Pennsylvania DEP plugs 259 old oil and gas wells

Feb. 5 – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has successfully plugged 259 abandoned oil and gas wells in the state in 2009.

"Abandoned wells create passageways for pollution to enter and contaminate drinking water. They also can allow natural gas to enter water supplies or build up in a home, which can create a dangerous enclosed space," Secretary John Hanger said. "Modern regulations require that wells be cased properly during use and sealed once they are taken out of service, but unfortunately, there are thousands of wells that were simply abandoned before people understood the dangers."

Many of the wells were leaking oil, acid mine drainage or natural gas, the DEP said. The wells, located at 14 project sites in counties in the western and north-central areas of the state, were filled with cement and grout after old well casings were removed.

Funding for Pennsylvania´s Abandoned and Orphan Well Plugging Program comes from surcharges on well-drilling permits issued in Pennsylvania and from the Growing Greener program.

For more information, visit: www.depweb.state.pa.us.

Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Amanda Smith-Teutsch at 330-865-6166 or asmith-teutsch@crain.com