We at the Well Done Foundation are thrilled to announce that our collaborative work has been featured in a new scientific paper titled “Orphaned oil and gas well methane emission rates quantified using Gaussian plume inversions of ambient observations” published by Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. This publication is a landmark moment for us, as it represents the first time the science behind our work has been formally documented and validated in a peer-reviewed journal.
What the Research Is All About
The study tackles a critical issue: the lack of a standardized, scalable method for measuring methane emissions from abandoned “orphaned” oil and gas wells. Our country has an estimated 3.6 million of these wells, which collectively release significant amounts of methane—a potent greenhouse gas. The paper introduces and validates a new, simpler method for accurately quantifying these emissions, which is crucial for both prioritizing which wells to plug and for documenting the resulting emissions reductions.
Our Role in the Study
This research was conducted as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s CATALOG project, and the Well Done Foundation was a key collaborator. We were contracted by the state of New Mexico to plug a high-emitting orphaned well in the Permian Basin. As part of this process, the scientific team used our standard venting operations to monitor the well’s methane emissions. The data they collected during this process was critical to the study.
The paper highlights the importance of our direct measurement process in determining carbon credits. It demonstrates that the Well Done Foundation’s on-the-ground work provides verifiable data that is essential for both scientific understanding and real-world climate solutions.
Why This Matters
This publication validates the rigorous approach we take to our work and shows how our processes are helping to establish new standards for the entire industry. By participating in this research, we are not only plugging wells and reducing methane—we are also contributing to the scientific knowledge base and helping to develop better, more accurate methods for quantifying emissions. This will help make the entire process of addressing orphaned wells more efficient and impactful.
We are incredibly proud to have our efforts recognized in this way and look forward to continuing our mission to plug orphaned wells and reduce methane emissions for the benefit of our planet. You may read this methane focused scientific paper here.
