Registration is open for a free July 23 webinar, and a July 29 in-person workshop that residents of McKean County might find very useful.

Penn State Extension will present “an eye-opening webinar on Pennsylvania’s legacy oil and gas wells” from noon to 1 p.m. July 23. Registration can be done through the Penn State Extension website, and is due by July 23.

The webinar is aimed at landowners, farmers, energy regulators and policymakers and local government officials.

The workshop, set for 6 p.m. July 29 at the 4-H Building at the McKean County Fairgrounds, will be on finding “abandoned oil and gas wells in McKean County.”

The goal of both is education on legacy oil and gas wells — “hundreds of thousands of which predate modern regulations and may pose serious environmental and safety risks,” the description read. “Learn how aging wells are being identified, assessed and, in some cases, remediated to prevent issues such as methane leaks, groundwater contamination and explosion hazards,” read the description for the webinar.

As a further incentive, landowners who help locate undocumented wells on their properties may receive $100 per well from the Oil Region Alliance, the description noted.

“This session is essential for landowners, officials and anyone interested in the hidden infrastructure beneath our feet.”

Speakers for the webinar include Thomas Beresnyak, senior extension educator with the energy team; Summer Boyle, master gardener coordinator, who wrote “Rusty Relic or Disaster Waiting to Happen: Legacy Wells;” Daniel Brockett, educator with an expertise in energy; Joseph Conklin, educator who works with stakeholders in energy development, land use and policy; Jonathan Laughner, educator on the energy team for understanding the implications of drilling activity; Dana Ollendyke, project manager; and Matthew Svetz, education program specialist.

All but Laughner are scheduled to present at the workshop in Smethport.

The description of the webinar stated, “What will you learn? The history of oil and gas development in Pennsylvania. How to identify and map legacy wells. Environmental and safety concerns related to aging wells. Legal and policy challenges. Tools and resources available to landowners and communities. Details about the $100 incentive for identifying undocumented wells on private property.”

The webinar is offered at no charge, but space is limited; preregistration is required. Once registered, the participant will receive the link to access the webinar.

A link to the recorded webinar will be emailed to registrants within 10 business days after the live event. The recording will be accessible for six months from the event date.

The in-person Smethport workshop, which is also free, requires pre-registration, which can be done on the extension website.

“Since the 1800s, more than 760,000 oil and gas wells have been drilled in Pennsylvania — many without documentation or regulation. Today, an estimated half a million orphaned and abandoned wells remain unaccounted for, posing serious risks to both people and the environment,” the description read. Geared toward residents of McKean County, the workshop will teach what to look for when searching your property.

“Join the Penn State Extension Energy Team, Environmental Defense Fund, and Oil Region Alliance to learn how to identify and report these hidden hazards. Discover what orphaned wells look like, why they matter, and how you can help protect your land and community. Plus, find out how you may be eligible to receive $100 for each undocumented well you report through the Oil Region Alliance program.”