Bill Details
S.818 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-03-03 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Introduced Date
2025-03-03
Policy Area
Environmental Protection
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
Cosponsors
View cosponsors (1)
7
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AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would require the Department of Energy to create a new program to study abandoned oil and gas wells and find better ways to locate, plug, clean up, and possibly reuse them. The goal is to reduce harm to the environment, especially methane leaks and possible damage to groundwater. The bill also calls for research on better tools and methods, and it would make the Energy Department work with state and federal agencies, universities, national labs, and private companies.
- The program must be set up within 120 days after the bill becomes law.
- It would focus on finding abandoned wells, including wells that are undocumented, and improving data on where they are located.
- Researchers would study better ways to plug and restore wells, including new materials, improved technology for remote wells, and ways to reuse old wells for geothermal energy or carbon capture.
- The bill would also fund the program with rising annual amounts from 2026 through 2030, starting at $30 million and increasing to $35 million.
Official Summaries
No summaries available
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 818 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 818
To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to require the
Secretary of Energy to establish an abandoned wells research,
development, and demonstration program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 3, 2025
Mr. Lujan (for himself and Mr. Cramer) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to require the
Secretary of Energy to establish an abandoned wells research,
development, and demonstration program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Abandoned Well Remediation Research
and Development Act''.
SEC. 2. ABANDONED WELL REMEDIATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) In General.--Title VI of division D of the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58; 135 Stat. 1080) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 40602. ABANDONED WELLS RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION
PROGRAM.
``(a) Definition of Abandoned Well.--In this section, the term
`abandoned well' means a well originally drilled in connection with oil
and gas operations that--
``(1) is not being used;
``(2) has not been plugged; and
``(3) has no anticipated use in oil and gas operations.
``(b) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
enactment of the Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development
Act, the Secretary, in coordination with relevant Federal and State
agencies and entities, shall establish a research, development, and
demonstration program to improve--
``(1) data collection on the location of abandoned wells;
``(2) the plugging, remediation, reclamation, and
repurposing of abandoned wells; and
``(3) strategies to mitigate potential environmental
impacts of documented and undocumented abandoned wells.
``(c) Activities.--Research, development, and demonstration
activities carried out under the program established under subsection
(b) shall include activities to improve--
``(1) remote sensor capabilities, light detection and
ranging (referred to in this section as `LiDAR') capabilities,
optical gas imaging, magnetic survey technology, and any other
technologies relevant to the efficient identification of
abandoned wells;
``(2) understanding of how certain parameters of abandoned
wells affect methane emission rates of the wells, including
parameters such as well age, well depth, geology, construction,
case material, and geographic region;
``(3) the efficiency and cost-efficacy of processes for
plugging, remediating, reclaiming, and repurposing abandoned
wells, including--
``(A) improvement of processes and technologies for
the unique challenges associated with plugging remote
abandoned wells;
``(B) use of low carbon, lightweight cement or use
of alternative materials and additives for plugging
purposes; and
``(C) repurposing of abandoned wells for
alternative uses, including geothermal power production
or carbon capture, utilization, and storage; and
``(4) understanding of the impacts of abandoned wells on
groundwater quality and contamination.
``(d) Coordination.--In carrying out the program established under
subsection (b), the Secretary shall ensure coordination of activities
carried out under the program with--
``(1) institutions of higher education;
``(2) the National Laboratories; and
``(3) the private sector.
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section--
``(1) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;
``(2) $31,250,000 for fiscal year 2027;
``(3) $32,500,000 for fiscal year 2028;
``(4) $33,750,000 for fiscal year 2029; and
``(5) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2030.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents for the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58; 135 Stat.
437) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 40601
the following:
``Sec. 40602. Abandoned wells research, development, and demonstration
program.''.
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