Almost ‘orphans’: Why Colorado’s low-producing oil wells could become the state’s responsibility

I partnered with the national ABC News Investigates and local Denver7 Investigates teams to uncover threats posed by old, unplugged oil and gas wells.

This nationwide investigation, Zombie Wells: The Threat Beneath, tested a total of 76 wells across five states and found that more than half were leaking oil or combustible gas at the time. I personally went out to more than a dozen well locations in northern Colorado to check for leaks using a handheld gas detector and a safety device that monitors ambient air quality. These devices can detect hundreds of combustible gases, including climate-warming methane. I was also accompanied by a FLIR camera operator so that we could visualize the emissions.

I found Colorado’s old unplugged oil wells pose risks to health and the environment. But the high cost of cleanup is leaving some operators unable or unwilling to deal with the problem. As a result, Colorado’s backlog of orphaned wells continues to grow, increasing the challenges and costs for the state.

Watch and read the stories on Denver7.com at the links below.

PART 1

Why hundreds of Colorado’s low-producing oil wells
are becoming the state’s responsibility

PART 2

When oil and gas operators don’t clean up their mess,
Colorado takes on the costs and challenges

PART 3

We visited old oil wells across Colorado to see the dangers they pose.
Here’s what we found.