National Nonprofit Committed to Plugging 24
Legacy Orphan Oil & Gas
Wells in Montana by End of
Year
BOZEMAN,
Mont., May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Well Done
Foundation (WDF), a national nonprofit whose mission is to plug
orphaned oil and gas wells across the
United States, announced today its plans to plug 24 legacy
orphan wells in Toole and
Glacier counties in Montana in 2024 and celebrate its official
listing on the American Carbon Registry (ACR) of last year's 2023
Montana Legacy Project.
Last year, with the help of Calgary,
AB based 360 Environmental Engineering and North Dakota-based Precision Well Services,
the WDF plugged a total of 12 orphan wells in Montana, 7 of which were included as part of
its 2023 Montana Legacy Project. These orphan wells were estimated
to generate more than 200,000 verifiable, high-quality, emission
reduction tons (ERT) with the ACR, as project ACR946. Orphaned oil
and gas wells are estimated to contribute 20-30% of methane leaks
in the US and plugging them has an immediate impact on the
environment.
"Once part of the black gold boom in the 1920's in Montana, these oil and gas wells fell to
economic hardship, became wards of the state and were designated
'orphan wells'," stated Curtis
Shuck, founder and chairman of Well Done Foundation. "Our
mission is focused on a second boom populated with these wells and
how plugging them will contribute to the elimination of point
source pollution, restore impacted properties, benefit undeserved
communities, and dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions,"
added Shuck.
Since 2019, the WDF has plugged more than 45 high-priority
orphan wells in 5 states, with 26 of those wells located in
Toole and Glacier Counties. The plugging of the orphan
wells has eliminated methane emissions measured at over 1 million
metric tons, making a difference one well at a time.
WDF's Process
WDF interfaces with landowners, communities and regulatory agencies
to identify and catalog known problematic orphan oil and gas wells
across the country. Once "target" wells are identified, WDF begins
collaborating with landowners to initiate the boots on the ground
process of screening the wells for gas emissions, stored energy,
releases of fluids, surface impacts and other hazards.
The nonprofit is using the latest in climate technology by
Ventbuster Instruments to quantify and measure the amount of
greenhouse gas leaking from the orphan wells. The measuring and
quantifying process is consistent with the ACR methodology.
Once a well is plugged, WDF works with the landowner on surface
restoration and is committed to measuring the well for 10 years
post-plugging to ensure there is no more leakage.
To learn more about Well Done Foundation or to donate to the
2024 Montana Legacy Project, please click here.
About the Well Done Foundation
A nonprofit formed in 2019, the Well Done Foundation's mission is
to fight climate change by plugging the estimated 2.15 million
orphaned oil and gas wells in the United
States. The WDF works with farmers and landowners, local and
state government, corporations, and other nonprofits to locate the
orphaned wells, measure and document methane and CO2
emissions, plug the wells, and restore the surface areas to their
original state. For more information visit
welldonefoundation.org.
Media Contact:
Alanna Anderson
378131@email4pr.com
281.770.9084
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SOURCE Well Done Foundation