Methane Reduction Tracking

Methane reduction is a key component of orphaned well site plugging, remediation and restoration work. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law contains provisions to measure or estimate and track methane associated with orphaned wells. Methane may leak from orphaned wells in various ways. For consistency across federal, state and Tribal orphaned well programs, the Department provides guidelines to measure and track methane associated with orphaned wells. The guidelines are linked under Resources below.  

Resources

• Orphaned Wells Methane Measurement Guidelines July 2023 Version [pdf] (1.28 MB)
• Orphaned Wells Methane Measurement Memo Signed [pdf] (113.58 KB)

   

• Federal Orphaned Wells Methane Measurement Guidelines 2022-04-11 [pdf] (1.18 MB)

Types of methane leaks from orphaned wells 

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1. Open well hole. 
2. Open well hole and soils around the well hole caused by subsurface fractures in the well bore. 
3. Multiple valves, connectors or cracks at the legacy well head or other infrastructure associated with the well. 
4. The soils around the well hole.  
5. The well opening after a heavy rainfall event or snowmelt in the spring when the groundwater forces methane that has permeated in the soil back into the well hole.