$25 million headed to plug abandoned wells in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - About $25 million is headed to Kansas to help plug abandoned oil and water wells.

The Kansas Corporation Commission says it has been awarded $25 million in grant funds to help plug abandoned wells in the Sunflower State. It said the grant is part of $1.15 billion earmarked under the https://transportation.house.gov/committee-activity/issue/infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act#:~:text=The%20Infrastructure%20Investment%20and%20Jobs,create%20good%2Dpaying%20union%20jobs. to help remediate abandoned oil and gas wells.

The KCC said a total of $4.7 billion has been allocated over the next 8 years to plug abandoned wells. It is eligible to receive another $33.6 million in future formula grant funds.

“These federal grants provide Kansas with a one-time opportunity to help address the issue of abandoned wells in Kansas while helping the economy by providing good paying jobs for several years,” said Ryan A. Hoffman, KCC Conservation Division Director.

The KCC noted that it plans to use the initial $25 million grant to pay for eight projects to plug more than 2,300 abandoned wells over the next two to three years. It said four projects are in Eastern Kansas with the others located in Central and Western Kansas.

KCC indicated that a well is considered “abandoned” when it has been permanently taken out of production, is not properly plugged to prevent possible air or groundwater pollution, and the rightful legal owner cannot be found or take responsibility.

While the federal grants will help reduce the total number of abandoned wells in the Sunflower State, they are insufficient to address the entire issue. It wills till rely on industry-generated funds to plug the thousands of remaining wells after the federal program expires.

More than 11,000 abandoned wells have been plugged since the establishment of the state well-plugging fund in 1995. The KCC said oil and gas drilling in the state began in the 1860s and record keeping by early operators was not as precise as today. It said it is not uncommon for older abandoned wells to be found by landowners who were unaware they existed.

“These federal grant funds will provide important assistance in plugging abandoned wells in Kansas. However, to adequately protect Kansas freshwater resources, it will also be necessary to continue funding the plugging of abandoned wells with state well-plugging fund resources provided by oil and gas industry fee assessments,” said Dwight D. Keen, Chair of the KCC.

To view a map of the project locations, click HERE.