FOLLOW US

  • facebook
  • twitter
Mon

March 9, 2026

America July 30, 2020

Clean-up costs for orphan wells loom as oil companies go bankrupt

America ı By Jackie Allen

796 0 Comments

The coronavirus economy is devastating the oil and gas industry. And it looks like there may be a lot to clean up before the economy gets better. So-called “orphan” oil and gas wells, which have been abandoned by defunct companies that cannot pay to plug them, are a growing problem in many states thanks to a recent slump in energy prices that has forced marginal operators out of business. At last count over 30 oil and gas companies went bankrupt in North America from January through July 2020 according to Haynes and Boone, LLP, a legal firm that specializes in the oil and gas industry and tracks the energy sector’s bankruptcy filings.

Taxpayers left with the headache

Taxpayers of several states could be saddled with major cleanup costs for idle and orphan wells if a bankrupt oil and gas company is unable to reorganize. Some oil-producing states have been concerned with orphaned wells for a long time. Texas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming all have state-sponsored active plans to cap off orphan wells that dot the landscape, but there never seems to be enough money to cap them all. Nobody knows how many orphan and abandoned drilling sites litter the landscape of farms, forests, and backyards nationwide, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates there are more than a million of them. Unplugged wells can leak methane, an explosive gas, into neighborhoods and leach toxins into groundwater. Methane leaks can cause explosions. Two new California laws aimed at increasing state regulators’ ability to hold petroleum companies accountable for the costs of plugging and cleaning up their wells could get their first real test with the California Resources Corporation (CRC) bankruptcy and restructuring.  Democrats and some Republicans have begun pushing for a federal government-funded pool of money to address the pollution flowing from the country’s potentially millions of orphan wells. 

Federal rescue unlikely with rescue bill failure

On July 1, 2020, the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives passed a $1.5 trillion bill that wrapped up COVID-19 relief and infrastructure spending. It includes $2 billion that they say would put unemployed oil workers back on the job plugging orphan wells. Although the $2 billion would barely make a dent in the problem, several states like the idea of Federal money subsidizing the clean-up.  “It’s a win for the environment, it’s a win for states, it’s a win for workers,” chair of the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) said during a June 1 forum on the proposal. “And it simply accelerates the cleanup that American taxpayers are on the hook for sooner or later anyway.”
12

Previous Article

CES 2021 going all-digital; cites coronavirus concerns

Read More
Jackie Allen
3078 Posts

Jackie Allen

Jackie is a freelance journalist and technology geek. She worked as a telecom project director for AT&T and BellSouth. Before joining the USA Herald she has written books, articles, blogs and whitepapers. Her clients include Samsung and other technology companies.

Don’t Miss It
Arizona December 12, 2024
Arizona Bar Opens Investigation on Attorney Aaron Kelly
By – Paul O'Neal
America March 09, 2026
While the World Watches Iran, Gaza Starves
By – Rochdi Rais
Arizona January 11, 2025
Kelly Warner Law Firm Blames USA Herald for Arizona Bar Investigation

In what appears as a desperate attempt to defend multiple allegations of fraud on the courts, the Kelly Warner Law…

By – USA Herald
Arizona January 4, 2025
Aaron Kelly Law Firm Resorts To Attacking Former Client Again On KellyWarnerLaw.com – Pattern Recognized

Attorney Aaron Kelly and his law partner Daniel Warner are currently under investigation by the Arizona Bar for legal misconduct.…

By – Jeff Watterson
Arizona December 12, 2024
Arizona Bar Opens Investigation on Attorney Aaron Kelly

USA Herald recently reported on a developing story involving Attorneys Daniel Warner and Aaron Kelly. Both Warner and Kelly have…

By – Paul O'Neal
America March 9, 2026
G7 Oil Reserve Release Considered as Iran War Disrupts Global Energy Supply

A sudden shock to the world’s oil arteries has pushed major economies toward an emergency response, with a potential G7…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
OpenAI Acquires Promptfoo to Strengthen AI Security and Testing Tools

In a strategic move that underscores the intensifying race to secure advanced artificial intelligence systems, OpenAI acquires Promptfoo, a cybersecurity…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
ISIS New York Attack Charges Filed After Alleged Bomb Plot at NYC Protest

Federal prosecutors have unveiled ISIS New York attack charges against two young men accused of hurling improvised explosive devices during…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
Umbrella Armory filed for Chapter 7 as Gun Industry Slowdown Claims Another Casualty

The cyclical nature of America’s gun market has once again delivered a hard blow. Umbrella Armory filed for Chapter 7,…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
Iran’s Power Shift: Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Emerges at the Center of Authority

A quiet but consequential shift inside Iran’s ruling establishment has propelled Mojtaba Khamenei into the role of supreme leader, marking…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
While the World Watches Iran, Gaza Starves

The moment the first US-Israeli strikes hit Iran on February 28, people in Gaza understood what it meant for them.…

By – Rochdi Rais
America March 9, 2026
G7 Oil Reserve Release Considered as Iran War Disrupts Global Energy Supply

A sudden shock to the world’s oil arteries has pushed major economies toward an emergency response, with a potential G7…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
OpenAI Acquires Promptfoo to Strengthen AI Security and Testing Tools

In a strategic move that underscores the intensifying race to secure advanced artificial intelligence systems, OpenAI acquires Promptfoo, a cybersecurity…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
ISIS New York Attack Charges Filed After Alleged Bomb Plot at NYC Protest

Federal prosecutors have unveiled ISIS New York attack charges against two young men accused of hurling improvised explosive devices during…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
Umbrella Armory filed for Chapter 7 as Gun Industry Slowdown Claims Another Casualty

The cyclical nature of America’s gun market has once again delivered a hard blow. Umbrella Armory filed for Chapter 7,…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
Iran’s Power Shift: Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Emerges at the Center of Authority

A quiet but consequential shift inside Iran’s ruling establishment has propelled Mojtaba Khamenei into the role of supreme leader, marking…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
While the World Watches Iran, Gaza Starves

The moment the first US-Israeli strikes hit Iran on February 28, people in Gaza understood what it meant for them.…

By – Rochdi Rais
America March 9, 2026
G7 Oil Reserve Release Considered as Iran War Disrupts Global Energy Supply

A sudden shock to the world’s oil arteries has pushed major economies toward an emergency response, with a potential G7…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
OpenAI Acquires Promptfoo to Strengthen AI Security and Testing Tools

In a strategic move that underscores the intensifying race to secure advanced artificial intelligence systems, OpenAI acquires Promptfoo, a cybersecurity…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
ISIS New York Attack Charges Filed After Alleged Bomb Plot at NYC Protest

Federal prosecutors have unveiled ISIS New York attack charges against two young men accused of hurling improvised explosive devices during…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
Umbrella Armory filed for Chapter 7 as Gun Industry Slowdown Claims Another Casualty

The cyclical nature of America’s gun market has once again delivered a hard blow. Umbrella Armory filed for Chapter 7,…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
Iran’s Power Shift: Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Emerges at the Center of Authority

A quiet but consequential shift inside Iran’s ruling establishment has propelled Mojtaba Khamenei into the role of supreme leader, marking…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 8, 2026
IPIC Theaters Files for Bankruptcy as Luxury Cinema Chain Seeks Lifeline

The phrase IPIC Theaters files for bankruptcy now marks the latest twist in the turbulent story of America’s movie theater…

By – Rachel Moore
America March 8, 2026
The Northern Lights Return

The Northern Lights have a chance to be visible from several northern U.S. states on Tuesday night, forecasters at the…

By – Jackie Allen
America March 8, 2026
February Unemployment Up as Job Losses Surprise Economists

February Unemployment Up as the latest labor market data revealed weaker-than-expected job growth and a slight increase in the national…

By – Jackie Allen
America March 8, 2026
Late-Night Attack by Venezuelan National at Florida Beach

A Late-night attack by a Venezuelan National has left a Florida community shaken after authorities say a 26-year-old man ambushed…

By – Jackie Allen
America March 8, 2026
Trump’s War in Iran: Congress Confronts Escalation After U.S. Strikes

Trump’s War in Iran  was triggered open conflict, casualties, and renewed constitutional debate in Washington. The crisis intensified following reports…

By – Jackie Allen
America February 28, 2026
U.S. And Israel Launch Major Strikes On Iran — What It Means For America

TEHRAN, Iran – In a dramatic escalation of global tensions, the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against Iran…

By – Samuel Lopez
America February 26, 2026
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Overturns $8M Asbestos Verdict Against BNSF Railway Co.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has thrown out an $8 million jury verdict against BNSF Railway…

By – Tyler Brooks
America March 9, 2026
G7 Oil Reserve Release Considered as Iran War Disrupts Global Energy Supply

A sudden shock to the world’s oil arteries has pushed major economies toward an emergency response, with a potential G7…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
OpenAI Acquires Promptfoo to Strengthen AI Security and Testing Tools

In a strategic move that underscores the intensifying race to secure advanced artificial intelligence systems, OpenAI acquires Promptfoo, a cybersecurity…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
ISIS New York Attack Charges Filed After Alleged Bomb Plot at NYC Protest

Federal prosecutors have unveiled ISIS New York attack charges against two young men accused of hurling improvised explosive devices during…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
Umbrella Armory filed for Chapter 7 as Gun Industry Slowdown Claims Another Casualty

The cyclical nature of America’s gun market has once again delivered a hard blow. Umbrella Armory filed for Chapter 7,…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 9, 2026
Iran’s Power Shift: Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Emerges at the Center of Authority

A quiet but consequential shift inside Iran’s ruling establishment has propelled Mojtaba Khamenei into the role of supreme leader, marking…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America March 8, 2026
IPIC Theaters Files for Bankruptcy as Luxury Cinema Chain Seeks Lifeline

The phrase IPIC Theaters files for bankruptcy now marks the latest twist in the turbulent story of America’s movie theater…

By – Rachel Moore
America February 21, 2026
When The Files Are Finally Unsealed The Most Mind-Bending Truth May Not Be What We Expect

[USA HERALD] – There is a widespread assumption that if governments release their most highly classified files related to unidentified…

By – Samuel Lopez
America February 17, 2026
Civil Rights Icon Rev. Jesse Jackson Dies at 84 As President Trump Issues Personal Tribute

[USA HERALD] — The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering figure of the American civil rights movement whose career spanned more than…

By – Samuel Lopez
America February 13, 2026
Clues to Savannah Guthrie Missing Mom’s Disappearance Found on Security System

The disappearance of the mother of Savannah Guthrie has taken a dramatic turn as investigators focus on digital clues tied…

By – Jackie Allen
America February 8, 2026
Mike Tyson Urges Americans to ‘Eat Real Food’ in Emotional Super Bowl Ad Highlighting Health Risks

Boxing legend Mike Tyson is using his platform ahead of Super Bowl 60 to address a personal and national health…

By – Tyler Brooks
America February 7, 2026
Deadly “Death Cap” Mushrooms in California Cause Multiple Deaths and Liver Transplants Amid Rare Super Bloom

California health officials are warning the public after four deaths and three liver transplants linked to the highly toxic death…

By – Ahmed Boughalleb
America February 7, 2026
From Migraines to Miracles: How Becca Valle Survived a Glioblastoma Diagnosis Against the Odds

Becca Valle, 41, thought her headaches were just migraines—until a sudden, unbearable pain revealed something far more serious. In September…

By – Tyler Brooks
America March 8, 2026
February Unemployment Up as Job Losses Surprise Economists

February Unemployment Up as the latest labor market data revealed weaker-than-expected job growth and a slight increase in the national…

By – Jackie Allen
America March 8, 2026
Late-Night Attack by Venezuelan National at Florida Beach

A Late-night attack by a Venezuelan National has left a Florida community shaken after authorities say a 26-year-old man ambushed…

By – Jackie Allen
America March 8, 2026
Trump’s War in Iran: Congress Confronts Escalation After U.S. Strikes

Trump’s War in Iran  was triggered open conflict, casualties, and renewed constitutional debate in Washington. The crisis intensified following reports…

By – Jackie Allen
America March 1, 2026
Cadillac Names Inaugural Formula 1 Car MAC-26 in Tribute to Mario Andretti Ahead of 2026 Australian Grand Prix Debut

Cadillac has officially revealed the name of its first Formula 1 challenger, confirming that its 2026 car will be called…

By – Ahmed Boughalleb
America February 20, 2026
Norway Tops Medal Table After Day 13 at 2026 Winter Olympics as Team USA Surges Into Second Place

With 13 days complete at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Norway sits atop the overall medal standings, collecting 34…

By – Ahmed Boughalleb
America February 18, 2026
Olympic Science Explained: How Figure Skaters Spin at Blinding Speeds Without Getting Dizzy

When Amber Glenn finishes her routine, the arena usually rises with her. The music builds, her blades carve a tight…

By – Tyler Brooks

No posts found.

No posts found.

No comments No comments yet. Be the first to comment!

Signup for the USA Herald
exclusive Newsletter