The A. Lorenzen #15, a legacy orphan natural gas well, located in Toole County, Montana, has a very colorful story as part of Montana’s oil & gas history. Spudded (commencement of drilling) on August 10, 1927, and designated by API number 25-101-10239, this well was part of the Kevin-Sunburst field boom, a game changer for the State of Montana’s economy and a critical contributor to the development of the American West. 19 days of drilling later, the well was deemed to be a “bust” and was designated as a “Dry Hole”. The drilling logs reported that the drilling rig, a wooden Standard Derrick, “burned down” and the well was officially abandoned.
Montana State records indicated that the A. Lorenzen #15 was plugged on August 31, 1927, shortly after the rig burned down and the well was reported as abandoned. It wasn’t until 1991 that the State of Montana reported that the A. Lorenzen #15 was indeed un-plugged.
The Landowner, Kathy Gliko and Normont Farms were continually farming around the A. Lorenzen #15 and were mindful of not accidentally hitting the wellhead.
When the Well Done Foundation, a Montana-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, reached out to Kathy in 2021 and presented a plan to adopt the wells, She was all in.
Working together with the State of Montana Board of Oil & Gas Conservation, and farmer Kathy Gliko, the Well Done Foundation formally adopted the A. Lorenzen orphan well in Toole County in August of 2021.
The Well Done Foundation initiated a program to measure methane gas to quantify the emissions and determine the environmental impact. Additionally, fundraising began for the A. Lorenzen project, and finally, in the summer of 2023, the green light was given to plug these orphan wells.
Organizing and scheduling the work began, including hiring local community members to be part of the plugging crew. The A. Lorenzen was plugged on September 6, 2023. The methane emissions were eliminated, and the impacted surface areas have been fully restored. The Well Done Foundation conducts annual ex-post methane monitoring to ensure the integrity of the plug and confirm methane elimination.
The shallow aquifers in this region supply domestic and agricultural water. Plugging the A. Lorenzen #15 prevented contamination, protecting both groundwater and surface water resources.
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In Toole County, efforts to mitigate abandoned wells protect vital land and water resources, contribute to healthier living conditions, create jobs for community members and uphold cultural and environmental resilience for the entire region.
Achieved by promoting responsible consumption and production through the proper management of resources, reducing waste, and adopting sustainable technologies to minimize environmental impact.
Achieved by taking urgent action to combat climate change through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, such as plugging abandoned wells, and adopting clean, sustainable technologies to mitigate environmental impacts.
Plugging these wells is essential to protecting our planet and the impact is immediate. Donate to Well Done Foundation and help us fight climate change.
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