Plugging methane leaks

We have 1 year to jump-start action on climate change. Plugging methane leaks from abandoned oil and gas wells in 2019 would improve our chances of survival.

The World Resources Institute reported last week, “global greenhouse gas emissions must peak no later than next year and rapidly decline to prevent catastrophic consequences.” The October 2018 United Nations call to reduce carbon dioxide to 350 parts per million by 2030 has not changed. Plugging abandoned oil and gas wells is an emergency measure to reduce methane emissions.

The floods over the last week in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, and parts of Nebraska and Iowa can’t be ignored. The climate has changed. Plugging is easier than drilling, but lax regulations, limited resources, and insufficient inspections have created a crisis. Let’s dig in.

Millions of wells, no profits

In the U.S. there are over 3 million abandoned wells. A Princeton University study found that methane leaks from abandoned oil and gas wells pose not only a risk to groundwater, but represent a growing threat to the climate. More than 970,000 abandoned wells in Pennsylvania account for 7 percent of estimated man-made methane emissions in the state. Pennsylvania, like Alberta in Canada, is the oldest U.S. oil and gas state.

There is a great deal of misinformation on the fracking boom in support of Energy Dominance. Shale wells reach peak production quickly and rapidly decline, so companies are constantly drilling new wells. Even in the Permian Basin, the most expensive shale, 80 percent of a well’s lifetime production occurs in the first two years. Frackers abandon wells when they go dry.

Case in point

Trident Exploration of Calgary, Canada, shutdown, abandoning 4,392 wells, pipelines, and other facilities. “Extremely low natural gas prices and high lease and property taxes have exhausted the liquidity of the company,” Trident said on May 1, 2019. Not so fast. Canada’s Supreme Court had previously ruled against Redwater Energy, saying you drilled the holes, clean up the mess (in legal terms).

Methane leaks ignored

A five-year research study led by the Environmental Defense Fund found the methane leaks from the U.S. oil and gas industry are more than 13 million metric tons per year. Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency reports a much lower number, 8 million metric tons. EPA ignores 60 percent of methane emissions! EDF found methane leaks from the drilling pads to the flame heating your food are ignored by EPA to pretend natural gas is a clean fuel!

Plugging the leaks

EDF found high methane emissions at the drilling pads. Some high emitting wells have massive methane leaks. Abandoned and unplugged wells are low hanging fruit.

Methane reduction strategy

The location, well condition, access to the property, legal documentation, and other aspects make some wells easier to plug. Restoring easy, high emission wells is a winning strategy. The goal is to reduce the worst methane leaks by the end of December.

State Oil and Gas Commissions play a major role permitting, inspecting, and keeping records for all wells, but regulations vary. Inactive wells in Arkansas, for example, have two years before they are considered abandoned. We need stronger enforcement and simple rules; this is a climate emergency.

Oklahoma plugging wells at no cost

Leaders representing Oklahoma’s oil producers and royalty owners, working with the Oklahoma State Legislature, formed the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board. “We’ve restored more than 16,000 abandoned well sites, with Oklahoma contractors.” OERB is funded by voluntary contributions paid by producers and royalty owners. Please see “YouTube OERB Well Site Restoration 25 Anniversary.”

Rise up

The International Energy Agency says we can cut global methane emissions by 75 percent in the oil and gas supply chain. The wasted gas could fuel 10 million homes per year. Half of the reductions can be achieved at zero net cost.

It is up to the people to demand quick action. This may be our last fight. We must find a way to plug leaking wells.

Dr. Luis Contreras