A coalition of environmental organizations sent a letter to Governor Jeff Landry on Monday, pressing the administration to address the growing problem of orphan wells across Louisiana. The groups, which include the Center for Biological Diversity, the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, For a Better Bayou, Habitat Recovery Project, Healthy Gulf, Louisiana Wildlife Federation, Mossville Environmental Action Network, and Vessel Project of Louisiana, want a meeting to discuss the governor’s vision for dealing with what they describe as a looming threat to the state’s vulnerable coastal areas and the ecosystems they support.

Scope of the orphan‑well issue

According to a new analysis authored by Rachel Mathews, a senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, the LSU Center for Energy Studies estimates that Louisiana now has more than 6,300 orphan wells, up from roughly 4,900 in March 2025. At least 724 of those wells sit in state coastal waters that were once owned by major oil companies, some of which have changed hands through acquisitions.

Orphan wells are defined as wells whose current operators are unwilling or unable to plug them, leaving the state responsible for the cleanup. The coalition argues that the number of wells abandoned to the state is outpacing Louisiana’s ability to plug them, preventing any meaningful reduction in the orphan‑well backlog.

Financial burden and current plugging rate

The state’s approach requires exploration firms to demonstrate financial capacity before receiving a drilling permit. A Louisiana Legislative Auditor calculation places the average cost to permanently shut down a well at $113,000. Using that figure, plugging all existing orphan wells would cost nearly $712 million.

The Department of Conservation and Energy currently plugs about 125 wells per year, according to LSU data cited in the report. At that pace, it would take more than 50 years to eliminate the backlog, assuming no new orphan wells are added.

Funding and inactive wells

As of July 2025, the state had between $126 million and $250 million in combined state and federal funds earmarked for orphan‑well abatement. In addition to the 6,300 orphan wells, there are more than 22,000 inactive wells across Louisiana. Inactive wells are those whose operating costs exceed any value that could be extracted, yet owners pay only a few hundred dollars in annual fees to keep them offline. The groups contend that this fee structure fails to incentivize permanent plugging.

Local impact in the Barataria‑Terrebonne estuary

The coalition highlights the Barataria‑Terrebonne estuary—spanning 16 parishes between the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers—as a hotspot, with 509 orphan wells and 3,231 inactive wells. The estuary’s wetlands are critical for coastal restoration, fisheries, and protecting communities from storm surge.

Recommendations to Governor Landry

• Prioritize plugging offshore and coastal wells, which pose the highest risk of failure and impede restoration efforts.
• Develop a plugging plan based on priority oil and gas fields rather than treating wells individually.
• Require former operators to plug wells before they can be declared orphaned.
• Close the legal loophole that allows operators to pay a nominal inactive‑well fee instead of plugging.
• Stop transferring state drilling leases to companies with overdue plugging obligations.

The governor’s office did not respond to requests for comment on the letter or a meeting request.

Why this matters for Louisiana families

Orphan wells can leak methane and other pollutants, threatening air quality, drinking water, and the health of families who rely on the state’s coastal resources for livelihood and recreation. Addressing the backlog aligns with the administration’s broader goal of protecting Louisiana’s natural heritage while ensuring that oil and gas companies fulfill their obligations.

By focusing on responsible well‑plugging, the state can reduce environmental risks, support coastal restoration projects, and safeguard the economic future of communities that depend on fisheries, tourism, and a healthy environment.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.