New and existing Orphan Well Prevention Act

HB 3415, the Orphan Well Prevention Act of 2025, requires oil and gas operators to secure financial guarantees before obtaining new well permits or transferring existing wells. For new wells (after July 1, 2025), operators must provide either a bond or an escrow account to cover future plugging costs. For transferred wells, the previous operator remains liable until the new owner provides a similar financial guarantee. This directly affects oil and gas companies and landowners by preventing wells from becoming "orphaned" (unplugged with no responsible operator), reducing state or community costs for cleanup. The bill aims to address West Virginia’s thousands of existing orphaned wells by making operators financially accountable upfront.