By Charles Young, WV News
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WV News) — Gov. Patrick Morrisey and Diversified Energy announced a first-of-its-kind partnership Thursday to address West Virginia’s thousands of orphaned and abandoned natural gas and oil wells.
The public-private collaboration, known as the Mountain State Plugging Fund, commits $70 million from Diversified Energy to the state over 20 years to ensure the company’s oil and natural gas wells are safely retired without cost to taxpayers.
“This is a triple winner,” Morrisey said. “This is going to strengthen our energy future, it’s going to protect our environment, and it’s going to create good, high-paying jobs for the Mountain State. And you know what? It doesn’t cost the taxpayers one penny.”
The partnership will require additional manpower at Diversified Energy’s Bridgeport-based subsidiary, Next LVL Energy, said Diversified Energy CEO Rusty Hutson Jr.
“We have about 109 jobs now here at this office,” he said. “We’re going to increase that by at least 50% — we may increase it by 100%. Somewhere between 50 and 100 new jobs right here in Harrison County, West Virginia.”