Start your day with breakfast and networking before the event

This session will explore production and new drilling rates, along with the growing number of idle wells in California, and the challenges posed by production limitations. We will examine what these factors reveal about the future of the state's oil and gas industry, particularly in terms of well abandonment and orphaned well management.
•    Assessing production trends and limits
•    The impact of increasing idle wells on future industry operations
•    Projections for well abandonment across the state
 

Explore the rich history of California’s oil industry and its influence on today’s plugging challenges. From the first commercial well in 1897 to its role in shaping Los Angeles into a major metropolis, California’s oil legacy offers valuable insights.
Key topics include:
•    A recent high-risk plugging case: lessons learned and broader applications.
•    Wells embedded in downtown Los Angeles and their urban challenges.
•    How oil fueled LA’s population boom from 50,000 to 2 million.
•    Modern challenges: legacy wells, evolving plugging standards, vapor barriers, and more.
Discover how California’s oil history continues to shape policy, safety, and urban development.

This session explores innovative strategies for preventing idle wells from becoming orphaned assets through proactive intervention and creative partnerships. Learn about practical solutions for identifying at-risk wells, sustainable intervention methods, and creating positive environmental impact through responsible well management.

Explore solutions for decommissioning, monitoring, and redeveloping 2-3 million abandoned U.S. wells, including over 1 million orphaned wells.
Discuss the shift from drilling to repurposing as shale deposits shrink and states embrace cleaner energy. Case studies will highlight successful cleanup programs like AML and NDT Funds, job creation potential, and new fiscal policies supporting long-term decommissioning efforts.

This session explores the evolving stakeholder landscape in orphan and idle well management. We’ll discuss best practices for collaboration among private, public, and tribal entities, nonprofits, and other key players.
•    Strategies to align priorities, build trust, and drive impactful solutions.
•    Addressing the diverse concerns of stakeholders in California’s well-plugging and remediation efforts.

This session will address the unique challenges of orphan wells in California and across the nation, including the geological factors influencing emissions and the risks they pose to groundwater aquifers. We will discuss the historical context of orphan wells in the state and the challenges they present to local communities. Additionally, we will explore strategies and USGS resources for effective well-plugging.

Lunch and Learn with Our Speakers
Take advantage of this unique opportunity to engage with our speakers during the lunch break. Ask your questions, share ideas, and connect directly with industry experts in a relaxed and informal setting.

•    Methane detection and quantification methodologies for orphaned wells
•    Insights from the CATALOG program and SUMMATION project
•    Addressing regulatory challenges and compliance in methane emissions
•    Implications of improved emissions data for policy and industry practices

•    Analyzing the national picture of orphan and idle wells and their environmental impacts.
•    Preliminary analytics on idle well populations in key states.
•    Exploring innovative solutions, including technological advancements and policy recommendations.

Plugging offshore wells involves significant challenges, from managing high costs to addressing environmental and technical complexities. This session will explore these hurdles in depth.
•    Cost Management: Navigating the financial burden of decommissioning offshore wells and finding efficient funding solutions.
•    Corrosion Issues: Addressing the unique risks of corrosion and its impact on plugging offshore wells safely and effectively.
•    Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring adherence to environmental and safety regulations during offshore well abandonment.
By examining these complexities, the session will highlight solutions for overcoming the unique challenges of offshore well plugging.
 

• Economic Incentives for Operators to Prevent Orphan Wells
• Case Studies and Lessons Learnt from Well Repurposing Projects 
• Assessing Value and Risks: Strategies for Orphan and Idle Well Evaluation 
• Navigating the Geologic Challenges of Legacy Wells: Insights into Sustainable Decommissioning and Repurposing
• Urban Design and Orphan and Idle Wells in California's Urban Areas
  Clement Lau, Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

This session highlights how California’s tribal governments are addressing the pressing challenges of orphan and idle wells on their lands. With a focus on both traditional knowledge and innovative solutions, tribal leaders are navigating complex regulatory frameworks to create sustainable outcomes for their communities and the environment.
Key discussion points include:
•    Insights into tribal governance: drafting and enforcing their own codes.
•    The layered complexities of Indian Country compliance, including the management of 20% of American resources and the role of Indian energy programs.
•    Addressing historical environmental burdens left by external parties and how tribes are responding to these challenges with accountability and resilience.
Discover how tribal leadership is shaping orphan well management and balancing cultural values with modern solutions.

This session delves into the lifecycle of older oil and gas wells in the Anadarko Basin of Kansas and Oklahoma, highlighting their economic and environmental implications as they approach the end of their productive life. Experts will explore decline curve analysis (DCA) as a critical tool for forecasting well behavior and informing decisions on plugging and abandonment (P&A) or repurposing. Attendees will gain insights into how these efforts can mitigate methane emissions and the broader implications for greenhouse gas management.

This session explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence in managing California’s orphan and idle wells, focusing on:
•    Driving innovation and operational efficiency.
•    Integrating sustainable practices in well management.

This session will explore the intersection of public health and climate change challenges posed by orphan and idle wells in California. Topics will include:
•    Risks to groundwater from contamination exacerbated by climate-induced droughts.
•    Wildfires' proximity to orphan wells and their role in air quality and safety risks.
•    Corrosion and subsurface complexities affecting California’s water systems.
•    Methane leaks from underground wells contributing to climate change and potential water contamination.
The discussion highlights the urgent need for adaptive policies and proactive measures to mitigate these interconnected risks.

This session delves into Los Angeles’ efforts to address orphan wells in densely developed areas, focusing on challenges like leaking wells under new construction, outdated regulations, and leak testing hurdles. Discover strategies for balancing urban growth with community safety, environmental needs, and proactive stakeholder engagement. Learn how collaboration with developers, local communities, and policymakers is driving innovative solutions to ensure responsible urban expansion.

Explore the factors that make repairing leaking wells a significant challenge. Key topics include:
•    Linking leakage rates, leakage pathways and primary causes for underground leakage
•    Variability in primary cementing outcomes and impacts on leakage and repair 
•    Long term well integrity and cement, after decommissioning  
•    Repair techniques like squeeze cementing and their effectiveness on old wells
•    Strategies for reducing leakage and improving outcomes.
 

California is exploring innovative ways to repurpose orphaned and idle wells to support clean energy and environmental goals.
•    Geothermal Energy: Converting wells for geothermal power generation, tapping into renewable energy potential.
•    Carbon Sequestration: Using wells for storing CO2 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
•    Water Management: Repurposing wells for water storage or monitoring in drought-prone regions.
These alternative uses contribute to sustainability efforts while addressing legacy well issues.

This session explores innovative strategies for repurposing orphaned and idle wells to serve new purposes beyond oil and gas production. Topics include converting wells for geothermal energy production, carbon storage, and water management. We will discuss the technical, regulatory, and financial challenges of repurposing infrastructure while ensuring environmental safety. Learn how these efforts can align with California's clean energy goals and provide sustainable solutions for communities impacted by legacy wells.

This session will showcase a case study on a complex well abandonment in Los Angeles, highlighting the challenges of legacy idle and abandoned wells. Discover how technical evaluations of drilling histories, workover records, and subsurface geology can inform tailored solutions that enhance safety, environmental protection, and cost efficiency. Learn from real-world insights into regulatory collaboration and innovative approaches to well decommissioning.

Join us for an exclusive walking tour of urban orphan well plugging projects in Bakersfield, California. Witness innovative solutions in action, engage with industry experts, and enhance your research through this unique opportunity to observe well-plugging operations firsthand. 

This session will provide a comprehensive overview of key scientific topics explored by the AAAS Orphaned and Abandoned Wells (OAW) working group over the past two years. It will synthesize emerging questions and critical research needs in areas such as methane quantification, groundwater impact studies, and health-related implications of OAW. Join us for an insightful discussion that highlights the latest scientific advancements and their potential to drive informed action in addressing orphan and idle wells.

This session delves into groundbreaking research analyzing gas emissions from 48 abandoned wells in western Pennsylvania, shedding light on the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like benzene alongside methane. Learn how emission rates vary based on gas flow and VOC concentration, and explore the proximity of these wells to residential and commercial buildings, raising important health and safety concerns. Join this discussion to uncover the urgent need for further investigation into the inhalation risks posed by abandoned well emissions and their implications for public health and environmental policy.

Discover PRIMO, an innovative open-source tool developed to support EPA & DOE’s Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP). PRIMO is revolutionizing well Plugging and Abandonment (P&A) campaigns by prioritizing high-risk wells and optimizing strategies to maximize efficiency and minimize costs.
This session will highlight:
•    Recent PRIMO updates, including a new interactive GUI and web app designed to streamline stakeholder operations.
•    Best practices and case studies showcasing measurable efficiency gains in well abandonment projects.
•    How PRIMO leverages data analytics and advanced algorithms to forecast environmental impacts and drive transparent, data-driven decision-making.