: Decommissioning is expensive. Median costs are approximately $20,000 for simple plugging and $76,000 if full surface reclamation is required.
Buying abandoned or "orphaned" oil wells is a high-risk, high-reward investment strategy that requires navigating complex legal, environmental, and financial hurdles. buying abandoned oil wells
: Operators must post financial assurance—often through surety bonds —to ensure funds are available for future decommissioning. : Decommissioning is expensive
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Oil, Gas, and Mineral Management 000 for simple plugging and $76