ECN Announces Fall 2026 Lineup Addressing Refinery Transition and Legacy Well Management Across the U.S.

Three conferences bring together regulators and operators to address California refinery decommissioning and orphan well management in Southwest and Appalachia

HOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES, August 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Energy Conference Network (ECN) today announced three upcoming conferences this fall focused on some of the most pressing operational and environmental challenges facing the oil, gas, and refining sectors: the transition and decommissioning of California refineries, and the management of orphan, idle, and marginal wells in the Southwest and Northern Appalachia regions.

California Refinery Transition and Decommissioning Summit
October 14-15, 2026 | Long Beach, CA

As California refineries face closures, conversions, and mounting regulatory pressure, the California Refinery Transition and Decommissioning Summit brings together regulators, economists, industry operators, remediation firms, labor leaders, and community organizations for direct conversations about what comes next. The summit will address fuel market stability, decommissioning costs and timelines, asset retirement obligations, contamination and land reuse, and workforce transition pathways for the communities affected by these decisions.

Orphan, Idle & Marginal Wells Southwest Conference (3rd Annual)
November 18-19, 2026 | Houston, TX

Now in its third year, the Orphan, Idle & Marginal Wells Southwest Conference has grown from a Texas-focused gathering into a regional forum spanning Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and the broader Gulf Coast. The conference convenes senior executives, regulators, and technology leaders to discuss well plugging, reclamation, repurposing, and long-term risk reduction strategies for the region’s marginal assets.

Orphan, Idle & Marginal Wells Northern Appalachia Conference (2nd Annual)
November 4-5, 2026 | Pittsburgh, PA

The Northern Appalachia Conference returns for its second year, focusing on one of North America’s most mature oil and gas regions. With legacy wells intersecting forests, farms, towns, and watersheds across Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Kentucky, and neighboring states, and significant new federal and state funding in motion, the event will align operators, regulators, Tribal and Indigenous leaders, and communities around scalable approaches to plugging, reclamation, and methane reduction.

Executive Commentary
“These three events reflect where our industry actually is right now,” said Symon Rubens, CEO of Energy Conference Network. “Whether it’s a refinery deciding its future in California or a legacy well site in Appalachia, the same questions come up: who pays for cleanup, who does the work, and how do we protect the communities involved. Our job is to put the people who can answer those questions in the same room.”

Kyle Cornish
Energy Conference Network
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