In recent years, abandoned oil and gas wells have gained significant attention. The U.S. has hundreds of thousands of these orphaned wells. Once they stop producing oil, no one claims them. This leaves taxpayers responsible for dealing with their environmental effects, like methane leaks.
In 2021, Congress established a $4.7 billion program to seal these orphaned wells, which aids the environment and creates jobs. Yet, another group of wells, called marginal wells, has been mostly overlooked. These wells are still generating some output but underperform compared to their potential.
The Rocky Mountain Institute highlights that there are approximately 576,000 marginal wells in the U.S., with around 18,000 located in California. Surprisingly, even though these wells produce just 7% of the country’s oil and gas, they are responsible for about half of the methane pollution. Many of these wells are situated in busy areas, like Los Angeles County. For example, Long Beach has about 750 active wells.
Plugging these marginal wells could be an easy win for climate action. Each marginal well emits around 1,000 tons of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gases annually. Although this sounds like a lot, addressing these emissions could cost less than $2 billion in California, making it a financially viable option.
Beyond climate benefits, there are other compelling reasons to seal these wells. They contribute to local air and water pollution, and removing them could improve community aesthetics. Additionally, the process could provide jobs, as decommissioning old rigs doesn’t particularly support economic activity.
California has a unique opportunity to repurpose land from these projects for better uses, such as green spaces or housing. Redeveloping these areas could address housing shortages while promoting environmental goals.
So, why aren’t these marginal wells being sealed faster? Unlike orphaned wells, they still have owners. Those owners often prefer keeping these wells operational. However, there are examples of early decommissioning. In 2024, Climate Wells partnered with a well operator in Los Angeles to shut down several wells near a youth baseball facility, generating 6,000 carbon credits. This shows that with the right incentives, even marginal wells can be closed early.
Private companies and states are eager for clear wins in climate efforts. Marginal wells offer a straightforward way to reduce emissions without significant downsides. It’s time to address this overlooked pollution and clean up our neighborhoods. For more on the impact of oil and gas wells, check out the Rocky Mountain Institute.
