Last month, Governor Josh Shapiro and the Department of Environmental Protection celebrated the 300th orphaned or abandoned well plugging, but what are these wells and what are the dangers of not plugging them?
An abandoned or orphaned well is a well that has been left unplugged, has no owner, and could potentially be leaking oil or gas.
“Orphaned and abandoned wells of today are the environmental hazards of tomorrow. These wells have the potential to pollute Pennsylvania’s air, land and water. They can also harm people’s health, threaten property values, accelerate climate change, and also hurt the local economy,” Scott Dudzic, an Environmental program manager with the DEP said. “The abandoned wells can create a problematic situation, in the worst case scenario the methane could accumlate and cause an explosion hazard.”
Depending on the location, age, and more plugging a well can become extremely costly.
“The plugging costs can range from tens of thousands of dollars to well-over $100,000,” Dudzic said. “Catastrophic explosions can occur and do damage far exceeding of plugging the well.”
Current laws require that wells not being used can lead to fines up to $25,000 and additional $1000 each day it’s not plugged.
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