But while the Orphan Well Prevention Act will help reduce the number of abandoned and orphaned wells — currently around 5,300 — industry watchers said it does little to address the looming issue of wells that remain dormant indefinitely, some of which leak climate-warming methane and toxic fumes.
6 points
Damaging an idle well makes little sense. It has no impact on the oil company and does environmental damage.
Proper end of life for a well means not just some cap on top, but a plug or multiple plugs down in the borehole to prevent hydrocarbons from migrating into aquifers and salt water from migrating into freshwater aquifers