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CBC
3 hours ago
- Science
- CBC
Old, inactive oil and gas wells emitting almost 7 times more methane than official estimates
Social Sharing Inactive and abandoned oil and gas wells in Canada are a much bigger climate problem than previously thought, emitting almost seven times more methane than the official estimates, according to a new study from researchers at McGill University. The potent greenhouse gas is responsible for a third of all global warming and traps 80 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. But Canada's efforts to curb methane emissions have focused on active oil and gas sites, rather than those that stopped operating decades ago. The McGill study says methane emissions from these wells is about 230 kilotonnes yearly, as opposed to the government's current estimate of 34 kilotonnes. "Bringing attention to this topic — hopefully that will lead to more emissions reductions, and more development of smart mitigation strategies," said Mary Kang, associate professor of civil engineering at McGill University, who led the research. There are about 470,000 non-producing wells across Canada, most in oil-rich Alberta but also in B.C., Alberta and Ontario. Regulators use varying terminology for these wells, like "inactive" or "abandoned," but they're generally wells that have ceased production and may require work to plug them and restore the area. About 68 per cent have been plugged in some way by their owners, while the rest are either unplugged or their status is unknown. The study estimated that about 50,000 wells in Canada are undocumented, most in Ontario. WATCH | Wells leaking pollutants: Methane from abandoned oil wells worse than initially recorded 14 hours ago Duration 2:02 The McGill researchers also found that a relatively small proportion of high-emitting wells were responsible for a large portion of the leaks. They suggest targeting those wells, along with repurposing wells for other uses, like producing geothermal energy, which would encourage monitoring them long-term and preventing methane leaks that pop up. "For example, one well can emit as much as 100 wells combined," said Jade Boutot, a PhD student in civil engineering who was a co-author on the study. "When we look at the characteristics of the wells, for example, their location or whether they're plugged or unplugged, we can identify the wells that are at a higher risk of emitting methane. And then we can prioritize them for remediation." Environment and Climate Change Canada says it is reviewing the research and may include it while reviewing how it estimates methane emissions. The estimates are included in the government's annual greenhouse gas emissions report, which comes out around May. Living close to the problem Southwestern Ontario feels a long way from the centre of the oil industry in Western Canada, but it has a long history in oil and gas production. The first commercial oil well in North America started operating in 1858 in Oil Springs, Ont. The industry has left over 23,000 known legacy wells scattered throughout the region. "A lot of the people that were exploiting those wells were actually small landowners and they drilled thousands and thousands of wells that were never recorded," said Stewart Hamilton, a geochemist and hydrogeologist who works for Montrose Environmental Group, a firm that works on well remediations. He says he was not surprised at the McGill researchers' findings, given what he has seen with abandoned wells in Ontario that are leaking into groundwater and the surrounding environment, and causing headaches for local residents. One such problematic well is in Norfolk County, Ont., about 15 kilometres from the shores of Lake Erie. "Some days I can't even go outside without getting burning eyes and a sore throat," said Paul Jongerden, whose property is along a creek that the well leaks into. The problem for local residents is hydrogen sulfide, a foul-smelling gas that is ruining their quality of life and causing headaches and other health issues. The well is also leaking methane. The county has over 2,600 abandoned gas wells, according to recent reports, notes Brian Craig, who also lives near the leaking well. "This is a very serious issue," he said. "Many of them have been plugged, but there are many that are still leaking. "And if you add up all the methane that's emanating from these gas wells, it is having a serious impact on climate change." Fixing leaking wells usually falls to landowners, who complain this puts a huge burden on them, especially when they may not even know how many legacy wells are on their land. This particular well is on land owned by the county, and the local government has been trying to remediate it with help from the province. "These wells, particularly the wells that have got some underground pressure, they don't respect municipal boundaries and they don't respect boundaries in regards to private property and public property," said Al Meneses, chief administrative officer of Norfolk County. "What we do is try to get the province to understand that this is a regionwide problem and requires a regionwide solution." Ontario's Abandoned Works Program provides funding to landowners who need to plug wells, and in 2023, the province kicked in $23.6 million to develop a provincewide strategy for dealing with old wells. It included direct funding for counties including Norfolk and a doubling of the Abandoned Works Program's budget to $6 million annually. Other provinces have similar programs. Alberta's Orphan Well Association helps clean up wells whose operators have gone out of business. It raises money through a levy on the oil and gas industry, although critics have warned the levy is not enough to support the work. In 2020, the federal government announced $1.7 billion to help clean up abandoned wells in B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan. "I'm glad that finally, I think this is being taken seriously," Stewart said. "It'll take a long time. But it's not outside our technical capabilities. We can do it." Kang has been researching non-producing wells for over a decade. A landmark study she did in 2014 on non-producing wells in Pennsylvania led the U.S. and Canada to start reporting methane emissions from their non-producing wells in their official yearly estimates.
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
UK publishes environmental guidance expected to impact North Sea drilling development
LONDON, June 19 (Reuters) - Britain on Thursday published long-awaited environmental guidance which is expected to impact the future development of two vast North Sea oil and gas fields by companies including Shell (SHEL.L), opens new tab and Equinor ( opens new tab. The guidance sets out how greenhouse gas emissions that would come from the oil and gas being used, known as downstream emissions, should be treated in any future government decisions to approve extraction. "This new guidance offers clarity on the way forward for the North Sea oil and gas industry, following last year's Supreme Court ruling," energy department minister Michael Shanks said in a statement. "It marks a step forward in ensuring the full implications of oil and gas extraction are considered for potential projects and that we ensure a managed, prosperous, and orderly transition to the North Sea's clean energy future, in line with the science." The document was ordered by the government following a landmark Supreme Court ruling last year which said planning authorities should have considered the impact of climate-warming emissions in approving an oil well near Gatwick Airport. In January a Scottish court said Britain's decisions to approve Shell's Jackdaw and Equinor's Rosebank projects in the North Sea were unlawful and must be retaken.
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
New guidance published for North Sea oil and gas projects
The UK government has published guidance on how it will consider fresh applications for oil and gas move will determine whether production can go ahead in the controversial Scottish fields, Rosebank and Jackdaw - but gives no indication as to whether ministers would give their will now have to draw up new environmental impact assessments that take emissions released from burning oil and gas into account - not just the emissions from Minister Michael Shanks said the guidance provided clarity on the way forward for the North Sea oil and gas industry. Climate campaigners say new developments will make "barely a dent" in the UK's reliance on imported fossil new guidance was drawn up in response to a landmark Supreme Court ruling last year, that Surrey County Council should have considered the full climate impact of burning oil from new those assessments took into account emissions generated by the process of extracting oil and gas. However, they did not count the greenhouse gases which would be released when those fossil fuels were eventually burned - known as "downstream" or "Scope 3" January, the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that the decision in that case should apply retrospectively to Rosebank and Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea was originally approved by the previous UK Conservative government, and the industry regulator, in summer for the Rosebank oil development, 80 miles west of Shetland in the North Atlantic, was granted in autumn Ericht said work on both fields could continue while the new information was gathered but no oil and gas could be extracted unless fresh approval was granted. The climate watchdog - Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning - and regulator the North Sea Transition Authority had paused decisions on licenses for new drilling projects and the granting of existing licenses until the government clarified its of the new guidance means offshore developers can submit their applications for consent to extract oil and gas in already-licensed Secretary Ed Miliband and the regulator will then reconsider whether or not to grant consent, taking downstream emissions into UK government said it would consider the significance of a project's environmental impact, "while taking into account and balancing relevant factors on a case-by-case basis such as the potential economic impact and other implications of the project".No decisions are expected until the end of the Shanks said: "This new guidance... marks a step forward in ensuring the full implications of oil and gas extraction are considered for potential projects and that we ensure a managed, prosperous, and orderly transition to the North Sea's clean energy future, in line with the science."We are working with industry, trade unions, local communities and environmental groups to ensure the North Sea and its workers are at the heart of Britain's clean energy future for decades to come – supporting well-paid, skilled jobs, driving growth and boosting our energy security." 'Incompatible' with climate commitments Tessa Khan, executive director of the climate campaign group Uplift, said the new guidance means that oil and gas companies will be "finally be forced to come clean over the enormous harm they are causing to the climate".She said: "In the case of the Rosebank oil field, which Equinor can now seek reapproval for, it is overwhelmingly obvious that the project is incompatible with the UK's climate commitments. "Whether or not this government then follows the science and rejects Rosebank will be a real test of its climate credibility."Ms Khan added that Rosebank is a "bad deal" for the UK, would not help lower fuel bills or boost energy update comes shortly after the UK government's Spending Review last week, which included about £200m for the Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) scheme in also told the BBC he expects plans to be announced "soon" for the future of Grangemouth. This is a significant moment for the future of the North Sea but it effectively tells us it does, though, is it takes the brakes off future development within existing licence seeking consent to produce oil and gas will now be allowed to resume their applications, which have been on hold since the Supreme Court now have to produce an environmental impact assessment which sets out at all the planet warming greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production and consumption of the that, they have to set out what impact those emissions will have on the warming of the receive consent, they must set a compelling case for why those emissions must be offset against the benefits of giving the project the go the minister will use a matrix to decide whether to approve or reject any won't really know what impact all of this will have on those decisions until the first of them are there's a summer of uncertainty ahead. But we could start to gather a picture of whether the North Sea has a viable future from August onwards.
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
Africa Global Logistics (AGL) Joins Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2025 as it Expands Logistics Footprint in Angola
Africa Global Logistics (AGL) – a leading multimodal logistics, transport and port operations company in Africa – has joined the Angola Oil&Gas (AOG) 2025 conference as a Bronze Sponsor. The event will take place on September 3-4 in Luanda. AGL's participation reflects its growing commitment to strengthening supply chains in Angola, as it expands and modernizes logistics and port operations across the country. Operating through port, road, rail and air freight services, AGL has significantly grown its footprint in Angola in recent years, investing in infrastructure upgrades and offering turnkey logistics management solutions. With one of the largest logistics networks in Africa, the company provides reliable, flexible solutions that support oil and gas projects and create added value. As an AOG 2025 sponsor, AGL aligns with Angola's broader goals of increasing oil production and boosting intra-African petroleum trade. AOG is the largest oil and gas event in Angola. Taking place with the full support of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas; the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency; the Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute; national oil company Sonangol; and the African Energy Chamber; the event is a platform to sign deals and advance Angola's oil and gas industry. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@ AGL's sponsorship comes at a pivotal time for Angola, as the country prepares to bring several major developments online between 2025 and 2028. These include the Cabinda Oil Refinery (2025), the Agogo Integrated West Hub (late 2025), the Quiluma and Maboqueiro gas fields (2026) and the Kaminho Deepwater Development (2028). These projects require coordinated logistics operations to ensure the safe, continuous delivery of supplies – from offshore FPSOs to onshore facilities and export terminals. AGL's engagement at AOG 2025 is set to foster deeper collaboration with both public and private sector stakeholders, supporting these projects through direct engagement and potential partnerships. In 2024, AGL launched operations at the AGL Lobito Terminal, located at Angola's largest port hub, the Port of Lobito. The terminal accommodates large-capacity ships and handles over one million tons of bulk goods and more than 100,000 TEU containers annually. AGL won the international tender for the development of the container and multipurpose terminal in 2023, aiming to enhance the port's connectivity and support Angola's trade and industrialization ambitions. In addition to supporting oil and gas trade, the modernized terminal serves as the first Atlantic gateway providing access to Africa's copper-belt regions. Connected to the Lobito Railway – which links Zambia and the DRC to international markets via the port – the terminal facilitates critical mineral exports and supports the development of agricultural basins across these countries. AGL's participation at AOG 2025 presents an opportunity for closer engagement across Angola's upstream, downstream and logistics value chains. As Angola ramps up oil and gas output and expands exports, AGL's expertise will be instrumental in delivering the infrastructure and services needed to support these ambitions. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
UAE Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs joins African Energy Week 2025
CAPE TOWN, South Africa/ -- Sharif Salim Al-Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has joined African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies to discuss collaborative opportunities in oil and gas. Taking place on September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town, the event is the premier platform for Africa's energy industry. Al-Olama's participation is expected to open new doors for multilateral deals and partnerships. The UAE has emerged as Africa's largest source of foreign direct investment, with investments from Emirati companies totaling $110 billion between 2019 and 2023. This reflects a broader trend by Emirati companies to expand their portfolios in Africa, with strengthened cooperation set to unlock a wealth of development opportunities for African nations. As African countries pursue new sources of finance to advance projects in oil, gas and logistics, UAE expertise and technology will prove invaluable. During AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025, Al-Olama is expected to share insights into opportunities for UAE-Africa collaboration. AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit for more information about this exciting event. Looking to consolidate its position as a major player in Africa's energy landscape, the UAE has strengthened ties with African nations in recent months. A deal signed with Morocco will see the UAE support the development of the Africa-Atlantic gas pipeline – transporting Nigerian gas to North Africa and then on to Europe. The UAE will help mobilize financing for the project through its Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund. As of May 2025, the feasibility and preliminary engineering studies for the pipeline were complete. Agreements have also been signed with Tanzania for the operation and modernization of port infrastructure while the UAE and Kenya signed a landmark comprehensive economic partnership agreement in 2025. The UAE also launched the UAE-Africa Gateway initiative in 2025, aimed at enhancing investment opportunities for Emirati companies in the sub-Saharan African region. The initiative seeks to mobilize private sector investment to advance African projects and strengthen UAE-Africa cooperation. The UAE's state-owned oil and gas companies are also expanding their presence in Africa. Notably, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is deepening its footprint across the continent, with strategic investments in exploration and infrastructure development. Recent milestones include ADNOC's international arm XRG acquiring a 10% stake in Mozambique's offshore Rovuma Basin Area 4 concession. The acquisition includes stakes in the operational Coral South FLNG project, the planned Coral North FLNG project and the Rovuma LNG projects. Collectively, these projects have a target production capacity of 25 million tons per annum. In Egypt, ADNOC partnered with energy major bp to establish Arcius Energy – a natural gas platform to unlock the country's upstream potential. The platform aligns with ADNOC's international expansion plans. Beyond oil and gas, UAE-based companies have played an instrumental role in strengthening Africa's trade and logistics sector. Companies such as DP World and Abu Dhabi Ports have expanded their presence across the continent. DP World operates six African ports while Abu Dhabi Ports have recently extended operations into Guinea, Egypt and Angola. In the clean energy space, Emirati companies are leading projects in solar, green hydrogen and power. Notably, Masdar has committed $2 billion to renewable energy projects in Africa through 2030, unlocking significant opportunities for African countries. AMEA Power is investing in a series of renewable energy projects across the continent, including $620 million in a 300MW wind project in Ethiopia; a 120 million solar project in South Africa; a 1GW green hydrogen development in Mauritania; two battery storage projects in South Africa; a 150 MW solar plant in Angola; among others. Currently, the company has more than 2.6 GW of clean energy projects either in operation of under construction in Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Togo and Tunisia. 'The UAE has emerged as a strong partner for African countries seeking to advance the development of their oil, gas, clean energy and infrastructure industries. By expanding their presence across the market, partnering with African firms and mobilizing capital for impactful projects, Emirati companies are playing a major role in supporting Africa's economic growth,' states Verner Ayukegba, Senior Vice President, African Energy Chamber. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber. SOURCE African Energy Chamber
