The Impacts
Abandoned wells are massive methane emitters.
3.4
M+
Abandoned Wells
84
x
More potent than CO2
281
KT
Methane emissions (kilotons)
400
B
Dollar cleanup effort
Abandoned Wells
The Environmental Protection Agency stated in an April 2021 report that there could be as many as 3.4 million abandoned wells nationally.
“In January, the Department of the Interior stated what many have suspected: there are far more orphaned oil and gas wells in the U.S. than previously estimated.”
84x more potent than carbon dioxide
Methane gas is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20 year timeline
“More than 100 years of drilling have left 3 million abandoned oil and gas wells across the United States, and more than 2 million of them are “unplugged” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Far from mere eyesores or local environmental hazards, these abandoned wells gush millions of metric tons of methane – 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20 year timeline – and plugging the wells can cut these emissions 99%.”
Photo Credit: The sun sets behind an old oil well – Getty Images
84x more potent than carbon dioxide
Methane – 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20 year timeline
“More than 100 years of drilling have left 3 million abandoned oil and gas wells across the United States, and more than 2 million of them are “unplugged” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Far from mere eyesores or local environmental hazards, these abandoned wells gush millions of metric tons of methane – 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20 year timeline – and plugging the wells can cut these emissions 99%.”
Photo Credit: The sun sets behind an old oil well – Getty Images
281 Kilotons of Methane Emitted
Abandoned oil wells emitted 281 kilotons of methane in 2018.
“The U.S. figures are sobering: More than 3.2 million abandoned oil and gas wells together emitted 281 kilotons of methane in 2018, according to the data, which was included in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s most recent report on April 14, 2020 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. That’s the climate-damage equivalent of consuming about 16 million barrels of crude oil, according to an EPA calculation, or about as much as the United States, the world’s biggest oil consumer, uses in a typical day.”
Photo Credit: REUTERS/Bryan Woolston
281 Kilotons of Methane Emitted
Abandoned oil wells emitted 281 kilotons of methane in 2018.
“The U.S. figures are sobering: More than 3.2 million abandoned oil and gas wells together emitted 281 kilotons of methane in 2018, according to the data, which was included in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s most recent report on April 14, 2020 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. That’s the climate-damage equivalent of consuming about 16 million barrels of crude oil, according to an EPA calculation, or about as much as the United States, the world’s biggest oil consumer, uses in a typical day.”
Photo Credit: REUTERS/Bryan Woolston
U.S. Democrats Unveil $400 BILLION Cleanup Plan
The new report demands public spending of more than USD 400 billion a year to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
On August 25, 2020, U.S. Senate Democrats published a comprehensive plan calling for the government to step up climate action and stimulate the creation of green jobs. The new report demands public spending of more than USD 400 billion a year to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The spending would equal about 2% of the U.S. GDP. It is unlikely to proceed in the Senate but could be successful if the majority in the chamber changes in November’s election.
U.S. Democrats Unveil $400 BILLION Cleanup Plan
The new report demands public spending of more than USD 400 billion a year to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
On August 25, 2020, U.S. Senate Democrats published a comprehensive plan calling for the government to step up climate action and stimulate the creation of green jobs. The new report demands public spending of more than USD 400 billion a year to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The spending would equal about 2% of the U.S. GDP. It is unlikely to proceed in the Senate but could be successful if the majority in the chamber changes in November’s election.