Why California should plug its idle oil wells

California has a growing idle well problem, with over 40,000 wells classified as either idle or orphaned. Wells become “idle” when they have stopped producing oil or gas for at least two years, at which point they are usually no longer economically viable to operate. These wells pose significant threats to our environment and our health, not to mention a substantial risk to California’s taxpayers who are on the hook to clean them up if they become orphaned.

Idle wells threaten our environment and public health

Oil and gas operations pose a staggering array of threats to our environment and health, and wells continue to do so when they become idle and stop producing. Oil and gas wells contaminate drinking water, harm the health of nearby residents, marr landscapes, and contribute to global warming. An average of 66% of active and idle wells leak toxic methane, and 79% of California’s wells pose a threat to groundwater due to their close proximity to groundwater resources.

Idle wells are a huge financial liability

California’s oil wells cost an average of $68,000 to plug and clean up once they are done producing. Given that 41% of California’s oil wells are either idle or orphaned, these wells will cost more than $2.8 billion to clean up. Rather than promptly plugging wells, many operators prolong the toxic legacy of their wells by paying a small fee each year to keep them unplugged. We must ensure that oil and gas operators foot the bill for plugging wells instead of the public, and that they follow a strict timeline for cleaning up their idle wells.

Polluters should pay to clean up their wells

Activists calling on lawmakers to make polluters pay in SacramentoPhoto by Last Chance Alliance | Used by permission

California legislators must pass AB 1866 (Hart) this year, which will require oil and gas companies to plug their idle wells within a decade. The bill sets stricter timelines for larger companies with more idle wells, and prioritizes plugging wells that lie within 3,200 feet of a home, apartment, school, business, or healthcare facility. It’s time for California to seriously address its idle well crisis by requiring oil and gas operators to plug their wells, thereby cutting harmful pollution and preventing the financial burden from falling on taxpayers’ shoulders down the line.