Vowinckel, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) continues to address the problem of orphan oil and gas wells in Pennsylvania, plugging a well in Clarion County that contaminated a local family’s drinking water.
“Orphaned and Abandoned wells present serious risks to the environment and public health by polluting groundwater and leaking methane into the atmosphere. This well site is an example of those impacts – where residents can’t drink their water because of this orphaned well,” said Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “Thanks to the efforts of Shapiro Administration, we finally have the resources to address wells like these that are affecting peoples’ lives.”
This gas well is located just six feet away from the family’s potable water well – and the DEP had confirmed iron from the gas well was getting into the water well. The water well, which was this family’s only source of drinking water, had been unusable for five months. With no access to public water, the DEP began providing a temporary water supply throughout the course of the plugging process.
Since day one, the Shapiro Administration has been dedicated to maximizing every opportunity to plug orphan and abandoned wells in Pennsylvania, successfully plugging over 270 wells so far — more than in the previous 10 years combined. The 2024-25 budget allocated $11 million to DEP’s Office of Oil and Gas Management, ensuring that Pennsylvania can fully leverage available federal funds for well plugging.
Plugging wells can vary in cost based on several factors. Age, depth and location all contribute to rising costs to plug a well. Conditions, such as the ones found in this particularly aged well, are a perfect example of how a troublesome well can add time and money to a plugging project. In 2024, the average cost to plug wells under the initial Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Grant has been just over $105,000.
As a result of unforeseen conditions surrounding this well, the total cost is closer to $500,000 due to the poor condition of the steel casing in the well.
The Department of Interior recently awarded Pennsylvania another $76 million to address the plugging of orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells. The $76 million is the first round of Formula Grant funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which could provide up to $300 million over the next three to five years; advancing ongoing efforts to protect public health, reducing methane emissions that contribute to climate change, and creating good-paying Pennsylvania jobs.
DEP has identified over 27,000 orphaned and abandoned wells and is prioritizing those posing the highest risks. New plugging contracts will focus on these high-priority wells, along with nearby wells, to maximize efficiency and preempt environmental threats.
Pennsylvania's long history of energy development dates back to 1859, when the first commercial oil well was drilled in Titusville. More information about the orphan and abandoned well plugging program is available on DEP’s website:Rewriting Pennsylvania’s Legacy.
For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s website, or follow DEP on Facebook, X (Formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, or Instagram.
