Bloomberg Law turned to a University of Cincinnati expert on leaky oil and gas wells to explain why even capping them is no guarantee that they will not one day create environmental problems.
Companies are obligated to plug oil or gas wells that are no longer productive so they don't pollute the air or water. But some companies simply abandon them to avoid the costs.
Abandoned oil and gas wells can pollute drinking water and leak methane into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.
The United States could have as many as 3.5 million abandoned or orphaned wells, left behind by companies that have gone out of business or for which there are no regulatory records.
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