Learn why oil and gas regulating agencies are turning to drone magnetic surveys for locating unmarked wells in Ohio…
Orphaned or abandoned oil and gas wells are those for whom no legally responsible owner can be found. In Ohio, such wells have been found and plugged in a school gymnasium, in building basements, among homes, in farm fields, in waterways and wetlands, along shorelines, and within forests.
These idle wells are not just a nuisance; they are a health hazard and a serious threat to the environment. Across the globe, millions of abandoned oil and gas wells are leaching pollutants into the air and water. In Ohio also, state regulators stumble upon an average of around two groundwater contamination incidents per year related to orphaned wells.
The trouble is, locating abandoned wells and buried flowlines from historic oil and gas development can be quite difficult. Often, the well location records are incomplete or inaccurate. Other times, human activities,…
