Federal

Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act

Source: Congress.gov · 846 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill makes changes to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act by requiring the Secretary of Energy to establish a program focused on researching, developing and testing solutions for abandoned oil and gas wells. The program will work to improve how we find these wells, plug them safely and reduce environmental damage they cause.

Who It Affects

The Secretary of Energy, federal and state government agencies, colleges and universities, the National Laboratories and private companies that work in energy and environmental sectors.

Key Provisions

• The Secretary of Energy must establish a research, development and demonstration program within 120 days of this law taking effect that focuses on improving data collection about where abandoned wells are located, improving the plugging and remediation of abandoned wells, and developing strategies to reduce environmental damage from these wells (Sec. 40602(b)) • The program must support research to improve technologies used to find abandoned wells, including remote sensors, LiDAR (a technology that uses light to measure distances), optical gas imaging and magnetic survey technology (Sec. 40602(c)(1)) • The program must study how certain factors like well age, depth, geology and materials affect how much methane gas abandoned wells release into the environment (Sec. 40602(c)(2)) • The program must work to improve methods for plugging and repurposing abandoned wells, including using lower-carbon cement and exploring alternative uses like geothermal power production or carbon capture (Sec. 40602(c)(3)) • The program must coordinate with colleges and universities, the National Laboratories and private sector companies (Sec. 40602(d))

What Changes

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is amended to add a new section establishing this abandoned wells research program. The bill authorizes funding for this program from fiscal year 2023 through 2027.

Important Definitions

"Abandoned well" means a well originally drilled for oil and gas operations that is not being used, has not been plugged and has no expected future use in oil and gas operations.

Effective Date

The Secretary of Energy must establish the program within 120 days after this law is enacted.

II 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 429 To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to require the Sec- retary of Energy to establish an abandoned wells research, development, and demonstration program, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 15, 2023 Mr. LUJA´N (for himself, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. HEINRICH, and Mr. MULLIN) in- troduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Com- mittee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to require the Secretary of Energy to establish an aban- doned wells research, development, and demonstration program, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Abandoned Well Reme- 4 diation Research and Development Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:00 Mar 03, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S429.IS S429 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 429 IS SEC. 2. ABANDONED WELL REMEDIATION RESEARCH AND 1 DEVELOPMENT. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title VI of division D of the In- 3 frastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117– 4 58; 135 Stat. 1080) is amended by adding at the end the 5 following: 6 ‘‘SEC. 40602. ABANDONED WELLS RESEARCH, DEVELOP- 7 MENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM. 8 ‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF ABANDONED WELL.—In this 9 section, the term ‘abandoned well’ means a well originally 10 drilled in connection with oil and gas operations that— 11 ‘‘(1) is not being used; 12 ‘‘(2) has not been plugged; and 13 ‘‘(3) has no anticipated use in oil and gas oper- 14 ations. 15 ‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 120 days 16 after the date of enactment of the Abandoned Well Reme- 17 diation Research and Development Act, the Secretary, in 18 coordination with relevant Federal and State agencies and 19 entities, shall establish a research, development, and dem- 20 onstration program to improve— 21 ‘‘(1) data collection on the location of aban- 22 doned wells; 23 ‘‘(2) the plugging, remediation, reclamation, 24 and repurposing of abandoned wells; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:00 Mar 03, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S429.IS S429 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •S 429 IS ‘‘(3) strategies to mitigate potential environ- 1 mental impacts of documented and undocumented 2 abandoned wells. 3 ‘‘(c) ACTIVITIES.—Research, development, and dem- 4 onstration activities carried out under the program estab- 5 lished under subsection (b) shall include activities to im- 6 prove— 7 ‘‘(1) remote sensor capabilities, light detection 8 and ranging (referred to in this section as ‘LiDAR’) 9 capabilities, optical gas imaging, magnetic survey 10 technology, and any other technologies relevant to 11 the efficient identification of abandoned wells; 12 ‘‘(2) understanding of how certain parameters 13 of abandoned wells affect methane emission rates of 14 the wells, including parameters such as well age, well 15 depth, geology, construction, case material, and geo- 16 graphic region; 17 ‘‘(3) the efficiency and cost-efficacy of processes 18 for plugging, remediating, reclaiming, and 19 repurposing abandoned wells, including— 20 ‘‘(A) improvement of processes and tech- 21 nologies for the unique challenges associated 22 with plugging remote abandoned wells; 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:00 Mar 03, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S429.IS S429 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •S 429 IS ‘‘(B) use of low carbon, lightweight cement 1 or use of alternative materials and additives for 2 plugging purposes; and 3 ‘‘(C) repurposing of abandoned wells for 4 alternative uses, including geothermal power 5 production or carbon capture, utilization, and 6 storage; and 7 ‘‘(4) understanding of the impacts of aban- 8 doned wells on groundwater quality and contamina- 9 tion. 10 ‘‘(d) COORDINATION.—In carrying out the program 11 established under subsection (b), the Secretary shall en- 12 sure coordination of activities carried out under the pro- 13 gram with— 14 ‘‘(1) institutions of higher education; 15 ‘‘(2) the National Laboratories; and 16 ‘‘(3) the private sector. 17 ‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 18 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this sec- 19 tion— 20 ‘‘(1) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; 21 ‘‘(2) $31,250,000 for fiscal year 2024; 22 ‘‘(3) $32,500,000 for fiscal year 2025; 23 ‘‘(4) $33,750,000 for fiscal year 2026; and 24 ‘‘(5) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2027.’’. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:00 Mar 03, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S429.IS S429 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •S 429 IS (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 1 for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public 2 Law 117–58; 135 Stat. 437) is amended by inserting after 3 the item relating to section 40601 the following: 4 ‘‘Sec. 40602. Abandoned wells research, development, and demonstration pro- gram.’’. Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:00 Mar 03, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S429.IS S429 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

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