By The Canadian Press

OIL& GAS

Aging oil and gas wells moves to top of the agenda for upcoming election

Apr 8, 2019 | 4:26 PM

CALGARY – An Alberta coalition of landowners, researchers and former regulators wants to force the issue of aging oil and gas wells to the top of the agenda in the provincial election campaign.

The Alberta Liabilities Disclosure Project says it could cost as much as 70-billion dollars to clean up more than 300-thousand orphan wells in the province.

Lead researcher Regan Boychuk says unreclaimed wells may look harmless but they will eventually leak and the consequences and costs will grow.

He says the wells need to be plugged and the sites restored to their original condition.

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The group wants Alberta’s political leaders to commit to ensuring clean up of wells is fully funded before voters go the polls April 16th.

Boychuk says the campaign in focusing on boosting the energy sector and the number of wells being drilled, instead of the cost of cleaning up wells already there.