Orphan, Idle & Marginal Wells California Conference

The 2nd Annual Orphan, Idle & Marginal Wells California Conference is a solutions-focused forum bringing together regulators, industry experts, technology innovators, and community stakeholders from across the state and beyond. This event addresses California's intensified focus on environmental protection and infrastructure resilience by creating a space for collaboration to shape the next phase of well decommissioning. With thousands of orphaned and idle wells posing environmental, financial, and public health risks, the conference promotes a unified, strategic approach. It will delve into evolving regulations, funding access, and AI-driven tools for well identification, prioritization, and safe closure. Building on a national series, this Bakersfield event tackles region-specific challenges, highlights leading-edge remediation practices, and explores scalable solutions for onshore and offshore sites. Key topics include funding access (IIJA, state climate funds), regulatory changes (methane, liability, decommissioning), water security and public health, seismic and environmental risks, AI and data-driven solutions, and offshore well decommissioning. Attendees can expect regulatory clarity, best practices in plugging and remediation, networking opportunities with operators, contractors, and technology providers, funding and liability strategies, and community and tribal engagement.