Work Underway To Plug Old Oil Well That Was Leaking Gas Under Tulsa Street

12/31/2024 UPDATE: Work is underway to plug an abandoned oil well in a neighborhood near 71st and Harvard.

Oklahoma Natural Gas responded to reports of a gas leak last week, but determined it wasn't a gas line leak, it was actually an old well.

There are hundreds of old wells in Tulsa County, but this one wasn't on any registry.

---

An old oil well was discovered beneath a street in Tulsa, leaking natural gas. The street is blocked off due to the well underneath it.

Neighbors noticed bubbles in the street Thursday, prompting a response from the gas company, which investigated overnight and made the discovery.

Large pieces of asphalt are piled around a hole dug on South Louisville Avenue. The trench was left open because an old oil well is leaking natural gas.

“It wasn’t just a couple of hours later that we had six or seven trucks out here, and the digging started. They stayed all night,” said Scott Dorney, a neighbor.

The well is located northeast of 71st and Harvard in a neighborhood developed in the early 1970s.

State maps of wells from the 1920s show nearby wells, but this one wasn’t listed. There are hundreds of similar wells in Tulsa County, many dating back to production before 1950.

“It was kind of interesting to find out there are more old wells from the 1910s and 1920s in the neighborhood,” Dorney said. “They didn’t disclose that before we moved in!”

Oklahoma Natural Gas said its crews responded to reports of the leak and discovered the old, capped oil well. Once it was determined no ONG lines were connected, the Corporation Commission was contacted for further action.

The City of Tulsa is monitoring the situation due to the road closure and repairs needed for the street.

The gas company reminds anyone suspecting a leak to call 911.

“We take our dog down that street every day, and we never noticed any bubbling. I don’t know who reported it, but I’m sure glad they did,” Dorney said.

An OCC spokesman, Matt Skinner, said Saturday plans were being made to properly plug the well, which had been most likely plugged with drilling mud in the 1920’s. He said readings showed no gas venting from the well now, and the work is pending approval of emergency funding by the Corporation Commission and Governor.

The city is pushing for the trench to be covered so cars can pass.

The location of this well was not on state maps, but many others are. Click here to view a map of old wells near your area.