Perilous Pathways: The Danger Of Drilling Near Abandoned Wells
There are probably around 200,000 abandoned oil and gas wells in Pennsylvania. We know where just a slim fraction – probably four percent – of these wells are.
The information gap is a problem, because abandoned wells are dangerous.
Abandoned wells provide pathways for methane gas to seep to the surface, where it can, under the right settings, trigger explosions. Active drilling near unplugged abandoned wells is dangerous, too. In June 2012, the intersection between a Shell fracking operation and a forgotten well drilled in 1932 likely led to a 30-foot geyser of methane and gas.
Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection has been working to identify and plug abandoned wells since 1989, but it’s a slow process, due to limited funds.
StateImpact Pennsylvania takes a look at this issue in “Perilous Pathways,” a four-part online series answering questions about abandoned wells. Click on the links below to read each part of the series, as well as an infographic explaining methane migration, and a map documenting every known abandoned well in Pennsylvania.
Part One: How Drilling Near An Abandoned Well Produced A Methane Geyser
The gas didn’t come from the ButÂters well, nor did it origÂiÂnate from the MarÂcelÂlus Shale forÂmaÂtion that a nearby Shell well had recently tapped into. What most likely hapÂpened to cause the geyser in June, Shell and state regÂuÂlaÂtors say, was someÂthing of a chain reacÂtion.  As Shell was drilling and then hydrauliÂcally fracÂturÂing its nearby well, the activÂity disÂplaced shalÂlow pockÂets of natÂural gas — posÂsiÂbly some of the same pockÂets the MorÂris Run Coal comÂpany ran into  in 1932. The gas disÂtrubed by Shell’s drilling moved underÂground until it found its way to the ButÂters well, and then shot up to the surface.
Part Two: Behind The Staggering Number Of Abandoned Wells In Pennsylvania
Pine runs the DEP’s diviÂsion in charge of findÂing abanÂdoned wells and plugÂging them with cement so that they won’t do harm. SimÂply by the numÂbers, it’s an overÂwhelmÂing job. The best guess of both the state and the energy indusÂtry is that someÂwhere in the neighÂborÂhood of 325,000 wells have been drilled in PennÂsylÂvaÂnia since Drake’s. Of those, about 120,000 have state perÂmits on file. “Just do the math,” Pine says. “There’s probÂaÂbly close to 200,000 wells that are largely or relÂaÂtively unacÂcounted for in the commonwealth.”
The state does know where some of them are. A spreadÂsheet on DEP’s webÂsitelists the locaÂtion of 8,257 abanÂdoned and orphaned oil and gas wells. StateImÂpact has mapped them all here. (The difÂferÂence between “abanÂdoned” and “orphaned’ is largely an adminÂisÂtraÂtive disÂtincÂtion.)  If Pine’s math is right, regÂuÂlaÂtors know the locaÂtions of only 2 to 4 perÂcent of the abanÂdoned wells in Pennsylvania.
Part Three: How To Find An Abandoned WellÂ
Yet the whereÂabouts of the vast majorÂity of these old wells remains a mysÂtery. Time has marched on in the decades since the wells were first drilled. Trees and brush have covÂered their holes. Scrap colÂlecÂtors have pried metal casÂing — often the most obviÂous sign of a well’s presÂence — out of the ground. And towns and cities have been built on top of them.
So findÂing old wells can require a good amount of forenÂsic work. To find one, you can employ high-tech radar or use a musty antique surÂvey map. WhatÂever method you choose, it’s going to be a time-intensive effort.
Part Four: Abandoned Well Locations Don’t Factor Into Drilling Permit DecisionsÂ
As Shell’s sumÂmer geyser demonÂstrated, drilling near abanÂdoned wells can be danÂgerÂous. Yet for all the things PennÂsylÂvaÂnia requires comÂpaÂnies to surÂvey before they drill — there are a dozen items on the checkÂlist — abanÂdoned wells are not one of them. No PennÂsylÂvaÂnia laws or regÂuÂlaÂtions bar energy comÂpaÂnies from drilling within a cerÂtain disÂtance of an unplugged well. AddiÂtionÂally, drillers aren’t required to search for or plug abanÂdoned wells within a cerÂtain radius of their site.
PennÂsylÂvaÂnia isn’t alone in this omisÂsion. A numÂber of other states, includÂing Texas, OklaÂhoma and West VirÂginia, have both an abanÂdoned well probÂlem at the same time that they’re seeÂing a shale drilling boom. Of those states, only Ohio conÂsidÂers the presÂence of these danÂgerÂous pathÂways when decidÂing whether or not to approve a perÂmit. EssenÂtially, most of the states are leavÂing the quesÂtion of how to hanÂdle abanÂdoned wells up to the drilling companies.
Infographic: How Gas Can Migrate Through An Abandoned Well
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Drilling near abandoned wells can be dangerous. Yet for all the things Pennsylvania requires companies to survey before they drill, abandoned wells are not one of them.