The Texas Railroad Commission is under intense scrutiny as abandoned “zombie” oil wells, once thought to be securely sealed, have begun leaking across the state.
In Pecos County, oil well control specialist Hawk Dunlap unearthed a recently plugged well that had burst back to life, spilling gas and toxic water. Dunlap, a vocal critic of the Railroad Commission (RRC), blames low-quality plugging jobs approved by the agency for the surge in leaking wells. Alongside oil and gas lawyer Sarah Stogner, Dunlap has documented over 100 leaking wells, exposing a growing crisis.
The resurgence of these wells, fueled by wastewater injections from fracking, has prompted calls for stricter oversight. As landowners struggle with increasing blowouts and environmental risks, the RRC is being pressured to act. Despite federal funds allocated for well plugging, experts warn that the situation is “only getting worse,” with thousands of orphan wells still unaddressed.
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