Friday, February 26, 2010

Virginians asked to help find old oil, gas wells

Comment:  Ace wonders if the Marline bore holes and wells from the past uranium drilling counts in Pittsylvania County, VA and other counties in VA?
By Staff Report
Published February 24th, 2010 | 0 Comments

BIG STONE GAP — The Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy is asking Southwest Virginia residents to help the agency locate, plug and clean up old, abandoned gas and oil wells.

The agency is asking residents of the coalfield counties who may know of such abandoned well sites to notify its Division of Gas & Oil (DGO) so the information can be added to the agency’s abandoned well database.

“We have some data on wells predating 1950, we believe local residents may have valuable information about the specific locations of early gas or oil wells that were abandoned before being properly plugged,” said DGO Director David Asbury.

“These old wells can be a source of danger to the public and the environment and need to be targeted for plugging and reclamation.”

During the early and mid-1900s, a number of exploratory wells may have been drilled in Southwest Virginia on private property, the agency said, and there may be limited or no public records available on those activities.

The Virginia Gas and Oil Act established an orphaned well fund administered by the DMME. Orphaned wells deemed an imminent danger to public safety are given the top priority for reclamation.

The DGO is working to expand its database on old, abandoned gas and oil wells and seeks any public input on the location of previously unidentified, abandoned well sites. Anyone having specific information is asked to contact Orphan Well Project Coordinator Jerry Hagy at the DGO office in Lebanon by calling (276) 415-9700 or e-mailing Hagy at dgoinfo@dmme.virginia.gov

Read more:
http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9020884