Red River Parish and residents of the Lake End community held their breath this week as news that there was a problem with a gas well shut down parts of Hwy 1.

As reported in RRPJ, Expand Energy identified unexpected pressure on wells offsetting a company well site in this parish.

Reports now confirm that the problem was not from the well Expand Energy was drilling but from an orphaned well that was unknowingly disturbed. Gas was leaking, potentially dangerous to the new well site and nearby residents.

The incident was contained, residents returned, and the highway reopened, but what about the orphaned well?

Orphaned wells are abandoned oil and gas wells for which no responsible operator can be located, or such operator has failed to maintain the well site per state regulations. These wells deteriorate over time and become susceptible to releasing oil, gas, and saltwater, which can pose threats to public safety and the environment.

Why is it a big deal that orphaned wells are in our area?

A report from 2022 showed more than 4,500 “orphaned wells” in Louisiana. Nearly 70% of them were located in north Louisiana.

A broadcast from LPB in 2022 reported that Louisiana ranks 10th among states with the most orphaned oil and gas wells. An analysis by EDF found that 230,000 people in the state live within a mile of an orphan well, including 15,000 children under 5 years old.

The State of Louisiana, while working to mitigate the problem of abandoned wells, plugged 976 of them in the fiscal years of 2020 through 2023, according to a progress report audit submitted by Louisiana Legislative Auditor Michael J. “Mike” Waguespack. 396 wells were plugged using grants from the federal government.

The same audit report issued in October 2024 shows that despite increased plugging efforts, the number of orphaned wells continues to grow. The number of orphaned wells only decreased by 0.9%, from 4,295 in January 2020 to 4,258 as of October 2023, and then rose 12.4% to 4,785 by April 2024.

Realizing that orphaned wells exist and could be a potential threat is of utmost importance for landowners in our parish.

Source:
PBS News Hour, July 21, 2022

Progress Report: State Efforts to Address Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells, Office of Conservation-Department of Energy and Natural Resources Performance Audit Services, October 24, 2024