Railroad Commission of Texas said last week it plugged 1,012 orphan wells using state funds in fiscal year 2024 to surpass its goal of 1,000. The commission said it exceeded its goal for the eighth straight year. The state funds are collected from oil and gas industry revenue, including well plugging reimbursements, fees and bonds, or other financial securities paid by the industry.
Danny Sorrells, deputy executive director, said Friday, “Our extensive well-plugging experience dates to 1984, and elements of our program – such as a prioritization system that ensures high-risk, high-priority wells are plugged – have been copied by other states. The design of RRC’s plugging program and our dedicated staff help us quickly work to protect groundwater around the state.”