Historic and Modern Approaches for the Discovery of Abandoned Wells for Methane Emissions Mitigation in Oil Creek State Park, Pennsylvania.

Hundreds of oil wells were drilled along Oil Creek in Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s, birthing the modern oil industry. No longer in operation, many wells are now classified as abandoned, and, due to their age, their locations are either unknown or inaccurately recorded. These historic-well sites present environmental, safety, and economic concerns in the form of possible methane leaks and physical hazards.

Historic and modern approaches for discovery of abandoned wells for methane emissions mitigation in Oil Creek State Park, Pennsylvania.

Background: Hundreds of oil wells were drilled along Oil Creek in Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s, birthing the modern oil industry. No longer in operation, many wells are now classified as abandoned, and, due to their age, their locations are either unknown or inaccurately recorded. These historic well sites present environmental, safety, and economic concerns in the form of possible methane leaks and physical hazards.

Constraining natural gas pipeline emissions in San Juan Basin using mobile sampling.

Quantifying methane (CH) leaks of pipeline systems is critical to ensure accurate emission factors in regional and global atmospheric models. The previous emission factors in the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI) are from 1996 and do not reflect the modern gathering pipeline system. Additional data from different basins across the United States are urgently needed to improve the emission factors.