Methane and air pollutant emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells and surrounding soils and the associated health impacts

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Methane and air pollutant emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells and surrounding soils and the associated health impactsMore than 700,000 oil and gas wells have been drilled in Canada, and as society transitions away from fossil fuels, millions of wells around the world will be abandoned. Recent studies show that abandoned oil and gas wells are emitting methane and other air pollutants to the atmosphere, negatively impacting human health, agricultural productivity, and ecosystem services. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential of 86 compared to carbon dioxide over a 20 year time frame and thus, methane is a key target for rapid reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to methane, abandoned wells emit hydrogen sulfide, a highly toxic gas, and volatile organic compounds, which has been linked to a wide range of human health impacts. However, the rate at which methane and other air pollutants are emitted from wells and the surrounding soils and how they may be linked to human health have not yet been studied. In the proposed project, we focus on Ontario and Quebec, where efforts to mitigate abandoned wells have received less attention compared to those in western Canadian provinces. Our preliminary data in these two provinces show that methane and other air pollutants, in particular hydrogen sulfide, is being emitted from abandoned wells. The limited data available show that methane emissions are likely to be higher than what national inventories suggest and additional data is needed to obtain a more representative sample. At the provincial level, Ontario does not have a greenhouse gas inventory, and emissions from abandoned wells are currently not included in Quebec's greenhouse gas inventory. We will conduct field measurements of methane, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile organic compound emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells and surrounding soils, and concentrations of these gases indoors. In parallel, we will also conduct a prevalent health symptoms survey. Our study will be the first to study the link between human health impacts and greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells and surrounding soils. Our data can be used by regulators to develop effective greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies and manage air quality and human health impacts of the growing number of abandoned oil and gas wells.