Wyoming’s Abandoned Oil, Natural Gas Wells Said to Account for Under 1% of Methane Emissions

Abandoned and unplugged oil and gas wells in Wyoming may be responsible for no more than 1% of reported methane emissions from the state’s oil and gas operations, according to research by the University of Wyoming’s (UW) Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute (EORI). 

A sample of 10 orphan wells surveyed in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin by UW’s Department of Atmospheric Science accounted for 651 milligrams/hour (mg/h) of methane emissions. For comparison, the researchers noted that the average dairy cow emits 11,900 mg/h of methane. 

The UW researchers determined that the 1,900 abandoned and unplugged wells in the state emit a total of 3.83 metric tons/year, less than 1% of reported methane emissions from all Wyoming oil and gas operations. The figures are based on data in the...