Oracle funds New Mexico orphan well cleanup with Well Done Foundation

By AI, Created 5:10 PM UTC, May 19, 2026, /AGP/ – Oracle is partnering with the Well Done Foundation to assess and plug abandoned oil and gas wells in New Mexico, targeting methane emissions and public health risks. The effort will fund work on 10 wells, restore two high-emitting sites, and train local specialists for future cleanup projects.

Why it matters: - Orphaned oil and gas wells can leak methane and other pollutants without any responsible operator to fix them. - The collaboration is designed to reduce emissions, improve air and water quality, and remove safety hazards for nearby communities, landowners and wildlife. - The work supports New Mexico’s Climate Action Plan and could help restore land for future use. - Plugging one of the state’s orphaned wells can cut methane emissions equal to removing more than 3,000 gas-powered cars from New Mexico roads and highways each year, based on EPA estimates.

What happened: - Oracle announced a collaboration with the Well Done Foundation to identify, prioritize and cap orphaned oil and gas wells across New Mexico. - The grant will fund assessment and prioritization of 10 orphaned wells. - Oracle will also fund plugging and surface restoration of two wells with the highest emissions. - The initiative includes two scholarships for local talent to become certified as Orphan Well Qualified Measurement Specialists and join Well Done Foundation projects.

The details: - Well Done Foundation will work with local agencies, landowners and service companies to complete screening and measurement. - Each target well will be measured for gas emissions, pressure, temperature and fluid releases. - WDF will report data through its Well Intel system. - The project’s initial goal is to plug and restore high-priority orphan wells and deliver a quantified reduction of more than 60,000 metric tons of CO₂e in methane emissions. - The initiative also aims to create a model for scaling future well closures. - Oracle said the effort is part of its broader investments in New Mexico and Doña Ana County.

Between the lines: - The partnership ties a corporate social impact program to a local environmental problem with measurable climate and health consequences. - Training local specialists adds a workforce component that could help expand cleanup capacity beyond this project. - Curtis Shuck, chairman of the board at Well Done Foundation, said Oracle’s support allows the group to close wells now and build toward more closures over time. - Colleen Cassity, Oracle’s global head of social impact and executive director of Oracle Education Foundation and Oracle Health Foundation, said the partnership reflects Oracle’s commitment to community impact and social responsibility.

What’s next: - WDF will complete assessments, prioritize the wells and move forward with plugging the two highest-emitting sites. - The scholarships should feed local talent into future measurement and cleanup work. - The project may serve as a template for additional orphan well closures in New Mexico.

The bottom line: - Oracle is putting money behind a targeted cleanup effort that combines climate mitigation, local workforce training and long-term land restoration in New Mexico.