Leaks.

Abandonment. 

Faulty fire containment walls.

These are just a few of the complaints about registered oil wells filed with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) in the last three years. 

Approximately 14,000 wells operate in Illinois. About 30,000 oil drill inspections and 3,000 enforcement actions occur each year in Illinois, state records show. State inspectors for the natural resources department conduct these oil drilling inspections, which are regulated under state laws.  

Documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show that at least 150 complaints have been filed concerning issues like potential hazards, environmental dangers or orphaned wells from January 1, 2022 to April 10, 2025. 

Common forms of oil well complaints include complaints about noncompliance, well-testing and environmental safety. All three complaint forms work to ensure that oil and gas activities are conducted responsibly and safely.

Just over half of the 142 complaints filed were about well testing. At least 50 non-compliance complaints were filed by state inspectors in the past 3 years, making up nearly 40%. Less than 10% of complaints were related to environmental protection regulations.

Overall, inspectors reported issues such as contaminated soil, non-productive wells and damaged flowlines. 

In Illinois, which has a small portion of total wells in the U.S, still has produced 3.75 billion barrels of oil since the 1900s. In 2023, the U.S. had 918,068 oil-producing wells across the country.

All oil drilling companies in Illinois are required to have permits from the state to drill. 

For example, to protect the environment and drinking water from contamination, Class II injection wells need to be properly created and installed. These types of wells are used to place extracted saltwater back beneath the surface of the Earth and, if not properly managed, these wells can cause leaks, blowouts and sinkholes.

Oil drilling is regulated under the 1970 Illinois Oil and Gas Act and the 1991 Oil and Gas Wells on Public Lands Act.

The 1970 act works to conserve oil and gas resources by protecting the rights of individuals to shared oil resources, mandating proper well spacing and the regulation of drilling and construction. The 1991 act outlines the procedures for leasing state lands for oil and gas production. 

Oil wells can pose environmental, health risks

Over the past 20 years, Illinois has produced over 7 million barrels of oil each year. One singular barrel of oil is equal to 42 gallons. Economically, oil drilling in Illinois has created 4,000 direct jobs and generates $3 billion in direct economic output each year, state records show.

But oil drilling has historically contributed to issues such as pollution, climate change and habitat destruction. 

In addition to this problem, Illinois has at least 4,000 documented orphaned oil and gas wells. These wells pose major threats to the environment due to their ability to contaminate groundwater and emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas.  

The Federal Orphaned Well Program provides $4.7 billion in funding to address abandoned wells on federal land.

Illinois, along with other states, received $25 million from the former President Joe Biden’s administration to plug oil and gas wells. 

The environment isn’t the only life source being impacted by oil drilling.

A study published in GeoHealth, a program that is dedicated to advancing Earth and space science, found that the impact of onshore oil drilling has led to the reported deaths of over 700 people and accumulated over $7 billion in health damages annually. 

Companies like ExxonMobil and Marathon Petroleum play a major role in Illinois’ oil production rates.