Texas Leads the Way
Texas became the first state to plug an orphaned well using funding from the Infrastructure Act with the plugging of a well near Gordon, TX on October 26th.
The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) is the state authority for the oil and gas industry, and is managing the newly bolstered plugging efforts. TX will receive $105,563,000 to plug wells in 2022 and could be eligible for as much as $343,695,000 in total funding.
Next in Line
Other states are also moving swiftly to put federal funds to use plugging wells, prioritizing wells leaking in sensitive areas. Louisiana will likely start with plugging and remediating 151 orphaned wells scattered across national wildlife refuges in the state, in addition to more testing and emissions measurements. New Mexico has about 200 high-risk wells identified for initial plugging. Ohio plans to plug up to 320 wells using the initial funding. Kentucky may plug as many as 1,200 wells with initial funds. Pennsylvania has targeted over 300 wells, and West Virginia plans to plug 160 wells.
Ensuring Efficient Abandonment
While plugging wells is typically a straightforward process consisting of setting cement plugs throughout different zones in the well and remediating the site, wells with gas migration can quickly become much more complicated and expensive. BioSqueeze® is the most effective solution for addressing gas migration, routinely sealing even the most difficult leaks and enabling efficient abandonment.
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