Consider This from NPR When old oil wells become 'orphans,' that's a problem
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Jul 11, 2025 
Camila Domenoski, an NPR reporter, dives into the troubling world of orphan oil and gas wells across the U.S. She uncovers how over a million of these aging wells, unchecked, are leaking harmful greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. The conversation explores the environmental impact through personal stories, including homeowners grappling with the consequences of these abandoned sites. It raises pressing questions about what it takes to plug these wells and the urgent need for accountability and funding solutions.
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Scale and Impact of Orphan Wells
- There are over a million aging oil and gas wells in the U.S. with no responsible party to seal them up.
- These orphan wells leak greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals into the environment, causing climate and land harm.
Maria Burns' Leaking Orphan Well
- Maria Burns had a plugged natural gas well in her yard that after decades started leaking and killing her trees.
- It cost over $400,000 and weeks of work to re-plug that well properly to stop the leaks.
Expand Orphan Well Programs
- States like Ohio have orphan well programs funded by fees on oil production, not taxpayers.
- Expanding these programs significantly is crucial because current efforts only plug a fraction of wells needing attention.