The Bear Run 011, an undocumented orphan natural gas well, located in Erie County, Pennsylvania, holds a unique place within the energy and environmental landscape. Designated by API number 37-049-25473, this gas-producing well was located in the Appalachian Basin, one of the most significant natural gas and oil-producing regions in the United States. Situated in a trailer park, and only 15 feet from a residence, this undocumented orphaned well symbolizes the complex relationship between natural resource extraction and environmental stewardship. The Bear Run 001 was plugged in February 2023, the methane emissions eliminated, and the surface areas fully restored.
An abandoned well that was polluting the mobile home park region in Erie County, PA
BEAR RUN 001: PROJECT IMPACT
23,746 Metric tons of CO2e emissions reduced
5,162 The equivalent of automobiles driven each year
1.08M Equivalent to the climate benefit of 1.08 million mature
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
CLEAN WATER & SANITIZATION
Plugging Bear Run 001, located just 15 feet from a residence in a trailer park in Erie County, mitigated the risk of groundwater contamination from potential methane and other pollutants.
INDUSTRY, INNOVATION & INFRUSTRUCTURE
Enabled by solar-powered flow metering technology, this innovative solution supports the adoption of clean technologies, optimizes resource use, and, with mobile and cloud capabilities, provides global scalability, particularly benefiting developing regions.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES & COMMUNITIES
Located just 15 feet from a residence in a trailer park in Erie County, plugging Bear Run 001 improved safety and reduced environmental risks for the local community. This fosters a safer, more resilient, and sustainable environment for vulnerable populations.
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION
Achieved by promoting responsible consumption and production through the proper management of resources, reducing waste, and adopting sustainable technologies to minimize environmental impact.
CLIMATE ACTION
Achieved by taking urgent action to combat climate change through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, such as plugging abandoned wells, and adopting clean, sustainable technologies to mitigate environmental impacts.
In the quiet corners of Erie County, Pennsylvania, within a mobile home park, lay a hidden environmental hazard: an undocumented orphaned well known as Bear Run 001. Likely drilled in the early 1900s to support a local farmstead, this legacy gas well sat just 15 feet from a family’s home, its presence long forgotten as the area underwent development.
Residents near the orphaned well that was polluting the area – Erie County PA
By the 1970s, the old farmstead had been replaced with a mobile home park, and the well remained unnoticed until 2022, when the landowner discovered it while preparing to sell the property. For decades, the well had been idle, sitting in what was assumed to be a utility vault—wide open and emitting harmful greenhouse gases—posing both environmental and safety risks to the surrounding community.
In the summer of 2022, Well Done Global stepped in to address the environmental and safety hazards posed by Bear Run 001. Partnering with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), Well Done Global adopted the well with a clear mission: to eliminate it as a source of methane emissions, restore the land, and ensure the safety of the nearby family.
Well Done team working on thoroughly plugging an old well and permanently stopping the methane pollution – Erie County, Pennsylvania.
The well was successfully plugged on February 2, 2023, by Plants & Goodwin, a local service company, with final approval granted by PADEP on April 6, 2023. Surface restoration was completed the following spring, ensuring the land was returned to a safe and usable state. Sponsored by the Project Canary Foundation, Well Done Global LLC, and numerous donors, Bear Run 001 now stands as a testament to the critical work of addressing abandoned wells. Post-closure monitoring by Well Done Foundation will continue annually for ten years to ensure the site remains safe and secure..
Plugging these wells is essential to protecting our planet and the impact is immediate. Donate to Well Done Foundation and help us fight climate change.
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