An orphaned well in Grand County, Utah

Federal Orphaned Well Program

BLM is leading the Federal Orphaned Well Program to remediate orphaned wells on Federal Lands. This multi-agency effort includes DOI Land Management Agencies, the U.S. Forest Service (USDA), the U.S. Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Interstate Oil & Gas Commission Compact. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s (BIL) historic investments will help revitalize local economies and support jobs, while addressing environmental impacts from legacy developments. 

About The Program

BIL authorizes DOI to create a grant program to assist states in their efforts to address orphaned wells.  Currently, 26 states have indicated an interest. A preliminary analysis from the NOI process indicates that there are over 130,000 documented orphaned wells in the United States — nearly two-and-a-half times the amount previously estimated.

$250 million will be allocated to DOI for Federal actions in the program, including salaries, oversight and plugging/cleanup actions. Another $150 million will be available as grant funding to Tribes, administered by Interior’s Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance (OEPC). OEPC will also host a listening session for Tribes in February 2022. 

The grants program for States will be administered by DOI separately from the Federal program. Details on how states can apply for grants is expected to be released in early 2022.

BLM will be coordinating with other DOI land management agencies, the U.S. Forest Service, and Native American Tribes to work on orphaned well plugging and cleanup on all Federal and Tribal lands. The Federal agencies have formed a technical working group to review and evaluate priority orphaned wells this fiscal year. 

The first projects are expected to be implemented in FY 2022, with more in succeeding years. Much of the work on Federal lands is expected to be contracted out, with contractors also providing recommendations on cleanup actions prior to implementation. BLM employees may be part of the technical evaluation teams on these recommendations across the Federal and Tribal landscape. The first projects are expected to be selected in spring 2022. 

Orphaned Wells Webinar and Listening Session: 1/6/2022

Links to Materials

BLM hosted a virtual Roundtable discussion January 6, 2022, which included Deputy Assistant Secretary Steve Feldgus, BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning and other agency officials. The presentation also included business owners, state oil and gas commission representatives, and environmental non-governmental organization representatives. Hundreds of participants from government and non-government entities viewed the proceedings. 

If you would like to contribute to the conversation, please send your written input to orphanedwells@blm.gov.

Detailed Summary

BLM Announces $1.1 Million in contract awards to plug Orphaned Wells in Utah and California

An orphaned well in Grand County, Utah
The “Federal 5-13” wellhead is one of 11 wells to be plugged through the August 2022 contract award announcement. The contract will also remove all facilities and restore the surrounding public lands.