WILLIAMSTOWN — An island between Parkersburg and Marietta will be receiving federal funding to close off and cap a number of old oil wells.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, recently announced $4,275,000 in funding for the cleanup and remediation of two orphaned oil and gas well sites in West Virginia through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, according to a press release sent from her office.
The money awarded will include $3,100,000 to the Monongahela National Forest and $1,175,000 to the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge based in Williamstown.
“Abandoned oil and gas wells pose unique challenges to our communities, and today’s funding will help clean up, remediate, and begin to revitalize two key sites in West Virginia,” Capito said. “When writing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act we wanted to help address this issue and I’m thrilled these funds are now headed to the Monongahela National Forest and Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge.”
Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge Manager Victor Elam said the money will be used on Muskingum Island in the Ohio River between Parkersburg and Marietta to cap nine orphan wells on the island. There are an additional six wells that were once on the island that are now in the river due to erosion of the island over time which Elam hopes they will have the money one day to cap off.
The current grant will be used to bring drilling equipment on the island and clean out the nine wells. Crews will dig down around three feet and take the top of each well off, fill them with concrete and cover them with dirt to return the island to a more natural appearance.
“Some of the wells on the island are leaking gas,” Elam said. “That is why this is happening.”
The wells’ age varies, but Elam estimates they could have been in use in the late 1800s to the early 1900s as one had a wooden casing.
The work is expected to be done in 2024 or 2025.
The state of West Virginia has a program for plugging old oil wells. Elam said they will be working with them. The island’s wells will get on their list of projects and the Refuge will supply the grant funding to the state when the island comes up on the list to have its wells plugged.
Elam said the project is needed due to wildlife concerns and for concerns for fresh water mussels in the river and their well being as well as climate concerns with the release of methane. The island is also visited by people and the wells have become an “eyesore” and fixing them will improve the appearance of the island.
“It will be a win-win for everyone,” Elam said.