The National Park Service is plugging abandoned oil wells at Barataria Preserve at Jean LaFitte National Historical Park and Preserve/NPS file

The National Park Service is reclaiming seven oil and gas well sites within the Barataria Preserve of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Louisisana.

This work entails the removal of surface equipment and debris, and replugging and abandonment of the wells. The seven wells were originally plugged and abandoned in the 1960s, prior to the creation of the preserve and the establishment of the park. The National Park Service has completed compliance, including obtaining a US Army Corps of Engineers permit waiver and a State of Louisiana coastal consistency determination for reclamation work at all the well sites. This project is funded by the FY22 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Energy Revitalization Program (BIL-ECRP).

“The removal of these wellheads will not only assist with the protection of groundwater throughout the Preserve but also continues our efforts to get the Preserve back to a more natural appearance," said Superintendent Chuck Hunt.

Surface equipment and debris remaining at the well sites represent violations of state standards for plugging and abandonment as determined by the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, violate operating standards under the National Park Service nonfederal oil and gas rights regulations at 36 CFR § 9.116, and are safety hazard and hazard to navigation for park visitors and staff.

Assessment of the sites began in early September. Based on the assessments, work will begin to remove the equipment and debris and replug wells as needed in mid-October. Cement will be used to plug the wells to ensure that oil, gas, brine, or other well fluids do not contaminate the fresh or usable water strata or escape to the surface. Work in the field is estimated to take around six weeks.

The Barataria Preserve, located 17 miles south of New Orleans, is comprised of more than 26,000 acres of Louisiana wetlands, including bottomland hardwood forest, cypress swamp, freshwater and intermediate (between freshwater and brackish) marshes, bayous and canals. The preserve includes a network of boardwalks and hiking and canoe trails that allow visitors to access the park’s wild places and observe native plants, alligators, snakes and more than 200 species of birds. Admission to the center and to most programs is free.