In this month’s Mineral Rights Podcast news episode for December 2021, we talk about orphan wells and how some states are considering stronger financial assurances to cover the cost of plugging these wells and how the Interior Department is considering raising the royalty rate for new leases on public lands. Capping off problems: Montana-based company takes on abandoned wells | Warnings of orphan and zombie wells spark debate on bonding by oil, gas companies | Oil and gas companies should pay more to drill on public lands and waters, Interior Department says As always, you can go to mineralrightspodcast.com to find the links to these articles and other resources mentioned in this episode. To send us an article you would like us to cover in a future episode, please email feedback@mineralrightspodcast.com.