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Maritime Accident News

Thousands of abandoned wells in the Gulf of Mexico

Posted on Jul 07, 2010

An Associated Press investigation reveals that there are over 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. The report raises concerns because no federal or industry organization is even investigating to see the condition of the wells, whether they are leaking, deteriorating and a threat to become the next BP oil disaster. Some of the wells date back to the 1940s and there are questions about whether sealing standards back then were as stringent as they are today. In fact, both Texas and California have resealed tens of thousands of older abandoned wells. The investigation cites 3,500 temporarily abandoned wells for which regulations require that companies submit plans for permanent plugging or reusing within one year. However, that rule is often circumvented. A 1989 GAO report estimated that 17 percent of wells on land were poorly plugged and the sealing procedure in water is said to be similar to the one on land. It is difficult to pinpoint the location of leaking offshore wells. In 2001, MMS researchers tried, with satellite imagery, to locate a well 20 miles off the Louisiana coast that was leaking five years after it had been sealed. However, the attempt was unsuccessful.

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