The Orphan Well Case For Renewable Energy

The article "The Orphan Well Case For Renewable Energy" highlights Oklahoma as a critical example in the debate over transitioning to renewable energy. While the state has successfully developed its wind energy resources, its longstanding oil and gas industry continues to cause significant environmental harm. Oklahoma, historically a major crude oil and natural gas producer, now faces the legacy of tens of thousands of abandoned wells—potentially over 300,000—that leak pollutants, including oil, gas, and fracking wastewater, into the environment. These abandoned wells pose ongoing risks to air, water, and soil quality, with a troubling rise in “purge” events where fracking waste unexpectedly surfaces, often due to unsafe pressure practices by waste disposal operators. The article underscores that these environmental problems are exacerbated by regulatory failures, as state officials have not effectively enforced safe pressure limits or adequately addressed well capping. Although collaboration with federal agencies like the EPA seems unlikely under current political conditions, state-level action could mitigate some of the damage if sufficient