Abandoned wells are a huge climate problem
The number of abandoned oil and gas wells in the United States is much higher than previously thought, according to an exclusive analysis shared with The Climate 202. The analysis, which was done by the Environmental Defense Fund and McGill University, found that there are 81,283 documented orphan wells across the country that were drilled and then improperly abandoned by oil and gas companies. … Each orphan well is a major climate problem: It spews methane, a potent greenhouse gas.