Practices and Standards for Plugging Orphaned and Abandoned Hydrocarbon Wells

_______

Linda Casola, Noel Walters, and Cameron Oskvig, Rapporteurs

Board on Earth Sciences and Resources

Division on Earth and Life Studies

Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment

Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences

Proceedings of a Workshop

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This activity was supported by a contract between the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Department of the Interior. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-72914-7
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-72914-9
Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/28035

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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Practices and Standards for Plugging Orphaned and Abandoned Hydrocarbon Wells: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/28035.

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PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR A WORKSHOP ON PRACTICES AND STANDARDS FOR PLUGGING ORPHANED AND ABANDONED HYDROCARBON WELLS

MARY HART FEELEY (Chair), ExxonMobil Exploration Company (retired)

MARY KANG, McGill University

DONALD NATHAN MEEHAN, Texas A&M University

MILEVA RADONJIC, Oklahoma State University

JAMES ALLEN SLUTZ, National Petroleum Council

Staff

DEBORAH GLICKSON, Director, Board on Earth Sciences and Resources

CAMERON OSKVIG, Director, Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment

EVAN ELWELL, Associate Program Officer, Air Force Studies Board

MILES LANSING, Senior Program Assistant, Board on Earth Sciences and Resources

NOEL WALTERS, Associate Program Officer, Board on Earth Sciences and Resources

BOARD ON EARTH SCIENCES AND RESOURCES

ISABEL P. MONTAÑEZ (Chair), University of California, Davis

THORSTEN W. BECKER, University of Texas at Austin

MICHELE L. COOKE, University of Massachusetts Amherst

MARY H. FEELEY, ExxonMobil Exploration Company (retired)

KATHARINE W. HUNTINGTON, University of Washington

KRISTEN KURLAND, Carnegie Mellon University

MICHAEL MANGA, University of California, Berkeley

W. ALLEN MARR, Jr., Geocomp Corporation

PATRICIA F. MCDOWELL, University of Oregon

JESSICA P. MOORE, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey

ANN S. OJEDA, Auburn University

DAVID B. SPEARS, Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (retired)

DAVID W. SZYMANSKI, Bentley University

JOLANTE W. VAN WIJK, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Staff

DEBORAH GLICKSON, Director

EMILY BERMUDEZ, Senior Program Assistant

CHARLES BURGIS, Associate Program Officer

MAYA FREY, Senior Program Assistant

CYNTHIA GETNER, Senior Financial Business Partner

SAMUEL KRAFT, Senior Program Assistant

MILES LANSING, Senior Program Assistant

SAMMANTHA L. MAGSINO, Senior Program Officer

MARGO REGIER, Program Officer

BRYAN RUFF, Senior Program Assistant

JONATHAN TUCKER, Program Officer

NOEL WALTERS, Associate Program Officer

BOARD ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE CONSTRUCTED ENVIRONMENT

JESUS M. DE LA GARZA (Chair), Clemson University

BURCU AKINCI, Carnegie Mellon University

STEPHEN AYERS, The Ayers Group, LLC

BURCIN BECERIK-GERBER, University of Southern California

LEAH BROOKS, George Washington University

MIKHAIL V. CHESTER, Arizona State University

JAMES “JACK” DEMPSEY, Asset Management Partnership, LLC

LEONARDO DUEÑAS-OSORIO, Rice University

DEVIN K. HARRIS, University of Virginia

DAVID J. HAUN, Haun Consulting, Inc.

CHRISTOPHER J. MOSSEY, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

ANDREW PERSILY, National Institute of Standards and Technology

ROBERT “BOB” RAINES, Atkins Nuclear Secured

JAMES RISPOLI, North Carolina State University

DOROTHY ROBYN, Boston University

SHOSHANNA D. SAXE, University of Toronto

Staff

CAMERON OSKVIG, Director

JIM MYSKA, Senior Program Officer

JOSEPH PALMER, SR., Program Assistant

BRITTANY SEGUNDO, Program Officer

DONAVAN THOMAS, Finance Business Partner

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Reviewers

This Proceedings of a Workshop was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published proceedings as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the process.

We thank the following individuals for their review of this proceedings:

DWAYNE PURVIS, Purvis Energy Advisors

DAVID SPEARS, Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (retired)

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the content of the proceedings nor did they see the final draft before its release. The review of this proceedings was overseen by Christine Ehlig-Economides, University of Houston. She is responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this proceedings was carried out in accordance with standards of the National Academies and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content rests entirely with the rapporteur and the National Academies.

We also thank staff member Jeffrey Kast for reading and providing helpful comments on this manuscript.

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Contents

1 INTRODUCTION

Workshop Overview

Sponsor Remarks

Organization of this Proceedings

2 ORPHANED AND ABANDONED WELL-PLUGGING: COSTS, CHALLENGES, AND BENEFITS

Introduction

Historic and Current Well-Plugging Efforts Across the States

Orphaned Wells: Locations, Attributes, and Costs

Research and Development Program for Undocumented Orphaned Wells

Commentary from State Oil and Gas Leaders

Open Discussion

Compilation of State Standards and Procedures for Plugging and Abandoning Wells

3 EXAMPLES OF WELL-PLUGGING PRIORITIZATION CONSIDERATIONS: EVALUATING WELLBORE INTEGRITY AND SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS

Introduction

Examples of Prioritization Considerations for Managing Permanent End-of-Life Solutions for Marginal, Idled, Orphaned, and Other Wells

Orphaned Well-Plugging Prioritization in Wyoming

Orphaned and Abandoned Well-Plugging in Pennsylvania

Railroad Commission of Texas: Standard Practices for Plugging Orphaned and Abandoned Wells

Evaluating Wellbore Integrity and Subsurface Conditions in Alaska’s Orphaned Wells

Perspectives From the Bureau of Land Management

Open Discussion

4 EXAMPLES OF PROCEDURES AND BEST PRACTICES FOR WELLBORES

Introduction

Challenges to Plugging Orphaned Wells

Example Learnings from Gulf of Mexico Plugging and Abandonment Experience

The Process: Evaluation, Planning, and Execution

Open Discussion

5 ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS AND MONITORING

Introduction

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Quantification of Methane from Wells

Potential Methods for Quantifying Methane Emissions from Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells

Methane Emissions and Water Quality Impacts Around Orphaned and Abandoned Hydrocarbon Wells

Leveraging Publicly Available Data to Understand Well-Integrity Risks

Informing Groundwater-Quality Monitoring with Models

Open Discussion

6 REMEDIATION, RECLAMATION, AND RESTORATION

Introduction

National Park Service Orphaned Wells Projects

Surface Reclamation and Restoration

Colorado’s Orphaned Well Program

A Modern Approach to Reclamation

Open Discussion

7 ADVANCES IN PLUGGING AND ABANDONMENT FOR IDLED WELLS

Introduction

Lessons Learned from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists: 2020–Present

New and Upcoming Plugging and Abandonment Technology

Urban Abandonment: Challenges and Solutions

U.S. Geological Survey Science to Support Orphaned Well-Plugging: Historical Drilling, Produced Waters Geochemistry, and Groundwater Quality

Isolating Annuli Using Shale/Salt as a Barrier

Open Discussion

8 EXAMPLES OF KEY WORKSHOP THEMES

REFERENCES

APPENDIX A: WORKSHOP STATEMENT OF TASK

APPENDIX B: WORKSHOP AGENDA

APPENDIX C: WORKSHOP PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBER BIOGRAPHIES

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