LSU Energy Law Center Orphan Wells Symposium to feature legal, regulatory, industry, and environmental experts at LSU Law on Friday, Jan. 19

Legal, regulatory, industry, and environmental experts will converge at the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center on Friday, Jan. 19, for the Orphan Wells Symposium, presented by the LSU John P. Laborde Energy Law Center. The symposium, which is free and open to the public, will take place in Room 214 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Along with legal experts from LSU Law and elsewhere, the symposium will feature presentations and panel discussions with leading officials from the LSU Center for Energy Studies, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Louisiana Office of Conservation, Environmental Defense Fund, Well Done Foundation, and Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission.

“How to properly address orphan wells is an extremely important and timely topic—both here in Louisiana and across the country—and we’re thrilled to be bringing such a broad range of interested parties together at LSU Law to explore current policies and potential reforms,” said LSU Law Professor Keith Hall, who holds the Nesser Family Chair in Energy Law at the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center and also serves as director of both the LSU Mineral Law Institute and the LSU John P. Laborde Energy Law Center.

Oil and gas wells are considered “orphaned” when they are abandoned or unsealed and have no financially viable owner to take responsibility for properly plugging them. There are an estimated 4,600 orphan wells scattered across Louisiana. The federal government has committed to providing Louisiana with more than $100 million through 2030 to address orphan wells. The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources finalized a rule in October 2023 that is designed to help reduce the number of orphan wells in the state, making the state eligible for up to $70 million more in federal funding.

The symposium will also include an artistic element during the lunch break, when Meghan Kirkwood will make a presentation on a series of photographs she has taken of orphan wells in Louisiana. Kirkwood is an associate professor and chair of undergraduate visual arts of the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis. Her photos will be on display in the lobby of the first floor of the Law Center and her presentation begins at 12 p.m. Both the symposium and exhibit are free and open to the public.

Along with Kirkwood, featured speakers for the symposium include:

John Adams | Assistant Commissioner, Louisiana Office of Conservation
Blake Canfield (LSU Law ’06) | Executive Counsel, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
Meg Coleman | Policy Manager, Environmental Defense Fund
Tyler Duhon | Project Manager, The Lemoine Company
Monique Edwards | Commissioner, Louisiana Office of Conservation
Roby Fulkerson | Petroleum Scientist Manager, Louisiana Office of Conservation
Machelle Hall | Louisiana Department of Justice
Andrew Jacoby | Owner, Law Office of Andrew Jacoby
Chris Sandoz | Director, Engineering Regulatory Division, Louisiana Office of Conservation
Curtis Shuck | Well Done Foundation
Sarah Stogner (LSU Law ’08) | Founder and Attorney, Stogner Legal
Gregory Upton | Interim Director, LSU Center for Energy Studies
Lori Wrotenbery | Executive Director, Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission

The LSU John P. Laborde Energy Law Center was created in 2012 to prepare law students and legal professionals to address modern-day issues in the energy sector and to understand the legal and regulatory framework within which the industry operates, in Louisiana and beyond. The Energy Law Center regularly hosts leaders in the energy law sector for symposia, guest lectures, and panels to complement its multi-disciplinary approach to energy law.