(Editors at Energy Analytics Institute, 15.Jan.2025) — Well Done Foundation (WDF), a national nonprofit whose mission is to plug orphaned oil and gas wells across the US, entered into a collaboration between the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Well Done New Mexico LLC (WDNM) and WDF, in an effort to restore and conserve critical habitats across 4 National Wildlife Refuges.
The initiative will focus on plugging over 110 orphaned oil and gas wells and reclaiming the well sites that will protect refuge visitors, subsurface and surface waters, wetlands, protected species, and sensitive natural resources in the Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge and the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, the Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge in Montana and the Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, Well Done said 15 Jan. 2025 in an official statement.
Since 2019, the WDF has plugged more than 46 high-priority orphan wells in 5 states. The plugging of these orphan wells has eliminated methane emissions measured at over 1.5 million metric tons, making a difference one well at a time.
“This collaboration will address the safety hazards and environmental risks posed by legacy orphaned oil and gas wells located on refuge lands. WDF will locate documented and undocumented orphan wells, tank batteries, surface structures and product flow lines. Survey, permit and establish access. Install and maintain erosion and spill control measures. Perform pre- and post-plug methane emissions and water quality testing. Remove and dispose of contaminated soil. Plug and abandon orphan oil and gas wells in accordance with state requirements and industry best practices. Restore and remediate impacted surface areas and perform annual post plug monitoring,” Well Done said in the statement.
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By Editors at Energy Analytics Institute. © 2025 Energy Analytics Institute (EAI). All Rights Reserved.
