Start your day by checking in, grabbing coffee, and connecting with fellow attendees before the sessions begin.

Our Chair will open the conference with brief remarks on the mission and well plugging efforts and marginal well management across the Northern Appalachian region.

This opening session will take stock of where things stand today—from public dollars to reactivation pathways and carbon credits—and why the question of how we pay for plugging is more urgent than ever. Designed to frame the day’s conversations, this session offers a clear-eyed view of the current funding landscape and the trade-offs that come with each option.

As federal funding streams evolve and new mandates emerge, this session offers a regulatory perspective on how states across the Northern Appalachian region are adapting strategies for well plugging. Discussion will focus on aligning priorities, managing changing timelines, engaging partners, and building frameworks for effective coordination and accountability. 

Keynote speaker to be announced 

Enjoy snacks and refreshments while networking with peers and exploring our booths and vendor displays.

In 2025, new approaches to repurposing orphan and idle wells are gaining traction, offering the potential to turn legacy liabilities into profitable assets. Northern Appalachia’s dense well inventory, layered geology, and existing infrastructure present a unique testing ground for scalable, market-driven solutions. Explore emerging repurposing opportunities across the region and examine where technical innovation and commercial viability are beginning to align.

Cold weather, seasonal freeze-thaw cycles, and variable terrain introduce distinct challenges in plugging orphan and idle wells across Northern Appalachia and similar regions. From fluid handling to cement curing and equipment reliability, cold-climate conditions can delay remediation schedules, compromise sealing performance, and increase safety risks.
This presentation will explore field-tested strategies for adapting plugging operations in extreme and fluctuating weather
 

As populated areas densify closer to drilling and plugging operations, public feedback is becoming a factor in both well management and remediation projects. This session will share what communities are saying during consultations and how those concerns are already affecting project timelines, permitting, and access. 

Join our sponsors in welcoming you to our Networking Lunch

As traditional funding sources face uncertainty, innovative financing models are gaining traction for well plugging. From performance-based partnerships to emerging carbon markets, states and operators are exploring alternative paths to sustain remediation efforts. This session examines the growing toolbox of funding strategies.

Join facilitated roundtable discussions on a topic of your choice — a chance to share feedback, identify key challenges, and help shape industry recommendations moving forward.

1. Measuring Methane from Non-Producing Wells at Multiple Scales
   Accurately quantifying methane emissions from non-producing oil and gas wells requires coordinated approaches across different measurement scales. This session will examine methods for combining ground-based and aerial surveys to detect emissions, with a focus on integrating data for more comprehensive assessments.
   Zachary Mailhot, McGill University

Enjoy snacks and refreshments while networking with peers and exploring our booths and vendor displays.

New research reveals a multibillion dollar gap between plugging liabilities and current financial assurances in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. This session examines the scale of the problem and proposes state and federal reforms including production-based fees, independent plugging funds, and stronger bonding requirements. It also explores how these solutions can support job creation, improve oversight, and reduce long-term risk across the region.

Recent research has revealed the scale of undocumented wells across Pennsylvania, with major consequences for emissions tracking, liability, and cleanup planning. Learn how new detection methods are helping to reshape state priorities, inform funding decisions, and reveal overlooked risks across the region. The findings have direct implications for regulators, operators, and anyone involved in remediation strategy or environmental compliance.

Kick off the evening with a brief toast and welcome from our sponsors, followed by drinks and networking

Start the second day with coffee, light snacks, and a chance to reconnect with fellow attendees before day begins

Our Chair will reflect on key insights from yesterday, outline today’s focus areas, and highlight opportunities to align priorities across the region

Northern Appalachia is at a pivotal moment as federal funds reshape how states approach orphan and idle well remediation. This keynote will share how regional leaders are turning funding into action, setting priorities, and building accountable, results-driven programs.

Keynote speaker to be announced 

Drawing on lessons from early implementation, this session examines how policy, oversight, and intergovernmental coordination are shaping results on the ground with federal orphan well programming. Key questions include how states are being supported, what success metrics are emerging, and how future policy could adapt to ensure both environmental impact and accountability.

Locating orphan and undocumented wells remains one of the most persistent challenges in the Northern Appalachian region. Incomplete historical records and fragmented datasets have hindered coordinated plugging efforts and accurate emissions assessments.
To address these gaps, new approaches are leveraging open data, machine learning, geospatial tools, and local knowledge to build more comprehensive well inventories. These methods not only improve detection, but also help prioritize sites based on environmental, health, and equity risks.

Enjoy snacks and refreshments while networking with peers and exploring our booths and vendor displays.

In Northern Appalachia, tens of thousands of low-production and marginal wells continue to emit methane at rates disproportionate to their output. As carbon markets evolve, new interest is emerging in methane reductions at these sites and generating creditable offsets.
This panel explores the technical, regulatory, and market challenges of creating verifiable carbon credits from marginal well interventions, and how these credits could help fund early cleanup efforts. 
 

Water injection around orphan and legacy wells is raising new questions about how fluids and gases move through fractured geology and aging cement. By analyzing subsurface water chemistry researchers and regulators are beginning to uncover how injected water may influence stray gas migration, impact aquifers, or signal compromised well barriers. This panel will focus on how chemical signatures are being used to trace migration pathways and support mitigation planning in complex formations.

Join our sponsors in welcoming you to our Networking Lunch

Learn how the U.S. Department of the Interior is strategically allocating federal funding to address orphan and idle wells. This session will explore interagency coordination, priority-setting strategies, and real-world results from funded projects.

Join us for three fast-paced lightning round presentations featuring new technologies emerging in the orphan and idle wells landscape. Explore innovative solutions and learn how they can accelerate remediation efforts.

Join facilitated roundtable discussions on a topic of your choice. This is a chance to share feedback, identify key challenges, and help shape industry recommendations.

• Engaging Communities in Methane Monitoring and Risk Assessment
  Explore how public consultation, community-based monitoring, and transparent data sharing can strengthen methane detection and risk assessment strategies. Discussion will highlight effective outreach approaches and the role of local input in shaping monitoring efforts across diverse wellfields. 
  Alejandro Lopez, Carnegie Mellon University
  Lois Bower-Bjornson, Clean Air Council

Enjoy snacks and refreshments while networking with peers and exploring our booths and vendor displays.

Open Forum: Advancing Collaboration and Industry Solutions

Use this time to ask questions, share challenges, and generate ideas for greater industry alignment. This open-format session encourages discussion on gaps, opportunities, and forward-looking strategies that can move well remediation efforts ahead across the region. Bring your insights and help shape the conversation.

Brief reflections and comments on how we can continue the conversation throughout the year, collaborate and action across the Northern Appalachian region.