Cleaning Up Abandoned Wells Proves Costly To Gas And Oil Producing States
Half a dozen men in hard hats watch as their construction rig rises more than 100 feet. On top, an American flag flutters in the sun. At the work site in Adams County, Colo., northeast of Denver, the crew is preparing to close off an abandoned well.
Instead of drilling a mile beneath the surface to extract oil, they're about to rip pipe out of the ground. In its place, they'll leave concrete plugs strong enough to seal the hole permanently.
The well in question is known as an "orphaned well." When oil and gas companies go bankrupt or stop taking care of their equipment, their wells fall into the state's hands.
Thus, the term "orphaned."
As the Trump administration looks to roll back regulations to boost the oil and gas industry, more states with growing energy production are grappling with how to handle these types of wells, some of which pose a danger to nearby homes and schools.
The EPA estimates there may be more than 1 million of these orphans scattered across the country.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2019/09/06/758284873/cleaning-up-abandoned-wells-proves-costly-to-gas-and-oil-producing-states
Mike Hickey works on capping an an orphaned well in Adams County, Colo. The EPA estimates there are more than 1 million abandoned gas and oil wells across the country.
Matt Bloom/KNUC
