UPTON COUNTY, Texas—A sinkhole around an old oil well is growing at an alarming rate on the Kelton Ranch in West Texas.
Radford Grocery #17 was originally drilled as an oil well in the 1950s and later converted to a saltwater disposal well, according to state records. The well was plugged in 1977.
The Kelton family, which owns the ranch, became alarmed recently as a sinkhole around the well rapidly grew. Water pooled in the bottom of the sinkhole. Then crude oil began migrating up from underground and formed a dark layer over the water…