(The Center Square) — A recent report from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor highlights the state’s ongoing challenges with managing orphaned oil and gas wells. According to the LLA, the number of orphaned wells has increased 68% since 2013.
Patrick Courreges, Communications Director for DNR, explained that operators often abandon wells when they go bankrupt or are forced out of business for failing to comply with state regulations, leaving behind potential environmental hazards.
“You’ve got a bunch of equipment at the surface, including tanks with toxic substances like highly concentrated brine or crude oil,” Courreges said. Unplugged wells pose serious risks, from contaminating freshwater aquifers to creating methane pathways to the surface that can lead to gas leaks or spills if disturbed.
Two new audits assess the efforts of the Office of Conservation and the Louisiana Oil Field Restoration Association to secure funds and address environmental risks associated with these wells.