Weston assisted US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in assessing abandoned oilfield production facilities and oil wells throughout Louisiana to determine the current and potential threat this infrastructure posed to human health, the environment, and navigable waters. Once we completed the assessment phase, Weston assisted EPA during the removal and plugging phases to eliminate these threats. Over the past 20 years of Oil Pollution Act (OPA) support, Weston has assisted EPA and the State of Louisiana with over 300 site assessments, the cleanup of over 200 oil and gas production sites, as well as plugging and abandonment of over 50 oil and gas wells.
Weston was a one-stop-shop; we gathered and managed assessment data and conducted forensic review, site assessments, well research, responsible party research, property access, plugging and abandonment oversight, and removal support. Weston used data management systems such as ESRI GIS applications, Response Manager, VIPER, and monitoring equipment to collect data quickly, accurately, and efficiently. Our team’s extensive knowledge of the assessment and removal process associated with abandoned oil and gas production facilities and wells allowed us to efficiently assess these sites and determine whether the response actions were eligible for federal funds (National Pollution Funds Center of the US Coast Guard funding). Once the removal process began, our staff reviewed work plans, including well plugging specifications and provided the EPA with comments and suggestions on how to best execute the plan. Weston’s work has been instrumental in reducing methane emissions, protecting groundwater, and ensuring the safety of navigable waterways in Louisiana.
