When the Oil Runs Dry

In this episode of The Sunday Story, Ayesha Rascoe interviews Camila Domonoske about the environmental and economic issues surrounding old and unplugged oil wells in the U.S. Domonoske explains that a vast majority of oil wells produce very little oil but contribute significantly to methane pollution. The discussion covers marginal or stripper wells, the costs associated with plugging wells, and the problem of orphan wells, which are wells without a responsible owner. They explore the reasons why these wells remain unplugged, including potential for future oil extraction and the high cost of plugging them. The episode also highlights efforts to locate and plug these wells through government programs and voluntary carbon markets, while emphasizing the long-term environmental consequences of energy production.