Posted on Jun 27, 2023
Abandoned oil and gas wells are leaking planet-warming methane. Workers are struggling to keep up...
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As an oil worker and well site supervisor, Druis Trahan has seen a lot of abandoned wells. But each one is a little different.
Today's job started simple enough. Unlike with some abandoned wells in the wilderness, this one was easy to haul equipment to — it's just off a road that runs by some ranches in Greenwood, Louisiana, outside Shreveport. But Trahan says they can't yank out the tubing, the steel pipe that runs down 3,900 feet into the earth, which means the job just got more complicated.
Well number 202188 was drilled in 1985, but hasn't produced any oil or gas since 2010. It's been sitting in the middle of this pasture in Greenwood, Louisiana ever since.
Today's job started simple enough. Unlike with some abandoned wells in the wilderness, this one was easy to haul equipment to — it's just off a road that runs by some ranches in Greenwood, Louisiana, outside Shreveport. But Trahan says they can't yank out the tubing, the steel pipe that runs down 3,900 feet into the earth, which means the job just got more complicated.
Well number 202188 was drilled in 1985, but hasn't produced any oil or gas since 2010. It's been sitting in the middle of this pasture in Greenwood, Louisiana ever since.
Abandoned oil and gas wells are leaking planet-warming methane. Workers are struggling to keep up...
Posted from wbur.org
Oil
Oil and Energy
Climate Change
Environment
Posted 11 mo ago
Responses: 2
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Methane capture is similar to office-home building conversion. It does exist and could be used for abandoned wells, but is also expensive and difficult.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-capturing-methane-is-so-difficult/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-capturing-methane-is-so-difficult/
Why Capturing Methane Is So Difficult
Oil and gas facilities will soon be charged for releasing methane, but technologies to capture the potent greenhouse gas are still relatively new and untested
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."That coastal culture could include underemployed oil workers, too, says Leo Lindner of the group True Transition. Lindner was a mud engineer in oilfields for years until the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010. Now he advocates for other workers like him.
“We’re looking to move them either into the green industry or into remediating orphan wells,” Lindner says. “We need a federal agency, well-funded, to create projects, to repair all this damage, the wreckage of industry. We can create union jobs. And with the oil field hiring less and less people, they’d be perfectly fitted for a lot of that work.”"
..."That coastal culture could include underemployed oil workers, too, says Leo Lindner of the group True Transition. Lindner was a mud engineer in oilfields for years until the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010. Now he advocates for other workers like him.
“We’re looking to move them either into the green industry or into remediating orphan wells,” Lindner says. “We need a federal agency, well-funded, to create projects, to repair all this damage, the wreckage of industry. We can create union jobs. And with the oil field hiring less and less people, they’d be perfectly fitted for a lot of that work.”"
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