The oil and gas industry is a driving force behind the thriving Texas economy. Pumpjacks, wells, and glowing flares have become fixtures across the state, and their impact remains long after oil and gas production ceases at any site. Yet, Texas residents can suffer harm if these structures aren’t sealed or shut down properly.
The Houston personal injury attorneys at Dax F. Garza, P.C. believe in holding industry giants accountable when their negligence impacts your well-being. Our experience in Texas oilfield injuries and refinery explosions provides insight into the real dangers of orphaned wells in Texas and how to protect those who suffer needlessly.
What Are Orphaned Wells?
According to the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC), orphaned wells include non-compliant wells that have been inactive for a minimum of 12 months and have an operator’s Organizational Report that has been delinquent for more than 12 months. Generally, the operators and owners of orphaned wells remain unknown and unaccountable for properly plugging and remediating the area around the well. Local, state, and federal officials must then take on the task of mediating the dangers of orphaned wells.
The costs to plug orphaned wells are staggering. In an average fiscal year, the state funds and approves plugging, performing pollution reduction, and salvage activities for 727 wells, while close to 3000 wells approved for plugging wait for oilfield cleanup.
The RRC reports identify over 8,000 abandoned, orphaned wells in Texas. The number continually fluctuates based on a well’s compliance with laws. The monthly costs to perform the orphaned well plugging can exceed $5 million, with the average cost per fiscal year totaling $51.5 million.
Orphaned Wells and Their Impact on Humans and the Environment
Orphaned wells, once serving as petroleum reservoirs for oil and gas, often leak and may now be a primary source of methane emissions, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. Leaking wells risk the contamination of groundwater, the surface environment, and the atmosphere due to methane exposure. While detectible methane levels may appear in well water through natural exposure, orphaned wells and those that remain unplugged may expose the water’s consumers to higher levels of methane.
Methane in the environment increases the risk of developing asthma and certain cancers, aggravates chronic lung diseases, and impacts existing heart problems. Individuals exposed to methane during pregnancy may be more likely to have a child with birth defects. The American Lung Association (AMA) cited incidents in Arlington that highlight the dangers of methane and natural gas wells.
Children spending significant time near orphaned wells or plugged orphaned wells that leak may be subject to impacted respiratory development. Their health may suffer from faster breathing rates, inhibited lung development, and more time spent outside in the presence of methane.
Leaking Orphaned Wells May Release a Cocktail of Toxins
In addition to methane, benzene, arsenic, and hydrogen sulfide may escape into the environment from orphaned wells.
Hydrogen Sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide is an explosive and highly flammable gas. Unsuspecting Texans living near orphaned wells may potentially suffer a higher risk of severe burns.
They may also suffer from gas and toxic vapor exposure from escaped hydrogen sulfide. Symptoms of hydrogen sulfide exposure might include headaches, poor attention span and memory, poor motor function after awakening, cardiovascular issues, and unconsciousness at high levels of exposure.
Benzene
Exposure to benzene from leaking underground storage tanks may contaminate well water. Benzene interrupts the cell activity in the body, causing the cells to malfunction. Ultimately, the impact of benzene exposure from orphaned wells is dependent on the amount of exposure, how you are exposed, how long the exposure occurs, your age, and other pre-existing medical conditions.
Because leaks from orphaned wells are often undetectable for some time, exposure may be ongoing. Linking health conditions to exposures from orphaned wells is a challenging but accomplishable legal process with the guidance of Houston oilfield injury lawyers. The Texas trial lawyers at Dax F. Garza, P.C. handle these and other personal injury cases nationwide.
Arsenic
Arsenic exposure from orphaned wells in Texas may create numerous acute and long-term health effects. Immediate symptoms of arsenic poisoning may include abdominal pain, diarrhea, muscle cramps, and vomiting. Over time, arsenic may impact drinking water and cause pigmentation changes in the skin, lesions, and hyperkeratosis.
Adverse pregnancy outcomes may occur along with infant mortality. Exposure can also lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary disease. Arsenic exposure has also been associated with various cancers, such as those affecting the skin, lungs, and bladder.
The Dangers of Produced Water and Orphaned Wells in Texas
Water naturally occurs as an extract during the production of oil and gas. The water may contain various chemicals and is highly saline. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) notes that residual produced water, sometimes called brine, may also leak from orphaned wells. The brackish water may then leach into local water sources and soils, lingering for years, impacting plant growth and compromising water integrity.
Water quality monitoring by an independent source can identify detectable organic compounds such as toluene levels. Inorganic compounds in produced water may include arsenic, lead, barium, antimony, sulfur, and zinc. Radionuclides may also be present.
High concentrations of minerals, including calcium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, and sodium, may be detectable. High levels of any mineral that can be safe in small doses may adversely impact the health of those living near an orphaned well.
Exposure to Radioactive Material
The extraction method of fracking impacts oil and gas wastes by changing its radioactivity profile and producing a massive volume of waste product. Extracting oil and gas from wells leads to contact with Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM). The extraction process concentrates existing NORM and exposes it to the surface environment and humans.
After the extraction process, these wastes are known as Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM). Even after completing the plugging, abatement, and salvaging process of oilfield cleanup, TENORMs can still cause illness or harm.
Any new or ongoing oil and gas extraction and waste management activities may lead to plugged and unplugged orphaned wells experiencing blowouts. This increases the danger of exposure or injury for individuals living near orphaned well sites.
Common Radioactive Materials or NORMs
Though occurring naturally in geologic formations, radioactive materials may threaten individuals who live and work around orphaned wells in Texas. The dangers of orphaned wells may include exposure to the following materials:
- Radium and decay products
- Thorium and decay products
- Uranium and its decay products
- Potassium-40
- Lead-210/Polonium-210/Bismuth-210
While many severe health conditions are linked to the dangers of orphaned wells, illnesses with questionable origins or causes may result from exposure to emissions and toxins from orphaned wells. If you have a questionable diagnosis and reside or work near an orphaned well in Texas, our attorneys are here to help.
Building Your Orphaned Well Personal Injury Claim
If you suspect your injuries are due to the negligence of a company’s unethical operations, you may be unsure of what to do next. Securing financial recovery often requires help from dedicated Houston personal injury attorneys with experience in oilfield injuries and refinery explosions. Documenting your injuries is vital to verifying your claim for damages and taking legal action.
Collect all medical documentation and invoices about your illness and treatment. Write down any information about an orphaned well in your vicinity, including dates of its last operations if you recall. Gather the name and contact information of neighbors who are also experiencing health effects that may result from exposure to an orphaned well.
Determining who is responsible for your injuries often requires investigative research. Our mission is to demand justice from responsible parties for your injuries, even if your illness does not develop until after years of exposure. Fitting the pieces of the puzzle together is possible, allowing you to seek the compensation you deserve.
Getting Help After You’ve Been Hurt or Get Sick From a Texas Orphaned Well
Decades-old, plugged wells can compromise the health of Texas residents in nearby communities. Thousands of these dangerous wells still sit in waiting until they undergo the evaluation of the oilfield cleanup program. Unfortunately, some wells do not qualify.
Contact the Houston oilfield injury lawyers at Dax F. Garza, P.C., who have experience in oilfield injuries and refinery explosions, to discuss possible legal options for your damages resulting from a Texas orphaned well. We offer free case evaluations to help determine the strength of a potential case. Contact us to arrange a meeting today.
