gas well Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

W.Va. Receives Nearly $30 Million To Plug Abandoned Oil, Gas Wells

Abandoned oil and gas wells can leak pollutants into groundwater, surface water and the air. But a new $30 million investment aims to clean up these hazards across West Virginia.

Abandoned oil and gas wells can leak pollutants into groundwater, surface water and the air. But a new federal investment aims to clean up these hazards across West Virginia.

The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) awarded West Virginia nearly $29.2 million Monday. The funds are part of a national effort to clean up legacy pollutants, which are environmental hazards left behind by industrial activity.

West Virginia’s funds will plug roughly 200 orphaned oil and gas wells, while also bringing new employment opportunities to the state.

“I’ve seen firsthand the urgent need to address these hazardous sites, many of which are actively leaking oil and releasing methane gas,” said Deb Haaland, United States secretary of the Interior, in a Monday press release.

In 2022, the DOI granted the state an initial $25 million to get the plugging process started. DOI officials hope the new funds will advance that effort and reduce the state’s overall leakage of greenhouse gasses.

“These investments are good for our climate, for the health of our communities, and for American workers,” Haaland said.

Federal Funds Help Address Legacy Pollution In Gauley River Area

The Gauley River National Recreation Area is getting some federal funds to help cap an abandoned gas well.

The National Park Service has received nearly $10 million in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to plug, remediate and reclaim abandoned oil and gas well sites in national parks.

One such orphaned well in the Gauley River National Recreation Area will be plugged with cement and its access road will be reseeded with native grass by next year.

The natural gas well – one of about 20 in the park – dates from the 1950s and has been inactive for around 20 years. Some of the wells in the park remain active.

The park service estimates that between 150 and 180 wells in national parks throughout the country are abandoned or orphaned and will need to be plugged and reclaimed.

This is part of a much larger federal investment to clean up legacy pollution across the country.

Pa. Environmental Officials Hope to Have Well Controlled By End of Week

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection officials say they hope the gas well that went up in flames last week can be controlled by Friday.

“Obviously, there’s a number of contingencies that could occur, from weather, to unanticipated problems,” said Scott Perry, spokesman for the DEP.

A fire last week caused significant damage to a gas well that had been hydraulically fractured. It’s just north of the West Virginia border.

Perry says the well was going to be going through a process where water is removed from the well, when the explosion occurred. The investigation is ongoing.

“The most critical question is why did this well fail,” said Perry.

“There was an uncontrolled release of gas, and that was ignited from a source that was yet to be determined.”

Gas is still venting at the site. One worker at the site when the explosion occurred is missing. Officials told media outlets Wednesday remains were found at the site, and the worker is presumed to be dead.