Hickenlooper Executive Order Aims To Clean Up The 260 Abandoned Wells In Colorado

Grace Hood

More than a year after the deadly home explosion in Firestone, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed an executive order Wednesday to hasten the clean-up of orphaned oil and gas wells. 

“I can’t overstate how important it is that we achieve these goals,” Hickenlooper said. “This executive order is one example of trying to do everything we can to preserve our quality of life.”

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The immediate focus for the state will be 260 orphan wells left behind by operators that are no longer in business.  A list of the highest priority wells will be released Aug.1.

The state has an estimated $5 million budgeted to pay for orphan well clean-up, but it falls short of the total needed. Each clean-up costs an average of $80,000 per well. Colorado Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Bob Randall said the state has already hired one person to focus on the issue, and expects to bring on three more workers to tackle the problem.

The state will also work with oil and gas operators to review state financial requirements for those operators. Right now about $6,000 is left when an oil and gas operator abandons a well, according to one industry representative. Gov. Hickenlooper said he thinks financial assurance measures could improve among oil and gas operators

Now: @GovofCO talking EO on fixing abandoned wells. Medium and high priority wells are focus. 260 wells will be focus. "I can't overstate how important it is that we achieve these goals." pic.twitter.com/0010UuACfz

— Grace Hood (@gracehood) July 18, 2018