Daywatch: A $160 million problem

Source Chicago Tribune
Original Load Date Jan. 19, 2026, 8:01 a.m.
Last Updated Jan. 19, 2026, 8:01 a.m.
Original URL https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/19/daywatch-a-160-million-problem/

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Good morning, Chicago. There are nearly 4,000 abandoned oil and gas wells in Illinois — holes, essentially, left behind for the state to close. They litter fields, hide in woods and abut waterways. Many are called “orphans” by the state, their owners dead or unidentified, their companies bankrupte...