PA DEP Still Spends 5X More to Plug Orphaned Wells Than Other States

We explored an important issue last September---the ballooning cost of plugging orphaned oil and gas wells in Pennsylvania (see PA DEP Spending WAY Too Much to Plug Abandoned/Orphaned Wells). As a reminder, abandoned wells are those with no production for at least 12 months in a row. Orphaned wells were abandoned before 1985, and the owner is unknown, so the responsibility for plugging them rests with the state. The problem is that when the state runs the program and must conform to federal employment regulations (to use federal funds), the per-well cost to plug wells goes through the roof. The cost PA is paying (continues to pay) to plug wells is roughly five times as much as other states. What the heck is going on?

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