• Home
  • Orphan Wells
  • Our Mission
  • P&A Benefits
  • Repurposing
  • Our Goal
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Resources
  • Press & News
  • More
    • Home
    • Orphan Wells
    • Our Mission
    • P&A Benefits
    • Repurposing
    • Our Goal
    • Our Team
    • Our Partners
    • Resources
    • Press & News
  • Home
  • Orphan Wells
  • Our Mission
  • P&A Benefits
  • Repurposing
  • Our Goal
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Resources
  • Press & News

What happens when an oil and gas well reaches the end of its economic life?

Clearly, the well should be plugged by the operator, but it doesn’t always happen. 


An operator may declare bankruptcy or simply abandon the well for financial reasons, so that it becomes an unattended or “orphan” well. While an operator is required by law to provide financial assurance, the costs to plug all the wells abandoned by an operator may greatly exceed the financial assurance, leaving the state as the “payer” as a last resort. 


The impact is a backlog of orphan wells that the state is unable to manage either logistically or financially

How Many of Texas' 7,486 Orphan Wells are in Your Community?

TEXAS COUNTIES WITH THE GREATEST NUMBER OF ORPHAN WELLS

Orphan Wells as of September 2021

Pecos County

505

Nacagdoches County

348

Hutchinson County

300

Gray County

222

Brown County

191

Shackelford County

175

Crockett County

163

Chambers County

162

Guadalupe County

159

Callahan County

145

Milam County

136

Archer County

130

Refugio County

125

Upton County

122

Wilson County

120

Eastland County

116

Coleman County

115

Reeves County

114

Liberty County

104

Caldwell County

96

Harrison County

86

Young County

84

Live Oak County

77

Howard County

76

Throckmorton County

75

Winkler County

74

Goliad County

71

Bee County

66

Jackson County

66

Scurry County

62

Atascosa County

62

Crane County

62

Tsunami of Orphan Wells

“Orphan wells in the best of times are a big deal. The potential for a coming tsunami of additional orphan wells is of concern to many."


- Adam Peltz, senior attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund 






At the beginning of FY 2021, the RRC orphan well database showed Texas to have 6,208 Orphan Wells.   






Over the course of FY 2021 (Sept. 1,  2020 - Aug. 31, 2021), the RRC's Oil Field Cleanup Program plugged 1,453 wells.

 





 After spending $36.3 million to plug this significant number of wells, Texans continue to be saddled with 7,016 orphan wells. 

 "We're making progress, but we're treading water," said Christi Craddick - Railroad Commission of Texas  

Find out more

Environmental Risk

Methane Emissions

 Methane (CH4), if leaked into the atmosphere before being used, absorbs the sun's heat and warms the atmosphere.  Methane is considered a greenhouse gas much more potent than carbon dioxide. The EPA’s Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990–2016 shows abandoned wells to contribute 3.4% of all methane emissions relating to oil and gas activity.  

Groundwater Pollution

 Unplugged orphaned wells have the potential to contaminate groundwater. Deterioration of an orphan well's casing and cement could allow the wellbore to become a conduit for the movement of potentially hazardous fluids into potable aquifers. 

Surface Contamination

 Orphaned well sites may still have old equipment, contaminated soil from small spills and other waste at the surface. Oil, natural gas and brine seeping from the old wells can contaminate soil, rivers and lakes.   

Copyright © 2021 Native State Environmental, Inc. - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by GoDaddy

Native State Co-Sponsors Carbon Offset Methodology

Native State Environmental and Well Done Foundation are pursuing the development of a carbon offset methodology through the American Carbon Registry (ACR)’s program for the creation of carbon offset credits from the reduction in methane emissions by plugging orphaned oil and gas wells.

Link to American Carbon Registry