UPTON COUNTY, Texas—A rapidly expanding sinkhole near an old oil well on Kelton Ranch in West Texas is causing concern.
The Radford Grocery #17 well, initially drilled in the 1950s and converted to a saltwater disposal site, was plugged in 1977. Recently, the Kelton family observed the sinkhole around it growing, with water and crude oil surfacing and forming a dark layer.
By mid-March, the sinkhole reached approximately 200 feet in diameter and 40 feet deep, emitting a strong crude smell. The family ceased using their water well due to contamination fears.
The well’s plug has failed, creating a connection between the water table and the oil reservoir. With no active operator, the Keltons have no company to seek help from. The Railroad Commission, overseeing oil and gas activities in Texas, has visited but no action plan has emerged, according to the family.
“It can be fixed,” said Hawk Dunlap, a well integrity expert, noting the high cost involved.
This incident follows several issues with old oil wells in the Permian Basin, including sinkholes and leaks, highlighting ongoing environmental hazards. Additionally, the state faces a backlog of wells needing plugging.
The Railroad Commission requested $100 million from the Legislature to address these problems. The RRC’s deputy executive director, Danny Sorrells, indicated increasing emergency well numbers and costs in a letter that was first reported by the Houston Chronicle.
“This matter has been reported to the RRC and referred to our Site Remediation,” said spokesperson Bryce Dubee. “Staff are monitoring conditions and considering groundwater quality concerns.”
“It’s Suddenly Got Oil”
Located outside McCamey, Upton County, the Kelton Ranch is part of the Rodman-Noel oilfield, discovered in 1953. The Keltons, who bought the property in 1963, fear for their water supply’s quality. Although they retain cattle on the ranch, they do not own the mineral rights to the oil.
Upton County remains a top oil producer, but McCamey, once a drilling hub, is now recognized as the “Wind Energy Capital of Texas” since 2001.
The Radford Grocery well reportedly “caved in” after plugging. The Keltons noticed significant sinkhole growth over the last 18 months, with the well casing sinking deeper. They suspect an underground washout but lack definitive causes.
“It’s suddenly much larger,” said Bill Kelton. “And it’s suddenly got oil.”
Failing and Orphaned Wells in the Permian
The Railroad Commission’s program addresses orphan wells lacking active operators. The agency received federal funding under the Biden administration to aid efforts.A Texas Legislature Republican-backed bill aims to set timelines for plugging inactive wells.
Wells like the one at Kelton Ranch, previously plugged and without an active operator, pose additional challenges. They are not classified as orphan wells, complicating the legal responsibility for cleanup.
Nearby, Ashley Watt of Antina Ranch has filed a lawsuit against Chevron over a similar issue, with attorney Sarah Stogner describing these cases as “zombie wells.”
The Kelton Ranch is near recent blowouts in Crane County and other incidents in Reeves and Pecos Counties. Costs to plug the December 2023 blowout reached $2.5 million, while a recent Toyah blowout was addressed by Kinder Morgan.
Meanwhile, wastewater injection wells continue to cause earthquakes, prompting the Railroad Commission to restrict deep injection. SMU geophysicist Zhong Lu has linked drilling to unstable surface conditions in the Permian Basin.
The Kelton family and others are seeking answers as the region is plagued with instability.
This story was updated on March 14, 2025, to clarify legal liability questions regarding wells with failed plugs.
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org