Orphaned Wells on Tribal Lands

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provides $150 million in funding for plugging, remediation, and restoration of orphaned wells located on Tribal trust and restricted land. 

BIL defines an “orphaned well” as an oil or gas well that is not used for an authorized purpose, such as production, injection, or monitoring, and for which no operator can be located or for which the operator is unable to plug the well or to remediate and reclaim the well site. 

While the Department of the Interior (DOI) policy and practice is to ensure that oil and gas wells and well sites on federal and Tribal lands are plugged, remediated, and reclaimed at the end of their productive lives, some wells have become orphaned throughout the United States’ long history of oil and gas development. These orphaned wells potentially pose risks to human health and the environment.

Funding for Orphaned Well Plugging, Remediation, and Restoration on Tribal Land

The Department of the Interior’s Orphaned Well Program provides funding for Tribes to plug, remediate, or reclaim orphaned well sites on Tribal trust or restricted lands. 

Assistance for Tribes

Direct funding for Tribes is provided through two different funding categories:

• Tribal Implementation Grants fund plugging, remediation, and reclamation activities, including identification and assessment of orphaned wells on Tribal lands.
• Tribal Program Development Grants fund activities to develop and administer a Tribal program to carry out plugging, remediation, and reclamation activities for orphaned wells on Tribal lands including identification and assessment, training, and other capacity-building activities.

Details on eligibility, grant categories, deadlines, and application criteria are available in the Phase 2 Tribal Orphaned Well Site Plugging, Remediation, and Restoration Grants guidance document.

The phase 2 application period for Tribal Implementation Grant and Tribal Program Development Grants is now closed. Phase 3 details and application deadlines will be announced in 2025. 

“In Lieu of Grant” Assistance

Tribes may also request that the Department of the Interior administer and carry out plugging, remediation, and reclamation activities related to eligible orphaned wells on their behalf “in lieu of grant” assistance.

Tribes requesting “in lieu of grant” assistance from DOI must follow the guidelines contained in the Phase 2 Tribal Orphaned Well Site Plugging, Remediation, and Restoration In-Lieu-of-Grants Assistance guidance document.

Application requests for “in lieu of grant” assistance will be accepted on a rolling basis until December 31, 2024 (subject to available funding).

Tribal Orphaned Wells Program Documents 

Phase 2

• March 15, 2025, Guidance: Phase 2 Tribal Orphaned Well Site Plugging, Remediation, and Restoration Grants
• March 15, 2024, Guidance: Phase 2 Tribal Orphaned Well Site Plugging, Remediation, and Restoration In-Lieu-of-Grants Assistance
• March 15, 2024, Press Release: “Interior Department Makes $55 Million Available from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to Clean Up Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells on Tribal Lands”
• January 18, 2024, Dear Tribal Leader Letter: Phase 2 Funding Announced

Phase 1

• January 1, 2023, Dear Tribal Leader Letter: Deadline Extended to February 21, 2023
• November 23, 2022, Press Release: “Biden-Harris Administration Makes $50 Million Available to Clean Up Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells on Tribal Lands”
• August 31, 2022, Press Release: “Biden-Harris Administration Releases Draft Guidance on New Tribal Orphaned Well Program”
• April 26, 2022, Dear Tribal Leader Letter 

Technical Assistance

Virtual office hours are available to interested and prospective applicants every other Wednesday from 1:00pm to 2:00pm MT at the following Zoom link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1611897666 

Technical assistance from the Indian Energy Service Center is also available by email at IndianEnergyServiceCenter@bia.gov.

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