Wells

Public data from three big producing states has found that some wells drilled before 2018, particularly directional wells used often in unconventional plays, may have integrity issues that could cause internal leaks.  Led by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), the new report compiled more than 470,000 regulatory records…

President Biden on Wednesday asked Congress for a massive infusion of funding to overhaul the nation’s power grids and expand renewable energy as part of a landmark program designed to fight climate change and expand American jobs. The estimated $2 trillion American Jobs Plan, if enacted by a split Congress, would be the most ambitious…

New oil and natural gas drilling hit historic lows in California last year while a renewed emphasis on abandoned wells turned up a record high number of permanently sealed wells, the state Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) reported Wednesday. The severe downturn in permitting and new drilling can be seen as a result of the…

North Dakota natural gas and oil production declined slightly month/month in November, but more well completions are expected this year on “significantly better” oil prices. Department of Mineral Resources director Lynn Helms noted that recent Bakken Shale sweet crude was trading at around $43.50/bbl, which should spur more well completions, but not high enough to…

California oil and natural gas permits for well abandonments to date this year are twice the number of new drilling permits being sought, according to regulators. The California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) said it has received the lowest number of well stimulation permit applications since late 2016 when state Senate Bill 4 took effect.…

A substantial inventory in the Lower 48 of drilled but uncompleted wells, aka DUCs, could sustain drilling — without adding more wells — long into the coming year, according to a new analysis. “After DUCs run out, however, rig activity in the five key oil regions needs to be in the 280-300 range to maintain…

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said it approved the development of up to 4,250 oil and gas wells for the Moneta Divide Project in Wyoming. The project stretches across more than 327,000 acres of mostly public lands. Aethon Energy Management and Burlington Resources Oil and Gas Company LP proposed…

The Los Angeles (LA) City Attorney has filed 25 counts against embattled exploration and production operator AllenCo Energy Inc. for alleged environmental, health and safety violations at an oil production facility. The wellsite has been under scrutiny by the Department of Conservation’s California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM), which in March issued a remedial order…

The Alberta government launched a long-range campaign last week to make oil and gas companies pay for cleaning up a generations-old and growing backlog of 96,969 depleted and inactive wells. Energy Minister Sonya Savage announced a stiffened polluter-pay policy that requires producers to devise five-year cleanup plans and act on them under supervision by the…