Taking the pulse of aging oil wells in the Permian Basin from space

Abstract Thousands of unplugged abandoned oil wells throughout the Permian Basin – one of world’s leading oil plays – have potential to create ground instability and damage the environment due to aging facilities and instances of mismanagement. Satellite radar remote sensing technologies, capable of detecting subtle surface changes over time with broad geographic coverage, are a valuable tool for monitoring the health and integrity of aging oil wells by gauging the stability of the well and its surroundings.