Arizona Tribune - Field Data from Well Done Foundation Powers New Peer-Reviewed Study on Orphan Well Methane Emissions

The study, published in Science of the Total Environment, examined more than 4,000 hours of methane emissions data collected from 15 leaking orphan wells in the Kevin-Sunburst Dome oil field.

Researchers found that wind and temperature changes correlate with significant variation in methane emissions from open-hole orphan wells.

"Our paper analyzes more than 4,000 hours of emissions data from 15 leaking open-hole orphan wells and shows that changes in wind and temperature correlate with variation in methane emissions," said Nick Gianoutsos, a physical scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey and a co-author of the study.

Much of the emissions data used in the research was collected by the Well Done Foundation as part of its field program to identify leaking wells, prioritize wells for plugging and measure methane emissions from abandoned oil and gas infrastructure.

Unlike traditional emissions studies that rely on short-duration measurements, the research included monitoring intervals ranging from several hours to more than two weeks per well. Wells with higher emissions were typically monitored for longer periods to capture variability.

Curtis Shuck, chairman of the Well Done Foundation, said the findings confirm what the organization observed when it began working in the Kevin-Sunburst oil field in 2019.

"When we started working in that field, it was unbelievable how many open wellbores were venting gas," Shuck said. "You could see the gas escaping and smell the hydrogen sulfide, but at the time the ability to accurately measure methane emissions was extremely limited."

With little publicly available data on methane emissions from orphan wells - and what data did exist appearing inconsistent with field observations - the organization began its own methane measurement program after adopting its first 10 orphan wells in the field.

The foundation plugged its first orphan well, the Big West Anderson 003, on Earth Day 2020 and reported methane emissions reductions associated with the project.

In 2023, the Well Done Foundation entered into a technical assistance agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey's Energy Resources Program to support analysis of methane emissions data collected from orphan wells and expand scientific understanding of their environmental impact.

Under the agreement, the foundation shares methane measurements and field data while USGS scientists analyze the emissions and lead joint research publications.

Researchers say the study shows methane emissions from unplugged wells can change rapidly and may be underestimated when measured only during short sampling periods.

"At the end of the day, more robust measurements over longer time spans are needed to truly understand orphan well emissions," Shuck said. "Better data improves the accuracy and integrity of the science and strengthens the case for permanently plugging these wells."

More information about the study is available here.

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SOURCE: Well Done Foundation