Full Title: Chemical Characterization of Natural Gas Leaking from Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells in Western Pennsylvania
Author(s): Dominic C. DiGiulio, Robert J. Rossi, Eric D. Lebel, Kelsey R. Bilsback, Drew R. Michanowicz, and Seth B.C. Shonkoff
Publisher(s): ACS Publications
Publication Date: June 2, 2023
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Description (excerpt):
In a peer-reviewed study published by the American Chemical Society, researchers from PSE Healthy Energy (PSE) analyzed gas from 48 abandoned wells in western Pennsylvania for fixed gases (e.g., oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide), light hydrocarbons (e.g., methane, ethane, and propane), and volatile organic compounds. This allowed the researchers to estimate the total emissions of a well—including both greenhouse gases and health-damaging air pollution.
Abandoned oil and gas wells in western Pennsylvania are often within one kilometer of buildings—a distance deemed higher-risk by a large body of research. Given the concentrations of benzene and other hazardous air pollutants found in gas emitted from these wells, their proximity to people can pose potential risks for public health.