Orphaned Wells Program Office and the State of Kansas Have Opportunities To Improve Spending of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Orphaned Wells Funding

Title Full

Date Issued

Thursday, September 25, 2025

Submitting OIG

Department of the Interior OIG

Agencies Reviewed/Investigated

Department of the Interior

Report Number

2024-ISP-018

Report Description

Kansas made progress by plugging orphaned wells with IIJA initial grant funding; however, we identified issues with its grant performance.

Report Type

Inspection / Evaluation

Agency Wide

Yes

Number of Recommendations

Questioned Costs

$299,275

Funds for Better Use

Report updated under NDAA 5274

Open Recommendations

This report has 4 open recommendations.

Recommendation Number	Significant Recommendation	Recommended Questioned Costs	Recommended Funds for Better Use
2024-ISP-018-01	Yes	$0	$0
We recommend that the Orphaned Well Program Office require the Kansas Corporation Commission to determine and document that all wells plugged using Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds were completed in accordance with Kansas Statutes Annotated 55?179 (e.g., the wells were plugged only after the commission determined that no person was legally responsible, or that each legally responsible person was dead, no longer in existence, insolvent, or could no longer be found).
2024-ISP-018-03	No	$0	$0
We recommend that the Orphaned Well Program Office require the Kansas Corporation Commission to update witnessing information on its most recent performance report and verify the accuracy of reported witnessing information.
2024-ISP-018-02	Yes	$299,275	$0
We recommend that the Orphaned Well Program Office resolve the questioned costs of $299,275 in which the Kansas Corporation Commission did not determine whether the legally responsible party was dead, no longer in existence, insolvent, or could no longer be found.
2024-ISP-018-04	No	$0	$0
We recommend that the Orphaned Well Program Office require the Kansas Corporation Commission to issue guidance to staff on completing witnessing information in the "Data Reporting Template with Definitions" spreadsheet.