Railroad Commission Seeks Input on Orphaned Well Cleanup

The Texas Railroad Commission has received funding from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Orphaned Wells Program Office to plug, remediate and restore orphaned oil and gas wells across the state. Counties are invited to comment on the potential impacts to historic properties as part of the review process under the National Historic Preservation Act.

The initiative addresses potential environmental and public safety hazards posed by orphaned wells, which no longer produce oil or natural gas and have no known owners or operators. The Railroad Commission is partnering with the Texas Historical Commission to ensure compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act and will prioritize wells that pose the greatest environmental risks.

Cleanup activities will generally be confined to areas within 200 feet of existing well sites. No new infrastructure will be built. The deadline to obligate the use of the federal funds is Sept. 30, 2030.

Counties can view a list of orphaned wells, stay up to date on ongoing cleanup efforts and find more information about the program by visiting the Railroad Commission's Federally Funded Well-Plugging webpage.