ORPHANED WELLS - The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Joe Biden, will fund the plugging of thousands of abandoned oil wells all across the country. These so-called “orphaned wells” are no longer in operation due to the operator going out of business or if the government can’t determine who the responsible party is to handle the well.
The secretary for the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Thomas Harris said in a recent statement that while plugging orphaned wells is an ongoing effort, the problem has been generations in the making. And that this new funding helps the state take a bigger “bite out of the backlog” of orphaned wells.
Louisiana has an estimated 4500 abandoned wells some more recently orphaned due to downturns in the prices of oil and gas prior to 2022. The state will receive $25 million dollars to plug 250 to 900 documented wells near low-income communities and will also provide training and employment opportunities for energy workers.
