Stop Orphaned Wells Act
Requires stronger cleanup guarantees and new oversight for oil and gas operations on federal and Indian lands.
In the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee since Sept. 30, 2026, 8 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROSEP 30, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- SENATESENATE—
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
Oil and gas wells must be closed safely and the land around them restored when operations end. The bill would require stronger financial guarantees for cleanup and set new rules for inactive wells, lease transfers, and operator qualifications. It would also keep former leaseholders responsible for certain earlier obligations and fund the new fitness-to-operate program.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Require stronger financial assurances
Operators would have to provide financial assurance before starting work on a lease to cover cleanup and reclamation. Minimums would be $200,000 for an individual lease and $650,000 for all an operator’s leases in a state; operators could not use a single nationwide assurance, and an operator with idled wells equal to at least 50 percent of its wells would have to provide a full liability bond for its operations.
- Set rules for inactive wells
Operators would need approval to keep a well temporarily abandoned for more than 30 consecutive days, and would have to take specified steps within four years for temporarily abandoned and shut-in wells, such as restoring production, reclaiming or plugging the well, or proposing a future beneficial use. The Interior secretary would also publish an annual database of idled, temporarily abandoned, and shut-in wells.
- Review oil and gas lease transfers
Before a covered lease could be transferred, the leaseholder would have to provide information about the proposed buyer’s finances, wells, and violations; the Interior secretary would invite public comment and decide whether to approve the transfer. The secretary would have to require additional bonding to address identified risks and deny transfers in specified cases, including when the proposed buyer lacks an investment-grade credit rating.
- Keep former leaseholders responsible
A former leaseholder or operator would remain responsible for lease obligations that arose before the Interior secretary approved a transfer, even if those obligations were not identified at the time. This includes plugging wells and removing facilities installed or used before the transfer.
- Certify operators as fit to operate
The Interior secretary would assess operators’ compliance records and financial capacity, including those of specified related companies, before certifying them as fit to operate. The secretary would assess compliance annually and could suspend a certification and take steps such as requiring more financial assurance or starting decommissioning; the bill authorizes $30 million for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2032 to carry out this section.
The bill cites public health, safety, and environmental risks from orphaned well sites, and says there may be no responsible party available to pay for cleanup. It also notes that federal and state taxes are frequently used for that work.
The bill says earlier federal funding addressed urgent problems with existing orphaned wells, but argues that more action is needed so operators—not taxpayers—pay for timely and adequate cleanup of future wells.
Written from the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedSEP 30, 2026SENATESEP 30, 2026By Sen. Bennet with 4 original cosponsorsReferred to Energy and Natural Resources
- SAME DAYNOWSenate committeeSEP 30, 2026ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES NOWSEP 30, 2026In committee for 8 daysNo hearing yet
- 8 DAYS SO FARPassed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- House committee—HOUSE—
- Passed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- SEP 302026SEP 30, 2026REFERREDRead twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- SEP 302026SEP 30, 2026INTRODUCEDSENATEIntroduced in Senate
At day 8, this bill is already older than 3% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
Where your members stand on it
A coalition from 3 states
Plus the sponsor, a Democrat. Every cosponsor is from one party.
Plus the sponsor, a Democrat. Every cosponsor is from one party.
Sen. Bennet’s record: sponsored 84 bills this Congress. 7 passed the Senate; 0 became law.
- John W. HickenlooperD-COORIGINAL
- Ben Ray LujánD-NMORIGINAL
- Alex PadillaD-CAORIGINAL
- Adam B. SchiffD-CAORIGINAL
What readers think
Discussion
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