Across various oil producing regions, regulatory bodies are in place to oversee the oil and gas industry. Norway relies on the Petroleum Safety Authority, and the UK on the Oil and Gas Authority. Alberta, Canada’s leading oil province, has the Alberta Energy Regulator. Texas, in some strange attempt to confuse their enemies, calls theirs the Texas Railroad Commission.
- The Texas Railroad Commission does not regulate railroads but is responsible for overseeing oil and gas industries, including the cleanup of orphaned wells.
- Orphaned, abandoned, and zombie wells represent major environmental hazards, leaking methane and toxic chemicals into the air, water, and soil.
- Methane emissions from these wells contribute significantly to climate change, while groundwater contamination endangers drinking water supplies and agriculture.
- Wildlife and ecosystems suffer from spills and leaks, and human health risks include respiratory issues, exposure to carcinogens like benzene, and even explosion hazards from methane buildup.
- The TRRC’s current cleanup efforts are hampered by insufficient funding and lenient regulations, allowing oil companies to post inadequate bonds that don’t cover true abandonment costs.
- Global action is needed to address orphaned wells, or the world will face long-term damage to the environment, public health, and global climate stability.
The Texas Railroad Commission (TRRC), established in 1891, was originally designed to oversee the state’s burgeoning railroad industry, which was critical to Texas’s economy at the time. However by the 20th century, its focus had shifted toward regulating the oil and gas industry, and today it plays a key role in managing these resources in the state. Ironically, the TRRC has nothing to do with railroads anymore—a point that continues to puzzle and frustrate many observers. Despite this incongruity, the commission’s name remains unchanged due to bureaucratic inertia and historical legacy, even though its responsibilities have evolved drastically.
The Misleading Name: Why, Texas?
The fact that the TRRC no longer regulates railroads leads to frequent confusion. Many Texans believe the name should better reflect its true purpose—oil and gas regulation. However, political resistance and the costs of rebranding such an entrenched institution have kept the name intact. The idea of a name change has been proposed multiple times, yet each effort has been met with apathy or outright opposition due to the perception that it would require unnecessary expenses and add to bureaucratic red tape. Confusion is just easier. Some feel that Texas should establish an Oil and Gas Commission to provide oversight of the state’s school system.
Actual Responsibilities of the TRRC: Oil, Gas, and Environmental Oversight
The Texas Railroad Commission is responsible for regulating the state’s oil and gas industries, pipeline safety, natural gas utilities, and more. The agency oversees drilling operations, ensures compliance with environmental regulations, and manages the cleanup of abandoned and orphaned wells—critical functions given Texas’s position as one of the largest energy producers in the world.
The TRRC receives funding through a combination of state funds, fees from permits and fines levied on oil and gas operators, and federal dollars, including recent grants targeting orphaned well cleanups. In 2022, the U.S. Department of the Interior allocated $25 million to Texas as part of a national initiative to address the growing orphaned well crisis. However, this funding is a drop in the bucket compared to the scale of the problem.
The Orphaned and Zombie Well Crisis: A Severe Threat to Life and the Environment
Texas, as a global leader in oil and gas production, faces a growing crisis with orphaned, abandoned, and zombie wells. Each of these types of wells presents a unique challenge, but collectively, they pose a monumental threat to human health, wildlife, and the environment.
Defining the Terms: Orphaned, Abandoned, and Zombie Wells
- Orphaned Wells: These are oil or gas wells that are no longer active, and whose original operator has either gone out of business or is otherwise unable to cover the costs of properly sealing them. In such cases, there’s no responsible party left to plug or clean up the well, leaving it in a dangerous state of disrepair.
- Abandoned Wells: Unlike orphaned wells, abandoned wells may still have a responsible operator, but they are no longer in use. These wells might have been shut down due to low profitability or regulatory changes, yet have not been properly plugged and secured. Abandoned wells often degrade over time, increasing the risks of leaks and contamination.
- Zombie Wells: These wells represent a special subset of abandoned wells. Despite having been officially closed or “plugged,” they can unexpectedly resume leaking oil, gas, or other toxic substances. This phenomenon can occur when the plug fails, or shifting underground pressures reopen the well. Zombie wells are particularly insidious because they give the appearance of being safely dealt with, but continue to wreak environmental havoc.
The Dangers Posed by These Wells
Thousands of these wells litter the Texas landscape. The hazards they pose are severe and multifaceted, impacting air quality, water resources, soil, human health, and entire ecosystems.
Air Quality and Climate Change Hazards
Orphaned and abandoned wells are notorious for leaking methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. Methane emissions from these wells can occur continuously for decades. Although invisible to the naked eye, methane traps significantly more heat in the atmosphere, contributing directly to global warming. Unmonitored and unsealed wells are estimated to leak millions of tons of methane annually, exacerbating the climate crisis.
Beyond methane, these wells also release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone—a key component of smog. This has direct public health impacts, leading to respiratory issues like asthma and bronchitis, particularly in communities located near old oil fields.
Groundwater Contamination and Risks to Drinking Water
One of the most serious threats posed by orphaned wells is groundwater contamination. Wells that were drilled decades ago often penetrate deep underground aquifers—some of which are crucial for providing drinking water to rural communities and farms. Over time, the casing inside a well corrodes, allowing contaminants like saline water, oil, and gas to seep into underground water supplies.
In some cases, toxic chemicals such as benzene, toluene, and arsenic, which are naturally present in oil reserves, can leach into the water table, rendering the water undrinkable. The contamination of these vital water sources can go undetected for years, affecting humans, livestock, and wildlife. Once contamination occurs, it is extremely difficult and expensive to reverse.
Soil Contamination and Ecological Damage
The spills and leaks from orphaned and abandoned wells are not limited to air and water; they also cause significant soil contamination. Spills of oil, brine, and other hazardous chemicals can render large areas of land unusable for agriculture or habitation. Contaminants leaching into the soil can kill off plant life, disrupt the growth of native species, and introduce harmful chemicals into the food chain.
For wildlife, this can be catastrophic. Animals that rely on clean water sources or grazing lands are especially vulnerable. Small spills can decimate local insect populations, which in turn affects birds and larger predators. Oil spills around abandoned wells often go unreported and untreated, further exacerbating this problem. Animals that come into direct contact with these spills often suffer from skin lesions, poisoning, or respiratory distress. Birds, for example, can become coated in oil, losing their ability to fly or regulate their body temperature.
In coastal or wetland areas, orphaned wells pose an even greater danger. Contaminated runoff can destroy delicate ecosystems, killing fish, amphibians, and aquatic plants, which take years or decades to recover.
Public Health Risks
The health risks to humans living near orphaned or zombie wells are often overlooked but substantial. Methane and VOCs can cause long-term respiratory problems, especially in children and the elderly. Residents living near old oil and gas fields may experience headaches, dizziness, or even nausea due to exposure to leaking gases.
Benzene, a known carcinogen, is another major threat. Wells leaking benzene can increase cancer risks for people who live nearby. Unfortunately, many of these leaks are not adequately monitored, meaning that by the time health impacts are noticed, the damage may already be done.
Additionally, the explosion risk posed by methane accumulation is a grave concern. Methane leaking from orphaned wells can collect in enclosed spaces like basements, posing an explosion hazard for nearby homes. This is not just a theoretical concern; there have been incidents where methane leaks from old wells have led to deadly explosions in residential areas.
Zombie Wells: A Hidden Hazard
Zombie wells, despite being officially sealed or “plugged,” can come back to life in the most dangerous and unexpected ways. These wells, once thought to be safely closed, can suddenly begin leaking toxic gases or other harmful substances, often without warning. This happens when the plug that was intended to permanently close the well either deteriorates over time or is compromised by shifting underground pressures. The Texas Railroad Commission (TRRC) and the public often assume that once a well is plugged, it no longer poses any risk. This false sense of security can be disastrous.
The resurgence of a zombie well can lead to severe environmental and health consequences, but for landowners, the problem is far more immediate and personal. Many landowners in Texas are unaware of the fact that their property sits on top of an old, supposedly sealed well. Over time, these zombie wells can leak methane, oil, or even brine—all of which can poison the land and render it useless for farming, ranching, or development. For rural communities that depend on clean land and water, the sudden appearance of a zombie well can destroy livelihoods, not to mention property values. Who wants to buy or invest in land that could suddenly start leaking toxic chemicals?
For the public, the dangers are even more insidious. Zombie wells can silently emit methane and other harmful gases into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change and increasing the risk of explosions in homes or buildings near the well. Methane leaks from zombie wells can accumulate in confined spaces such as basements, posing a deadly explosion risk for unsuspecting homeowners. Unlike active wells, which are regularly inspected, these zombie wells often fall under the radar of both regulators and the public. As a result, the leaks can continue unchecked for years, exacerbating both health hazards and environmental damage.
Unfortunately, the Texas Railroad Commission has been slow to address the growing threat of zombie wells. While the TRRC is responsible for overseeing the plugging of wells and ensuring that abandoned wells do not pose an ongoing risk, the truth is that the commission does not have a comprehensive plan to track and monitor these problematic wells over the long term. Once a well has been marked as plugged, it often disappears from the commission’s priority list, meaning that if it starts leaking again, it might go unnoticed until the damage has already been done.
Compounding the issue is the lack of follow-up inspections. While newer wells might benefit from more modern techniques for plugging, many older wells were sealed decades ago using outdated methods that are prone to failure. As Texas has thousands of wells dating back to the early 20th century, these older wells are ticking time bombs. The TRRC does not routinely revisit plugged wells to ensure that the integrity of the seal remains intact, even though these wells degrade over time. The lack of proactive monitoring creates the perfect conditions for zombie wells to quietly emerge.
Furthermore, the financial responsibility often falls on landowners when zombie wells leak, despite the fact that they are not the ones who created the well in the first place. Landowners may be forced to deal with the expensive and complex process of re-plugging the well, a cost that can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars. The TRRC does offer some assistance, but their resources are limited and can only cover a fraction of the wells in need of attention. The result is a patchwork system where some zombie wells are dealt with swiftly, while others are left to continue leaking for years.
Zombie wells represent a unique challenge because, in many cases, the oil companies that originally drilled and plugged these wells are no longer in business, having declared bankruptcy or moved on. This leaves the state and the public to shoulder the financial and environmental burden of dealing with these resurgent hazards. And with the TRRC often struggling with funding and bureaucratic inefficiencies, the current system is simply inadequate to handle the growing number of zombie wells appearing across the state.
Inaction on zombie wells is not just a regulatory failure; it’s a public health and environmental crisis. Without more aggressive oversight, these wells will continue to leak, threatening air quality, water resources, and the safety of communities across Texas. The TRRC must prioritize not just the plugging of new orphaned wells, but also the long-term monitoring of wells that have already been plugged. Implementing stricter post-plugging inspection protocols and holding companies accountable even after wells are sealed would be a step in the right direction. However, without meaningful change, zombie wells will continue to haunt Texas, emerging from the ground to cause untold damage long after they were supposedly dealt with.
The TRRC’s Efforts and Shortcomings
The Texas Railroad Commission has indeed plugged thousands of wells in recent years, but the pace remains slow compared to the magnitude of the problem. As of 2024, there are over 7,000 orphaned wells in Texas, with thousands more abandoned or improperly closed. The commission’s efforts are often constrained by limited funding and outdated technology, leaving many wells untouched. In 2022, the U.S. Department of the Interior allocated funds to help plug orphaned wells, yet the backlog persists.
Critics argue that the TRRC is too lenient with oil and gas operators, allowing them to sidestep their responsibilities. Environmentalists have called for more aggressive action, including increased inspections, higher penalties for non-compliance, and tighter regulations on how wells are sealed. The commission’s slow response leaves both people and wildlife at the mercy of these dangerous relics of the oil and gas industry.
Orphaned, abandoned, and zombie wells pose immediate and long-lasting threats to air quality, water resources, soil, and public health. Without proper action, the costs—both environmental and human—will continue to rise. While the TRRC has made efforts to address this issue, the current system is far from adequate, leaving much work to be done in securing the future safety of Texas’s land and its people.
Environmental Bonds and the Real Costs of Abandonment
Oil and gas companies in Texas are required to post environmental bonds before beginning drilling operations, meant to cover the costs of plugging wells once they are no longer in use. However, these bonds often fall far short of the actual costs involved. Estimates suggest that plugging a well can range from $30,000 to $100,000, while some deep or problematic wells can cost much more. The current bond system, which typically requires companies to post only a few thousand dollars per well, leaves a significant shortfall when companies go bankrupt or abandon wells.
As a result, Texas taxpayers often end up footing the bill for plugging orphaned wells. Critics argue that the TRRC needs to reform its bond requirements to reflect the real costs of well abandonment and ensure that companies, not the public, bear the responsibility for cleaning up their environmental messes.
Addressing the Global Orphaned Well Crisis: What Needs to Be Done?
The issue of orphaned wells is not unique to Texas. Globally, millions of wells have been abandoned, often with inadequate safeguards in place to prevent environmental damage. The costs of inaction are high: unchecked methane emissions contribute to climate change, contaminated water supplies threaten human and animal life, and the failure to address these hazards could result in long-term economic and environmental harm.
To mitigate these risks, governments and regulatory bodies need to enforce stricter regulations around well abandonment and ensure that companies are financially responsible for the entire lifecycle of their wells. Raising environmental bond amounts, increasing inspections, and implementing stricter penalties for non-compliance are all crucial steps. Furthermore, international cooperation on orphaned well cleanup could leverage shared expertise and resources to tackle this pervasive problem more effectively.
The Texas Railroad Commission, despite its outdated name and bureaucratic inertia, holds significant power over Texas’s oil and gas industry. While it has made efforts to regulate and clean up orphaned and abandoned wells, the reality is that the scale of the problem is far greater than the commission’s current capabilities. Thousands of orphaned, abandoned, and zombie wells pose ongoing risks to air quality, groundwater, and ecosystems across the state. Without systemic changes—including increased environmental bond requirements, stricter oversight, and faster well-plugging initiatives—these hazardous wells will continue to threaten the environment and public health for generations to come.
Texas is not alone in facing this crisis. Globally, orphaned wells are a growing environmental catastrophe that requires urgent attention. The consequences of inaction are dire: continued methane emissions driving climate change, water contamination devastating entire communities, and long-term ecological damage that could take decades to repair. More aggressive measures are necessary to ensure that oil and gas companies are held accountable and that governments prioritize the cleanup of these dangerous wells before the damage becomes irreparable.