News from the Oklahoma Corporation
Commission
Phone: (405)
521-4180, FAX: (405) 521-6945 m.skinner@occmail.occ.state.ok.us
For
Tulsa-area media
COMMISSION
MOVES TO PLUG OIL WELL UNCOVERED IN JENKS SCHOOL DISTRICT PROJECT
Emergency order needed to
protect health and safety
(Oklahoma City) Meeting in emergency session today,
the Oklahoma Corporation Commission approved the use of state funds to plug an
oil well uncovered this week by a contractor working on a construction project
for the Jenks school district.
Commission Chairman Denise Bode said the situation
demands quick action.
“Our field inspector for the area, Bob Scott, found
that the well is purging natural gas, and poses a potential threat to both
public safety and the environment,” explained Bode. “This is apparently an old
well, and a responsible operator cannot be found. Mr. Scott is to be commended
for moving quickly to protect the public and the environment.”
Commissioner Jeff Cloud said the state’s well
plugging fund is an effective tool to deal with a very real problem.
“There are many ‘out-of-sight, out-of-mind’ ancient
oil wells out there for which no records exist,” noted Cloud. “While the
Commission makes every effort to find a responsible party when these wells are
discovered and must be plugged, many of these wells are true ‘orphans’, and
it’s not possible to find the operator who last worked the well. In this
particular case, our efforts to determine a responsible party will continue.
However, our primary concern is public health and safety, so we need to get
this well plugged as quickly as possible.”
It appears the oil well in question was drilled in
the 1930’s. The cost of plugging the
well is estimated at $9,500.
The well is located near the intersection of Highway
75 and 91st.
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(All OCC advisories and news
releases are available at the Commission web site www.occ.state.ok.us)