Across the country, tens of thousands of oil and gas wells sit idle, neither producing energy nor properly sealed. Each one carries a hidden cost: methane emissions, groundwater risks, and declining property values. Left unaddressed, these wells shift from industrial assets to environmental liabilities.
The term Orphaned Well refers to a documented oil and gas well where production, injection, disposal or workover operations have ceased for a period greater than 12 months. The well is also without a solvent operator and has become the responsibility of the state.
The term Idle Well is an oil or gas well that is no longer producing, but has not been permanently plugged and abandoned.
The term Inactive Well refers to an actively Operated oil and gas well where production, injection, disposal or workover operations have ceased for a period greater than 12 months.
In Texas alone, more than 159,000 oil and gas wells were classified as inactive as of January 31, 2026, according to data from the Railroad Commission of Texas. Each represents both a financial liability and an opportunity to eliminate emissions, reclaim land, and translate those outcomes into economic value.
John F. Kennedy
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