[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 73 (Monday, April 29, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2656-H2658]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        ABANDONED WELL REMEDIATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT

  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 4877) to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to direct the 
Secretary of Energy to carry out a research, development, and 
demonstration program with respect to abandoned wells, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4877

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Abandoned Well Remediation 
     Research and Development Act''.

     SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005.

       (a) In General.--The Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended--
       (1) by adding at the end of subtitle F of title IX (42 
     U.S.C. 16291 et seq.) the following new section:

     ``SEC. 969E. ABANDONED WELLS RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND 
                   DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of 
     Energy shall, in coordination with relevant Federal and state 
     agencies and entities, establish a research, development, and 
     demonstration program to improve--
       ``(1) data collection on the location of abandoned wells;
       ``(2) the plugging, remediation, reclamation, and 
     repurposing of abandoned wells; and
       ``(3) strategies to mitigate potential environmental 
     impacts of documented and undocumented abandoned wells.
       ``(b) Activities.--The research, development, and 
     demonstration under subsection (a) shall include activities 
     to improve--
       ``(1) remote sensor capabilities, LiDAR capabilities, 
     optical gas imaging, magnetic survey technology, and any 
     other technologies relevant to the efficient identification 
     of abandoned wells;
       ``(2) understanding of how certain parameters of abandoned 
     wells affect methane emission rates of such wells, including 
     paramaters such as well age, well depth, geology, 
     construction, case material, and geographic region;
       ``(3) the efficiency and cost-efficacy of processes for 
     plugging, remediating, reclaiming, and repurposing abandoned 
     wells, including--
       ``(A) improvement of processes and technologies for the 
     unique challenges associated with plugging remote abandoned 
     wells;
       ``(B) use of low carbon, lightweight cement or use of 
     alternative materials and additives for plugging purposes; 
     and
       ``(C) repurposing of abandoned wells for alternative uses, 
     including geothermal power production or carbon capture, 
     utilization, and storage; and
       ``(4) understanding of the impacts of abandoned wells on 
     groundwater quality and contamination.
       ``(c) Coordination.--In carrying out the program 
     established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure 
     coordination of these activities with State and local 
     governments, institutions of higher education, the Department 
     of Energy National Laboratories, the private sector, and 
     impacted communities, including landowners within such 
     communities.
       ``(d) Abandoned Well Defined.--In this section, the term 
     `abandoned well' means a well originally drilled in 
     connection with oil and gas operations that is not being 
     used, has not been plugged, and has no anticipated use in oil 
     and gas operations.
       ``(e) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
     the Secretary to carry out this section amounts authorized 
     pursuant to section 10771 of subtitle O of title VI of the 
     Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act 
     (enacted as division B of Public Law 117-167), as follows:
       ``(1) For fiscal year 2024, $30,000,000.
       ``(2) For fiscal year 2025, $31,250,000.
       ``(3) For fiscal year 2026, $32,500,000.
       ``(4) For fiscal year 2027, $33,750,000.
       ``(5) For fiscal year 2028, $35,000,000.
       ``(f) Sunset.--This section shall terminate five years 
     after the date of the enactment of this section.''; and
       (2) in the table of contents in section 1(b) (42 U.S.C. 
     15801 note), by inserting after the matter relating to 
     section 969D the following new item:

``Sec. 969E. Abandoned wells research, development, and demonstration 
              program.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--Paragraph (6) of section 10771 
     of subtitle O of title VI of the Research and Development, 
     Competition, and Innovation Act (enacted as division B of 
     Public Law 117-167) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
     ``2026'' and inserting ``2028'';
       (2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``$600,000,000'' and 
     inserting ``$507,500,000'';
       (3) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (4) in subparagraph (C)--
       (A) by striking ``$1,000,000,000'' and inserting 
     ``$930,000,000''; and
       (B) by striking the period and inserting ``; and''; and
       (5) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(D) $162,500,000 to carry out abandoned wells research, 
     development, and demonstration activities under section 969E 
     of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, in accordance with such 
     section.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from

[[Page H2657]]

Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) and the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Lee) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on H.R. 4877.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Oklahoma?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4877, the Abandoned Well 
Remediation Research and Development Act.
  This bill was introduced by two of my Science Committee colleagues, 
the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Lee) and the gentlewoman from 
Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice).
  The bill directs the Department of Energy to support research, 
development, and demonstration activities that accelerate the 
remediation of abandoned or orphaned oil and gas wells across the 
country.
  Currently, there are an estimated 700,000 to maybe 3 million 
abandoned wells in the United States. These wells cost between $30,000 
to potentially as much as $1 million per well to plug, meaning a 
remarkable amount of money will be needed just to cover past 
developments.
  Wells in remote locations, like Tribal land in Oklahoma, are more 
difficult and costly to locate and plug, thus increasing the likelihood 
they will remain unmitigated.
  Improving the technologies and methods associated with plugging and 
remediation processes for abandoned wells would lower the overall cost, 
improve efficiency, reduce the environmental harm, and potentially 
result in new and improved purposes.
  Mr. Speaker, that is why I support H.R. 4877. This bill will 
capitalize on the Department of Energy's existing research and 
infrastructure within the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management 
to improve the processes and lower the costs associated with abandoned 
wells.

                              {time}  1715

  The research, development, and demonstration activities conducted by 
DOE have the potential to validate innovative processes, such as the 
use of low-carbon cement for plugging or repurposing abandoned wells 
for geothermal power production and carbon capture utilization and 
storage.
  Additionally, this bill directs DOE to improve technology to pinpoint 
and map the location of abandoned wells. Before we can plug or 
repurpose a well, we need to know exactly where they are located.
  Efforts for States to plug abandoned wells are already underway and 
funded by Federal investment. This bill ensures that those efforts 
efficiently use taxpayer dollars and remain effective in the long term.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Lee and Representative Bice for 
leading this bill. I urge all of my colleagues to support its passage, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of legislation that I am proud 
to see passed on behalf of the people of Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, the 
bipartisan Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act. 
Across the country, there are around 3 million abandoned oil and gas 
wells in urgent need of remediation or plugging.
  In Pennsylvania, there are well over 350,000 abandoned wells, but 
only 27,000 of these have been identified and documented in order to be 
plugged.
  These abandoned wells not only contribute to the climate crisis by 
leaking methane, but they also expose our families to cancer-causing 
toxins like benzene, leave our homes vulnerable to explosive gases, and 
lower property values making it tougher for families to maintain and 
sell their homes.
  Our region's health and economy suffer while we allow these wells to 
pollute our communities without accountability or plans to plug them.
  Last month, I visited the home of Pamela and Ivan Schrank, a couple 
in Murrysville, who recently discovered a leaky, abandoned well on 
their property in Westmoreland County.
  During my visit, Pamela described how she got dizzy and almost 
fainted while gardening in her backyard after being exposed to the 
pungent odor she recognized as gas. Fortunately, she and her husband, 
Ivan, caught the leakage in time to reach out to the Pennsylvania 
Department of Environmental Protection to begin the process of plugging 
the well and preventing permanent harm to their family's health and the 
value of their property. However, until Congress takes action to invest 
in the identification and remediation of abandoned wells starting with 
the passage of this bill, tens of thousands of people in my district 
and across Pennsylvania will continue to suffer the consequences.
  Pennsylvania has more abandoned wells than any other State except 
Texas. Many of these wells that pollute our communities were drilled in 
the mid-1800s, decades before regulations existed to properly track and 
document them.
  My district already suffers from some of the worst air quality in the 
Nation and serious rates of exposure to toxins in our water. These 
communities also suffer from high rates of asthma or COPD and exposure 
to lead in our water.
  We can't leave leaky oil and gas wells from the 1800s to continue 
poisoning and endangering our communities. We also can't afford 
inaction. We must invest significant resources to research and develop 
solutions to this crisis by passing our bipartisan bill because, until 
we do, it will remain nearly impossible to track every orphaned and 
abandoned well and too expensive to plug or remediate them.
  This bipartisan bill we have introduced builds on the $23 million 
worth of Federal investments to plug abandoned wells we have already 
delivered to western Pennsylvania from the infrastructure act by 
authorizing a new research, development, and demonstration program at 
the Department of Energy to locate, identify, and address the problems 
associated with abandoned oil and gas wells.
  This program will enhance our ability to locate these wells and 
direct research toward improving remediation, plugging, and 
understanding what causes some of these wells to become super emitters, 
posing the most harm to our health and our climate. It will also fuel 
the development of new uses for these wells, such as evaluating whether 
they are suitable for conversion to geothermal power production.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Lucas and Ranking Member Lofgren for 
supporting this legislation, as well as Representative Bice for joining 
me in championing this issue for bringing this important bipartisan 
bill to the floor.
  Today, the Science Committee has now twice unanimously approved this 
bill, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice).
  Mrs. BICE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Lucas for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4877, the Abandoned Well 
Remediation Research and Development Act. In Oklahoma, there are over 
half a million oil and gas wells, which allow our State to rank eight 
in oil and gas production in the country. While active wells support 
hundreds of thousands of jobs, legacy sites and abandoned wells can 
present environmental and economic problems.
  Across the country, some abandoned or orphaned wells are slowly 
leaking harmful gases and chemicals into the ecosystem. This is partly 
due to some wells being left unaddressed after their use. However, most 
leaks are the result of plugging procedures or materials that have not 
withstood the test of time.
  To remedy this issue, different States have implemented plugging and 
cleanup programs with varying levels of success. For example, the 
Oklahoma Energy Resources Board has invested $132 million to 
successfully clean up over 18,000 sites across our State.
  Additionally, the Federal plugging and remediation program 
established last Congress provided $25 million in

[[Page H2658]]

initial grants to Oklahoma. This was a great first step, but unless we 
want to continue to spend on temporary solutions, we must have 
innovation.
  H.R. 4877 will address this innovation gap and potentially save 
billions of dollars in future efforts. Through the research, 
development, and demonstration activities authorized by this bill, the 
Department of Energy will improve the data on the location of abandoned 
wells, the process for plugging, reclaiming, and repurposing wells, and 
the ability to mitigate potential environmental impacts of leaking 
wells.
  In the future, we won't need another $4 billion in Federal plugging 
programs. The innovation spurred by this bill could cut those costs in 
half and save billions in taxpayer funds.
  H.R. 4877 directs the type of forward-looking research and 
development that will solve our legacy challenges, while allowing 
responsible environmental stewardship to continue into the next 
generation.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to lead this bill with my colleague from 
Pennsylvania (Ms. Lee). I thank her for working alongside me in a 
bipartisan fashion to get this bill to the floor, which is a great 
example of innovating to solve a real-world issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote from my colleagues.
  Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote 
``yes'' on H.R. 4877, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we all share concern about the tens of thousands of 
known abandoned oil and gas wells across the country that have the 
potential to leak methane, pose health and safety risks, and pollute 
local ground water. This is a major step in addressing that.
  I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 4877. I thank Congresswoman Lee 
and Congresswoman Bice for their effort, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Strong). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4877, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________