wells

During its existence the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board has spent more than $135 million to restore more than 18,000 unattended well sites. OKLAHOMA ENERGY RESOURCES BOARD / COURTESY PHOTOS

During its existence the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board has spent more than $135 million to restore more than 18,000 unattended well sites. OKLAHOMA ENERGY RESOURCES BOARD / COURTESY PHOTOS

Federal funds eyed for well plugging, site reclamation

OKLAHOMA CITY — Almost 18,000 abandoned oil and gas wells are scattered across Oklahoma, and it would cost an estimated half-billion dollars to plug all of them and remediate the production sites.
A crew from Morgan Well Service, of Prague, repairs a hole in the casing at a 10,000-foot-deep gas well outside Tuttle in 2017. Ledger file photo by Mike W. Ray

A crew from Morgan Well Service, of Prague, repairs a hole in the casing at a 10,000-foot-deep gas well outside Tuttle in 2017. Ledger file photo by Mike W. Ray

Corp Comm lets oil producers shut in some wells

OKLAHOMA CITY – The state Corporation Commission has given oil producers permission to temporarily shut in unprofitable wells on the grounds of “economic waste.”