Safely Abandoning A Gas Well
When a gas well has reached the end of its usable life span, there are steps to follow to safely abandon it. Whenever your business is needing to safely abandon a well, following the best practices for this can be essential to avoid costly fines and other liabilities in the future.
Salvaging Valuable Or Usable Components And Materials
Prior to abandoning the well, efforts should be made to salvage any usable or valuable materials and equipment from the well. For businesses that have other wells currently in operation or that are looking to add more wells, this can allow these materials to be shifted to more productive options. When removing these materials and items, special care should be taken to avoid damaging them as well as compromising the integrity of the well shaft.
Abandoned Gas Wells Should Be Properly Sealed
An abandoned gas well will also need to be safely sealed. This can reduce the chances that people, pets, or wildlife will fall into the hole that the well may leave behind. Additionally, sealing the well can limit the risk of fumes or other gases seeping out of the well and into the surrounding area. There are many options available for sealing an abandoned well, but two of the more popular include, plugging the well with a concrete cap or even collapsing the interior of the well to close it. The best option for your well will depend on its size as well as the local regulations concerning well abandonment.
An Old Well Will Need To Be Reported
After a well has been abandoned, it will need to be reported to the local government as there are typically offices that will manage a list of the locations of abandoned wells. While reporting this information may seem like a cumbersome step, it can be necessary for allowing the government to effectively act in the event that there is a problem with the well in the future. Also, there may be zoning regulations concerning the types of construction and development that can occur on sites with abandoned wells.
There Are Gas Well Abandonment Solution Providers That Can Oversee This Process For Your Company
Not surprisingly, all of the steps that are required with preparing a well for abandonment can be an involved process that could require considerable effort. Luckily, your company will not have to directly oversee this process as there are gas well abandonment solution providers that will be able to complete this process for you.