JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MAY 8, 2024 – The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will receive more than $5 million from the U.S. Department of the Interior to plug hundreds of abandoned oil wells. The project will focus on former oil production sites in Vernon County. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027.
“While no evidence suggests that either the state’s groundwater or surface water currently is affected by these abandoned wells, with no operators being on site, we’d like to proactively mitigate any risk for potential pollution,” said State Geologist and Missouri Geological Survey Director Carey Bridges. “Our focus will be the 238 wells of varying types for which we have records, plus their associated tank batteries.”
The Missouri Geological Survey’s Well Installation Section will oversee the plugging operations. A total of $5.1 million was awarded to the effort by the U.S. Department of the Interior through its Orphaned Well Program Office. This funding constitutes the first of several phases of Formula Grant funding authorized by the Revive Economic Growth and Reclaim Orphaned Wells Act of 2021. This work is planned to begin in Vernon County within the next year.
Abandoned wells pose a hazard to human health and the environment by leaking oil into surface and subsurface waters, and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. While leaking oil and gas does pose a threat to human health and the environment, failure to maintain the wells and associated infrastructure can also lead to a wasteful loss of the natural resource itself. Safely plugging these abandoned wells will prevent or reduce impacts to the environment while preserving Missouri’s natural resources for the future.
If you discover an abandoned well, please report the abandoned well to the department through our online Report an Environmental Concern form. Abandoned wells also may be reported by calling the department at 573-368-2165 or emailing oilandgas@dnr.mo.gov.
Visit dnr.mo.gov/land-geology/hazards/abandoned-wells to submit a Report an Environmental Concern form or for more information.
