By Amanda Drane
July 18th, 2023
Remnants of densely drilled oil fields are scattered across East Texas towns such as Daisetta and in areas just north and south of Houston’s Inner Loop. But how many threats lay beneath the surface are unknown.
The issues surrounding old wells — the surprise discovery of undocumented wells, the growing list of orphaned wells, the frequency with which old plugs fail and how damaging unplugged wells can be to public health and the environment — are poorly understood. Policy solutions and resources to support them are percolating but underfunded, leaving many to fend for themselves.
“There are 400 homes here,” said Cindy Burchfield, a town council member in Daisetta with many unanswered questions. “More than half of ’em are low income.”
The region’s geology likely predisposed the area to collapse, scientists said. But they also agreed orphaned wells likely played a role. Did the open holes allow water to travel deep beneath the surface and dissolve supporting layers below?
