| Title: | Chemical Characterization of Natural Gas Leaking from Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells in Western Pennsylvania |
| Author(s): | DiGiulio DC; Rossi RJ; Lebel ED; Bilsback KR; Michanowicz DR; Shonkoff SBC; |
| Address: | "Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States. PSE Healthy Energy, Oakland, California 94612, United States. Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States. Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 2470-1343 (Electronic) 2470-1343 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that there are over 3.2 million abandoned wells in the United States. Studies conducted on gas emissions from abandoned wells have been limited to methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, due to concerns regarding climate change. However, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including benzene, a known human carcinogen, are known to be associated with upstream oil and gas development and hence could also be released when methane is emitted to the atmosphere. In this investigation, we analyze gas from 48 abandoned wells in western Pennsylvania for fixed gases, light hydrocarbons, and VOCs and estimate associated emission rates. We demonstrate that (1) gas from abandoned wells contains VOCs, including benzene; (2) VOCs are emitted from abandoned wells, the magnitude of which depends on the flow rate and concentration of VOCs in the gas stream; and (3) nearly one-quarter of abandoned wells are located within 100 m of buildings, including residences, in Pennsylvania. Together, these observations indicate that further investigation is necessary to determine whether emissions from abandoned wells pose an inhalation risk to people living, working, or congregating near abandoned wells" |
| Notes: | "PubMed-not-MEDLINEDiGiulio, Dominic C Rossi, Robert J Lebel, Eric D Bilsback, Kelsey R Michanowicz, Drew R Shonkoff, Seth B C eng 2023/06/12 ACS Omega. 2023 May 19; 8(22):19443-19454. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.3c00676. eCollection 2023 Jun 6" |
