US has more than 130,000 documented abandoned, orphaned oil and gas wells
Friday, January 14, 2022
A preliminary analysis by the U.S. Interior Department revealed there are more than double the amount of abandoned oil and gas wells as previously thought, according to The Hill.
The department said there are more than 130,000 documented abandoned or orphaned wells — an increase from a 2019 report that documented a total of 56,600 orphaned wells across 30 states and estimated the number of abandoned wells to range from zero to 13,226.
President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has earmarked $4.7 billion to restore and plug orphaned wells and 26 states have submitted notices of intent to apply for grants. Those states include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Learn more: The Hill > Interior: US has twice as many abandoned oil and gas wells as previously thought
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What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.