The funding to plug abandoned wells in Oklahoma was pushed forward on Monday. House Bill 2303 extends the life of the Well Plugging Fund for another five years and made it past the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Natural Resources and Regulatory Services.
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission administers the fund and works with the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board (OERB) to clean up orphaned wells sites. The Commission plugs the wells while OERB cleans up the surface.
The fund finances the plugging of those wells for which a responsible operator cannot be found. The Corporation Commission employs contractors to plug the wells which are on a priority list.
Over the past five years, the program has plugged 972 wells, however, more than 650 wells are currently waiting to be plugged. More than 400 wells are on the Commission’s orphan well list. Those wells will either make it to the plugging list or they will be “adopted” by a responsible operator.
HB 2303 now heads to the full House Appropriations and Budget Committee for consideration.
