Energy Exchange

New Louisiana rule will plug old oil wells, create jobs, safeguard environment

The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources has finalized new rules to help improve management of 17,000 non-productive oil and gas wells by encouraging their proper closure —an action that will create jobs, raise property values across the state and facilitate new clean energy projects.  

Louisiana has a long history of oil and gas development, with 50,000 wells distributed across the state and along the coast. The state has a responsibility to ensure none of these wells become an environmental or economic liability.

A long-abandoned oil well sits off Louisiana’s coast

About a third of these wells are non-producing but registered as having future utility, meaning the operator claims that they could be economically productive in the future. As a result, the operator isn’t required to plug the well. However, once wells are idled for more than three years, just one in five ever return to service. Often they will only see a tiny fraction of their former production levels.

Unplugged wells cause a host of economic, environmental and even public health and safety problems. They can leak methane and toxic air pollution, contaminate water, reduce property values and prevent other economic uses of the land. 

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Also posted in Methane / Comments are closed

Pennsylvanians want climate action; methane offers an opportunity for Gov. Shapiro to deliver

Marcellus shale gas-drilling site along PA Route 87, Lycoming County.

Marcellus shale gas-drilling site along PA Route 87, Lycoming County.
Photo courtesy of Nicholas A. Tonelli

By John Rutecki

As we wrap up a summer of sweltering heat waves and dangerous air quality, new poll results show strong majorities of Pennsylvanians want action to address the climate crisis. The poll from EDF Action, Earthworks Action Fund, Sierra Club and Clean Air Task Force Action found that the majority of Pennsylvanians support one of the best ways to slow the current rate of warming — cutting methane pollution.

Methane from fossil fuel operations, agriculture and other industries is responsible for at least 30% of current warming.

With the U.S. EPA finalizing its nationwide methane rule for oil and gas producers this fall, Gov. Shapiro has the opportunity to give the majority of Pennsylvanians what they want by delivering a strong state implementation plan to reduce methane emissions.

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Also posted in General / Authors: / Comments are closed

New York utility regulator approves a first-of-its-kind certified gas pilot program. Now what?

Con Edison East River Generation Station

The New York Public Service Commission recently approved a certified natural gas pilot program proposed by Con Edison, the gas and electric utility for much of New York City. Under the pilot, Con Edison may pay a premium for limited amounts of natural gas that is purportedly certified as having lower methane emissions than the gas Con Ed typically purchases to serve its customers. Methane, the principal component of natural gas, is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Research shows that a rapid, full-scale effort to reduce methane emissions — including from the oil and gas industry — could slow the current rate of warming by as much as 30%.

There are several reasons to be skeptical about whether this scheme delivers real environmental benefits and if it is worth the premium price Con Ed will pay, and ultimately pass along to customers. This pilot program should make good progress in answering these questions.

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Posted in Methane regulatons / Authors: / Comments are closed

New bipartisan legislation would give U.S. orphan well management efforts a huge boost

Senator John Hickenlooper (D-CO) meets with oil industry and environmental group leaders at kick-off event for orphan well remediation program in Adams County, CO

By Adam Peltz and Meg Coleman

Across the country, a million or more orphaned oil and gas wells threaten the climate, public health, groundwater and surface waters and hamper local economic development. Help is on the way thanks to a major federal effort to invest $4.7 billion in closing orphan wells under the Revive Economic Growth and Reclaim Orphaned Wells Act as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but the scale of the problem is vast.

In order to get a handle on these orphaned wells, New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Luján , Democrat,  and North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer, Republican,  worked together to secure well closure funding in BIL. Now, they have reintroduced the Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act and a bipartisan group in the House led by Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee, Democrat,  and republican Oklahoma Rep. Stephanie Bice  have introduced a companion bill. This important, bipartisan legislation would invest more than $150 million over the next five years to help find an estimated 800,000 undocumented orphan wells, reuse those we can for beneficial purposes and ultimately close all of the rest more effectively and affordably. While partisan politics seem to divide the Capitol these days, it is exciting to see leaders on both sides of the aisle come together to address orphan wells.

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Also posted in Air Quality, Methane / Tagged | Authors: / Comments are closed

New rules could mean less waste, less pollution and more jobs for Louisiana

By Adam Peltz and Elizabeth Lieberknecht 

Recently, Louisiana, under the leadership of Gov. John Bel Edwards, became the latest state taking action to curb pollution and waste from oil and gas production. In a new proposal, the state says it will limit natural gas venting and flaring and attempt to reduce the risk of thousands of idle wells becoming orphaned. Both actions will help create jobs, protect taxpayers and safeguard the environment. Here’s how.

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Also posted in Air Quality, Flaring, Methane / Authors: / Comments are closed

Colorado’s methane pollution verification rule is a game-changer: here are three reasons why

By Nini Gu

On Thursday, July 20th we saw a major shift in how methane emissions from oil and gas sources can be regulated, and to no one’s surprise it came from the nation’s leading state on this issue: Colorado.

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Also posted in Air Quality, Colorado / Authors: / Comments are closed