PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality announced Thursday it completed the first plugging of an orphaned oil or gas well in the state.
The well was located in Pinal County, near Casa Grande.
ADEQ has identified 246 abandoned wells across the state, with most initiated in the late 19th century. There are seven confirmed in Cochise County, and another 13 potential wells across Cochise, Graham and Greenlee counties.
Funding was made available through the bi-partisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and cost to plug an abandoned well averages $85,000 to $100,000 each.
