Land Commissioner Buckingham Announces 42 Orphaned Wells Plugged on State-Owned Submerged Land by GLO and Railroad Commission
AUSTIN, Texas— Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is proud to announce that the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) have successfully plugged 42 orphaned wells on state-owned submerged land as a part of the ongoing statewide Coastal Protection Project, including 16 wells off of High Island in Jefferson County.
"As a Texan who grew up along our beautiful coast and as Land Commissioner, I am deeply committed to protecting Texas's coastal waters for the communities and families whose economies and livelihoods depend on healthy marine habitats," said Commissioner Buckingham. "I am thrilled with the progress the RRC, GLO, and the project contractors have made to safely plug these wells and protect the health and safety of the Texas coast. We will continue working alongside the RRC and the project contractors to deliver lasting results for the people of Texas."
A plugged orphan well in Trinity Bay awaiting result of a pressure test
As of Friday, July 31, 2026, RRC contractors reported the following:
- 42 wells have been successfully plugged.
- Contractors have also flushed and removed flowlines from the 42 plugged wells.
- In addition to the 42 plugged wells to date, work is ongoing to continue plugging wells this year.
Under Commissioner Buckingham’s leadership in 2023, the GLO entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with RRC to provide $10 million in funding for plugging forty-seven abandoned wells in Trinity Bay.
Earlier this year, Commissioner Buckingham announced that the GLO and RRC began inspecting six orphan wells in Baffin Bay This initial inspection revealed that three of the six wells were leaking. When the wells continued to leak after RRC made repairs, the RRC concluded that the wells needed to be completely plugged and removed.
Crews work on an orphaned well in Baffin Bay
The GLO is committed to providing support for orphan well plugging on state-owned submerged land. While the RRC is the state agency with the authority to plug wells, the GLO is responsible for ensuring prevention and response to oil spills in the state’s coastal bay systems through the Oil Spill Prevention and Response team. The GLO stands ready to support the removal of aging infrastructure that contributes to coastal oil spills.
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Dr. Dawn Buckingham made history in 2022, winning a statewide election to become Texas' first female Land Commissioner. As Land Commissioner, Dr. Dawn Buckingham is committed to helping Texans after a disaster, supporting Texas energy, ensuring that every child in Texas receives a high-quality public education, serving Texas Veterans, and securing the border to keep our communities safe.
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