II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 429 

To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to require the Secretary of Energy to establish an abandoned wells research, development, 

and demonstration program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 15, 2023 

Mr. LUJA ́N (for himself, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. HEINRICH, and Mr. MULLIN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to 

require the Secretary of Energy to establish an abandoned wells research, development, and demonstration 

program, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Abandoned Well Reme5 diation Research and Development Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ABANDONED WELL REMEDIATION RESEARCH AND 

2 DEVELOPMENT. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title VI of division D of the In4 frastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117– 

5 58; 135 Stat. 1080) is amended by adding at the end the 

6 following: 

7 ‘‘SEC. 40602. ABANDONED WELLS RESEARCH, DEVELOP8 MENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM. 

9 ‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF ABANDONED WELL.—In this 

10 section, the term ‘abandoned well’ means a well originally 

11 drilled in connection with oil and gas operations that— 

12 ‘‘(1) is not being used; 

13 ‘‘(2) has not been plugged; and 

14 ‘‘(3) has no anticipated use in oil and gas oper15 ations. 

16 ‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 120 days 

17 after the date of enactment of the Abandoned Well Reme18 diation Research and Development Act, the Secretary, in 

19 coordination with relevant Federal and State agencies and 

20 entities, shall establish a research, development, and dem21 onstration program to improve— 

22 ‘‘(1) data collection on the location of aban23 doned wells; 

24 ‘‘(2) the plugging, remediation, reclamation, 

25 and repurposing of abandoned wells; and 


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1 ‘‘(3) strategies to mitigate potential environ2 mental impacts of documented and undocumented 

3 abandoned wells. 

4 ‘‘(c) ACTIVITIES.—Research, development, and dem5 onstration activities carried out under the program estab6 lished under subsection (b) shall include activities to im7 prove— 

8 ‘‘(1) remote sensor capabilities, light detection 

9 and ranging (referred to in this section as ‘LiDAR’) 

10 capabilities, optical gas imaging, magnetic survey 

11 technology, and any other technologies relevant to 

12 the efficient identification of abandoned wells; 

13 ‘‘(2) understanding of how certain parameters 

14 of abandoned wells affect methane emission rates of 

15 the wells, including parameters such as well age, well 

16 depth, geology, construction, case material, and geo17 graphic region; 

18 ‘‘(3) the efficiency and cost-efficacy of processes 

19 for plugging, remediating, reclaiming, and 

20 repurposing abandoned wells, including— 

21 ‘‘(A) improvement of processes and tech22 nologies for the unique challenges associated 

23 with plugging remote abandoned wells; 


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1 ‘‘(B) use of low carbon, lightweight cement 

2 or use of alternative materials and additives for 

3 plugging purposes; and 

4 ‘‘(C) repurposing of abandoned wells for 

5 alternative uses, including geothermal power 

6 production or carbon capture, utilization, and 

7 storage; and 

8 ‘‘(4) understanding of the impacts of aban9 doned wells on groundwater quality and contamina10 tion. 

11 ‘‘(d) COORDINATION.—In carrying out the program 

12 established under subsection (b), the Secretary shall en13 sure coordination of activities carried out under the pro14 gram with— 

15 ‘‘(1) institutions of higher education; 

16 ‘‘(2) the National Laboratories; and 

17 ‘‘(3) the private sector. 

18 ‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

19 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this sec20 tion— 

21 ‘‘(1) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; 

22 ‘‘(2) $31,250,000 for fiscal year 2024; 

23 ‘‘(3) $32,500,000 for fiscal year 2025; 

24 ‘‘(4) $33,750,000 for fiscal year 2026; and 

25 ‘‘(5) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2027.’’. 


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1 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

2 for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public 

3 Law 117–58; 135 Stat. 437) is amended by inserting after 

4 the item relating to section 40601 the following: 

‘‘Sec. 40602. Abandoned wells research, development, and demonstration program.’’. 

Æ 


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