The Department of the Interior’s orphaned wells program is an important component of President Trump’s efforts to unleash American energy and address our National Energy Emergency. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act appropriated funding to the Department to establish Federal, State and Tribal programs that address orphaned oil and gas wells. The relevant Section of this Act was codified at 42 U.S.C. § 15907 - Orphaned well site plugging, remediation and restoration.

Orphaned oil and gas wells are located throughout the United States, including in urban, farming and ranching communities. They are found in active oil and gas fields. These wells can negatively impact current and future oil and gas development activities and pose significant risk to national energy security and public safety. During his confirmation, Secretary Burgum testified that there are states that “have tens of thousands of abandoned orphan wells,” and highlighted that, as Governor of the State of North Dakota, his State had made tremendous progress towards addressing its orphaned wells.

The Orphaned Wells Program Office (OWPO) ensures the effective, accountable, and efficient implementation of the Department’s orphaned wells programs. The Department remains committed to advancing fiscal responsibility, operational efficiency and government accountability. Consistent with this vision and with an eye on fiscal responsibility—combatting waste, fraud, and abuse—the OWPO issues guidance, reviews grant applications and awards or transfers funds to States, Tribes and partner Federal agencies to address orphaned wells.

 View the Orphaned Wells Program Office Congressional Report for Fiscal Year 2024 

Resources

• OWPO collaboration with National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on “Practices and Standards for Plugging Orphaned and Abandoned Hydrocarbon Wells”

• FY 2023 Orphaned Wells Congressional Report
• FY 2022 Orphaned Wells Congressional Report