ENERGY/OIL & GAS WELLS: Urges and requests the Department of Conservation and Energy to study the state's liability for oil and gas well decommissioning across the value chain

This Louisiana House resolution asks the Department of Conservation and Energy to conduct a comprehensive study on the state's financial responsibility for cleaning up oil and gas wells that are abandoned, inactive, or producing very little. The requested investigation aims to calculate the total cost of decommissioning these wells, identify funding sources to cover the state's share, and explore ways to reduce risks to taxpayers. The department must submit a detailed report by March 1, 2027, covering costs for both existing orphan wells and those likely to become orphaned, along with an analysis of why the number of abandoned wells has recently increased. This measure is designed to provide the legislature with data needed to develop future laws addressing the growing burden of well cleanup.