Louisiana's abandoned oil and gas wells have reached a record high

Louisiana's abandoned, or "orphaned," oil and gas wells have reached a record high of nearly 6,500, with over 2,100 added to the list since early 2025. These abandoned wells, which lack a solvent owner responsible for plugging, pose significant environmental threats and a $730 million liability for the state. The surge, driven by industry bankruptcies and low commodity prices, continues despite federal funding used to plug hundreds of wells. Greg Upton, Associate Research Professor at LSU's Center for Energy Studies, joins Newell to explain how we got here.