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Education + Innovation

The energy transition has highlighted a problem and outlined what must be cleaned up as we transition our current energy infrastructure. Solving this problem will take education, collaboration, and innovation.

In our resources section, we offer answers to commonly asked questions as well as materials and links to the bigger conversation.

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Common Questions

What is an asset retirement obligation (ARO)? This is the legal liability that a company carries on its balance sheet to cover the costs of retiring an asset. In an

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Unfunded AROs lead to Orphan wells

Today’s energy sector faces a daunting number of inactive, unplugged non-producing wells along with their associated facilities, presenting a potential trillion-dollar problem for the industry, its investors and stakeholders—and ultimately the U.S. taxpayer. Posing significant environmental risks as sources of methane emissions and groundwater contamination, the impacts of these unplugged wells will continue to grow in magnitude if not addressed. Tackling this issue is an important step toward meeting global greenhouse gas reduction goals. The growing ARO liabilities held on Energy Operators’ balance sheets remain mostly unfunded. If neglected, the number of orphaned wells in the United States will continue to increase, leaving a burden on taxpayers.

OneNexus has designed and developed a unique offering, OneNexus Assurance™, for the energy industry to address the growing problem of unfunded AROs via an insurance-like product.

 

What is an Asset Retirement Obligation (ARO)?

An ARO is a legal liability that a company carries on its balance sheet to cover the costs of retiring an asset. In oil & gas assets, the ARO includes costs associated with downhole wellbore plugging, removal of all oilfield equipment from the wellsite, and the reclamation and restoration, and cleanup of the surface location.