A large population of low-producing (marginal) wells are operating today in the United States. A marginal well produces very little oil and gas, commonly less than or equal to 15 barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) per day. At the lowest end of the spectrum, submarginal wells produce 1 BOE per day or less. The economic value of marginal wells can be diminishingly small, while their high emissions intensities heighten their environmental and health risks.

Read our Marginal Wells 101 article here for more details on these small wells and the big problems they pose.

Marginal wells produce less than 5 percent of the United States' oil and gas — yet they account for 75 percent of America’s currently producing wells. These wells are numerous yet hidden in plain sight. Explore the map below to see which US regions and counties have the highest counts of marginal and submarginal wells.