Have you ever wondered about the old abandoned gas and oil wells that dot the area? There seems to be a lot of them. Ever wonder how dangerous those wells might be? Well, left unsealed or improperly plugged, the wells can leak and threaten water supplies and cause other environmental hazards. A new report says there are 21 documented unplugged gas or oil wells in Anderson County. The plugging of those wells are likely to get a funding boost, due to President Biden’s Infrastructure Bill passed late last year. The Bill appropriated some $58.6 million to seal up an estimated 5,400 oil and gas wells in Kansas.
Over 300 wells have been plugged in Anderson County since a state funding assistance program started in 1996. There are estimated to be 19,000 abandoned wells in Eastern Kansas. An estimated 81,000 abandoned drilling sites in the United States leak pollution and emit methane gas into the environment. About 9 million Americans live within one mile of these sites.
Overall, the Legislation adopted by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden earmarked $4.7 billion for dealing with “orphan” oil and gas wells. The initial phase of the program allocated $2.15 billion for abandoned wells in Kansas and 25 other states.
