This grant program provides up to:
- $40,000 to a Qualified Well Plugger for every eligible well plugged that is an orphan well of a depth of 3,000 feet or less or the actual cost to plug the well, whichever is less.
- $70,000 to a Qualified Well Plugger for every eligible well plugged that is an orphan well of a depth greater than 3,000 feet or the actual cost to plug the well, whichever is less.
A “Qualified Well Plugger” is a “person who demonstrates access to equipment, materials, resources and services to plug wells in accordance with statutory and regulatory requirements.”
An “Orphan Well” as defined in Section 3203 of the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Act is “a well abandoned prior to April 18, 1985 that has not been affected or operated by the present owner or operator and from which the present owner, operator or lessee has received no economic benefit other than as a landowner or recipient of a royalty interest from the well.”
You will need to register for a Keystone Login for the application. Go to the Pennsylvania Keystone Login Portal (pa.gov) to register if you do not have a Keystone Login. You can register for a Keystone Login in advance to ensure you can login at the grant opening.
For any inquiries or questions about the orphan well plugging grant, please feel free to reach out via email at RA-epoilandGas@pa.gov.
About the Grant Program
Orphan wells that are eligible to be plugged via this Orphan Well Plugging Grant Program are listed in the following two locations:
- PA Oil and Gas Mapping
- a. To view orphan wells on the map, go to the “Oil and Gas Well Layers” tab (left side of page)
- b. Well Destination - select “Conventional Wells”
- c. Well Type - select All Types
- d. Well Status - select “DEP Orphan”
- e. Select “Submit Request”
- f. DEP Orphan wells will be displayed on the interactive map
- g. Select the “I” (information icon), then select any well on the map for well name, permit number, and additional information
- Abandoned Orphan Web - Report Viewer
- a. Select the dropdown arrow on the right side of the “Well Status” field
- b. Make sure “Yes” is selected for the “EXCLUDE IIJA WELLS" field. (Select “YES” to exclude wells currently on IIJA Contracts.)
- c. Unselect all well statuses other than “DEP Orphan List”
- d. Select the “View Report” button in the upper right corner.
- e. This will generate a list of only “DEP Orphan List” wells.
- f. Select the “Export drop down menu” button just to the left of the print button.
- g. This will allow you to export the data in various file formats.
- a. Select the dropdown arrow on the right side of the “Well Status” field
*Wells tentatively scheduled to be plugged under DEP plugging contracts may be ineligible for the OWPG. To confirm a well is not under a tentative IIJA contract, please use the report viewer described above and follow the instructions to exclude IIJA wells.
The Orphan Well Plugging Grant (OWPG) application opens on October 9th, 2024, at 9:00 AM EST. The online application is located at https://grants.pa.gov/.
Complete applications will be processed on a “first come, first served” basis until all funds have been committed.
Grant application instructions
Should you have any specific questions about this grant program, please contact DEP via e-mail at RA-EPORPHANGRANT@pa.gov.
Orphan Well Grant Application Training PowerPoint Presentation
Orphan Well Grant Application Instructions
Orphan Oil and Gas Well Plugging Grant Program Guidelines
The Well Plugging and Restoration Agreement form (see grant documents below) serves as a landowner consent form. Prior to completing the grant application, this form needs to be completed so that it can be uploaded into the grant application.
Before beginning the application, identification if methane emissions are detected at each eligible well as described in the Orphan Well Grant Program application needs to be prepared (“Not Detected” or “Detected” or “Detected + may be high”)
Orphaned Wells Methane Measurement Guidelines
UEI Number
Applicants must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) to complete the application. Go to SAM.gov to register your entity and receive a UEI.
Checklist
To ensure you have required documents and requirements ready, please refer to the Orphan Well Plugging Grant (OWPG) optional checklist
All wells must be screened for methane prior to the application process to determine if methane is present at the well. For all wells where methane was detected during the pre-application screening, emissions must be measured after application approval but prior to plugging in accordance with the Department of Interior’s methane measurement guidelines found here.
To ensure compliance with DOI guidelines, DEP has developed the following documents outlined below:
- DEP Methane Emissions Screening and Quantification Supplemental Guidelines- IIJA funds used in the plugging of orphan oil and gas wells in the Commonwealth must adhere to the Department of the Interior (DOI) Methane Measurement Guidelines. The DEP Methane Emissions Screening and Quantification supplemental guidelines provide basic instructions for methane measurement and quantification of orphan wells for the orphan well plugging grant in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in accordance with DOI guidelines.
- Methane Measurement Proposal Form- The purpose of this form is to obtain approval for the methane measurement methodology being used and the qualified measurement specialist conducting the measurement if methane was detected in the pre-plugging screening.
- Methane Measurement Report Form- This form has been developed to ensure compliance with DOI guidelines in addition to easy and efficient reporting after obtaining measurements.
PA DEP's Supplemental Methane Measurement Guidelines for Orphan Wells (PDF)
More information can be found on the Methane Measurement page.
Under the direction of the Department of the Interior, as per the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Formula grant agreement, recipients of grant funds are responsible to submit Environmental Information Documentation (EID) for approval prior to starting work on plugging projects. The EID is to be compiled and submitted as a package containing three components:
- Project Scope and Description
- Endangered Species Act Clearance
- National Historic Preservation Act Clearance
These items must be sent to the DEP for final submittal and approval to Department of the Interior's (DOI) Orphan Well Plugging Office prior to starting any site work. Please submit these items as one package to ra-eporphangrant@pa.gov.
Project Scope and Description
The project scope and description must include project intent, existing conditions, project area mapping, and other additional project components. A Project Scope and Description DEP form has been developed and is located in the “Grant Documents” tab on this webpage.
Endangered Species Act (ESA) Clearance
The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program's Conservation Explorer can be used to obtain ESA clearance. Instructions on how to use the tool can be found on the site.
National Historic Preservation Act Clearance
Pennsylvania's Historic and Archaeological Resource Exchange (PA-SHARE) can be used to obtain NHPA clearances at this time. Instructions on how to submit an environmental review project can be found here: Submitting a New Environmental Review Project in PA-SHARE (PDF)
The EID packages must be approved by DOI before a Notice to Proceed (NTP) will be issued.
Orphan Well Completion Worksheet (XLSX)
Application for Reimbursement and Itemized Expenses (XLSX)
Well Plugging and Restoration Agreement (Landowner Consent Form) (DOCX)
Orphan Well Plugging Grant Optional Checklist (PDF)
Methane Measurement Service Provider Form (XLSX)
Please reference the Orphan Well Plugging Grant frequently asked questions (FAQ) document. Should you have any specific questions about this grant program, please contact the Department via e-mail at ra-epoilandgas@pa.gov.
The Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), was signed into law by President Biden on November 15, 2021. IIJA has the potential to provide approximately $400 million to Pennsylvania to plug and remediate abandoned and orphan (AO) oil and gas wells across the commonwealth through 2030.
More information coming soon…
- Orphaned and Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells in Pennsylvania--Webinar on 5-30-24
- DEP Abandoned and Orphan Wells within Justice40 and Environmental Justice Areas
- DEP Orphan Wells within Justice40 and Environmental Justice Areas
- Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells IIJA Township Flyer (PDF)
- Dashboard Application featuring Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act (IIJA) funded well plugging projects now available
- DEP Bureau of Oil and Gas Management creates new Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act (IIJA) web page
- FAQs for prospective plugging and plugging support contractors (PDF)
- StoryMap Featuring Well Plugging Projects Throughout the Commonwealth Now Available
- Farmline Maps
- Video: Historical Oil and Gas Wells in Pennsylvania
- Current orphan, abandoned, and DEP plugged well report
- Oil and Gas Online Mapping Tool
- Historical Oil and Gas Development in Allegheny County
- GSA Poster
- Abandoned and Orphan Oil and Gas Wells And The Orphan Well Plugging Fund (PDF )
- PIOGA Plugging Workshop
Abandoned and Orphan Well Program
It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of oil and gas wells have been drilled in Pennsylvania since 1859. Although owners and operators are legally responsible for plugging wells when oil and gas production is no longer economically viable, this does not always happen. In addition to the wells that were drilled historically – prior to regulations pertaining to well decommissioning – there are instances in which an oil and gas company files for bankruptcy protection or moves out of the commonwealth, leaving its wells improperly abandoned. There are also circumstances when DEP must address wells purchased by or transferred to landowners who are not familiar with the financial and regulatory responsibilities associated with becoming a well owner/operator in the commonwealth (reporting, well integrity assessments, possible environmental investigative work, and ultimately providing well decommissioning costs that range from tens of thousands of dollars to over $100,000.) Whatever the mechanism, there remain many thousands of abandoned wells in the commonwealth that have no identifiable responsible party to complete plugging.
DEP's Well Plugging Program was established under the authority of the Oil and Gas Act to plug oil and gas wells where there is no identifiable responsible party. If not addressed properly, wells have the potential to cause health, safety, environmental and economic concerns. The Act also established permit surcharges that range from $150 to $250 per new oil and gas well permit. These surcharges are paid by well operators and deposited in accounts established for well decommissioning activities conducted by DEP. Although well intentioned, the surcharges are not sufficient to allow the commonwealth to address the liability associated with legacy oil and gas wells.
Reporting an Abandoned Well
Individuals that become aware of abandoned wells – especially those wells causing environmental or public safety issues – are encouraged to contact the appropriate DEP Oil and Gas District Office or fill out the Abandoned Well Reporting Form. Upon notification, DEP will investigate the well to determine if it qualifies as an abandoned or orphan well and that any potential environmental, health and safety issues are addressed, as resources allow.
A well classified as abandoned may be an orphan well if it meets certain criteria. For more information, please go to the orphan well classification request and instruction forms.