Decommissioning oil and gas wells that are no longer in use is a costly and complicated endeavor. However, West Virginia passed a bill to simplify the process and reduce costs.
According to The Parkersburg News and Sentinel, abandoned and orphaned wells pose significant safety and environmental risks, with 21,000 in the state.
"The new law allows operators to pierce the casing of abandoned and orphaned wells and fill them with cement without having to remove the well's central casing," the newspaper said.
Previous state code required much of the well's infrastructure to be removed before it could be plugged, even if the casing was unsafe to remove or damaged.
According to The Parkersburg News and Sentinel, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said: "Abandoned and orphaned wells can pose a significant threat and safety risk and can potentially impact surface and groundwater drinking sources. So plugging these wells safely and effectively is critical to protecting these resources."
In some cases, the well casings intersect the water aquifers, so the bill requires accounting for how they were constructed to incorporate a safety measure when plugging them. When safety measures are not taken, it can worsen the process.
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For example, when the pressure was released from a well not far from Warwood Marina, the marina had to shut down operations and close part of a parking lot so the state Department of Environmental Protection could shut the well. That well took months to seal and cost $185,000.
According to the Well Done Foundation, abandoned wells pose health risks because they can leak harmful gases, including "methane, benzene, and hydrogen sulfide." These poisonous gases can lead to respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological problems. They also reduce local air quality.
These harmful effects underscore the importance of exploring climate issues and finding innovative ways to solve them.
Governors in other states have also passed laws to protect communities and the environment.
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Definitely 🥰 For instance, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin passed a bill promoting clean nuclear energy, and Delaware Gov. John Carney passed a bill to buy wind turbines and require state vehicles to be electric.
Morrisey said, "It's going to allow all of us to safely and efficiently cap more wells than ever before and help us be more aggressive in protecting the environment," per The Parkersburg News and Sentinel.
He added, "We're moving the state forward."
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