Energy Minerals & Natural Resources Department

The Purpose of This Project Is to Greatly Expand the Capacity of the State of New Mexico S Established Program to Properly Plug Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells, Remove and Salvage Unused Equipment and Surface Infrastructure, Assess Incidents at Orphan Sites Where Contaminants Have Been Released Into the Environment, Remediate the Impacts of Such Incidents, Undertake Surface Restoration, and to Recoup as Much of the Costs as Possible From Availablefinancial Assurance These Efforts May Reduce Methane and Volatile Hydrocarbon Emissions From Unplugged Orphan Wells, Minimize the Waste of Mineral Resources, Protect and Restore Water and Soil, and to Return Lands to Astate Similar to That Which Existed Before Oil and Gas Activities the Prioritization of Plugging and Remedial Efforts Takes Into Consideration Such Factors as Active Leaks, Nearby Human Activity, the Proximity to Watersupplies and Sensitive Environments, the Age of Wells, Known Well Integrity Issues, Citizen Complaints, and the Proximity of Other Orphans LLL Iong Other Criteria Not Only Will This Enhance the Quality of Life and Theenvironment in These Areas, But It Will Also Provide High Paying Jobs for Local Individuals With a Broad Variety of Skills