Hilcorp Order

Conservation Law Spacing Orders

• Spacing Order 2(1) (PDF)
• Spacing Order 2(2) (PDF)
• Spacing Order 2-A Map (PDF)
• Spacing Order 2-A supplemental (PDF)
• Spacing Order 2-A supplemental2 (PDF)
• Spacing Order 2-A (PDF)
• Spacing Order 3 (PDF)
• Spacing Order 4 (PDF)
• Spacing Order 5 (PDF)
• Spacing Order 5-A (PDF)
• Spacing Order 5-B (PDF)
• Spacing Order 6 (PDF)
• Spacing Order 7 (PDF)
• Spacing Order 7-A (PDF)
• Spacing Order 7-B (PDF)
• Spacing Order 8-A (PDF)
• Spacing Order 10 (PDF)
• Spacing Order 11 (PDF)
• Spacing Order 12 (PDF)
• Spacing Order 14 (PDF)
• Spacing Order 15 (PDF)