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Orphaned wells can present a risk to the environment and public by emitting methane, contaminating groundwater, and/or impacting ecosystems. The National Academies will convene an ad hoc committee of experts to provide advice to U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Orphaned Wells Program Office (OWPO) on regulatory, technical, scientific, and economic considerations for plugging and remediating orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells.
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Best Practices, Opportunities for Plugging Orphan Wells Identified in New Report
News Release
Potentially hundreds of thousands of orphaned oil and gas wells across the U.S. remain unplugged or were sealed before modern standards existed, and pose risks to public health, the environment, and nearby communities. A new National Academies report examines technologies and best practices for plugging and remediating orphan wells.
