Regulation · Abandonment
Orphan Well
A well whose licensee has become defunct without abandoning it and reclaiming the site, and for which no responsible party is left.
What it does
In Alberta the regulator first orders anyone with a legal interest in the well to close it. If nobody is left, the well is deemed orphaned and the Orphan Well Association takes over its care, abandonment and reclamation, funded by a levy paid by industry.
Basics
| Can be | Inactive, suspended, abandoned or even producing |
| Taken over by | Orphan Well Association (Alberta) |
| Funded by | Annual orphan fund levy paid by industry |
Common failures
- Inactive wells left without closure work until the owner can no longer pay for it
Troubleshooting
- Symptom
- Inactive well count keeps growing
- Likely cause
- Closure work deferred year after year
- What to check
- Plan closure by area and budget it every year