Federally Funded Well Plugging

Orphaned Well Site Plugging, Remediation and Restoration

The Railroad Commission of Texas is receiving federal funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to plug, remediate, and reclaim orphaned wells located on state-owned or privately owned land in Texas. Funding may also be used for other allowed activities including to remediate soil and restore native species habitat on land adjacent to orphaned wells, and to decommission or remove associated pipelines, facilities, and infrastructure.

Texas received $25,000,000 in Initial Grant funds in August 2022. With this funding, along with salvage revenue gained from plugging activities, the Commission plugged 737 wells across the state.

Texas received $79,673,757 in the first allocation of Formula Grant funds in January 2024. The state could receive up to $119.5 million Phase II of Formula Grant funding.

Through the life of the program Texas could receive approximately $318.7 million in Formula Grant funding based on current data estimates. These amounts are subject to change.

The RRC uses its existing State Managed Plugging Program to oversee this effort and will issue solicitations for contractors for well plugging. The solicitation process and other information are in the links found on this webpage.

• Wells Plugged with IIJA Initial Grant Funds  
  (Grant Final Report – Grant closed-out December 2024)
• Wells Plugged with IIJA Phase I Formula Grant Funds 
  (through the 4^th quarter, federal fiscal year 2025)
• Office of Inspector General, Department of the Interior Final Audit Report Audit of Texas
  IIJA Orphaned Well Initial Grant
• Initial Grant Well Plugging Data Visualization
• Well Plugging Prioritization System 
• Sistema de prioridades para taponamiento de pozos 
• Statewide Rule 15 Related to Inactive Wells
• RRC Notice of Intent to Apply for Formula Funds 
• RRC Initial Grant Application 
• RRC Formula Grant Phase One Application 
• RRC Comments in Response to DOI Draft Initial Grant Guidance 
• RRC Comments in Response to DOI Draft Formula Grant Guidance 

Orphaned Well